SM says 'Pull out' shirts pulled out of department stores

The latest statement shirts that have drawn the ire of netizens and a women's rights group were already taken down from SM department stores, an official of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) said on Tuesday.

 

"The shirts have been pulled out," SMIC senior vice president for Investor Relations Corazon Guidote said in a text message to GMA News Online.  

 

Last week, Facebook user Lynn Lopez uploaded a photo of a statement shirt she saw at the teen's section of the SM Department Store in Fairview. It said, "I promise I'll pull out." 

 

She described the photo as irresponsible and inappropriate. 

 

Also on Tuesday, Gabriela Representative Emmi de Jesus said that the shirt promotes violence against women, noting the statement shirt seems to encourage boys to seduce women.

 

"The play of words may sound like a harmless joke to marketers, but this has a subtle encouragement for young boys to seduce women and subject them to date rape," De Jesus pointed out. 

 

This is not the first time the department faced the same controversy. 

 

In September 2014, another statement shirt promoting rape outraged the public. It said, "It's not rape, it's snuggle with a struggle."

 

The company eventually pulled out the item from its stores. – VS/NB, GMA News