Is this really offensive?

[ElenitaB]

As someone who is getting ready to undergo breast cancer surgery and treatment (I'm stage 0 so my outcome is great!) I do not find the shirt offensive at all. My guess (like most of you) is that she has personal experience with this awful disease.

I just may get one and wear it to WDW to celebrate when I am on the other side of this inconvenience!

Thanks to t-shirts like this and the ones before them which were considered daring in their time to even use the word "breast," many advances have been made in awareness, research, diagnosis and treatment. As a result of the women who went before you and the risks they took, and the awareness they raised, you now have a FANTASTIC prognosis. Good luck with your surgery, and please send me a PM to let me know how you're doing.

However , I do find it tasteless, and disrespectful to breasts, women in general, and also disrespectful to breast cancer victims.

Surely ..... they could have found a better way to get that message out without making light of a very serious thing.

It is too serious a subject to be making a cute little joke about.

I must respectfully disagree. There's nothing I like more when getting chemo than a little giggle. Even though some of us might have cancer, we also have a sense of humor. (I do agree that the "little joke" made to your friend was incredibly insensitive and inappropriate, but that's because sometimes people just really don't know what to say.)

And I hardly think this particular shirt comes even close to being vulgar. Cancer is vulgar. Are you doing your part to defeat it?

Ed, you just made me cry (happy, strong tears). Thank you for your battle words!

[PirateLover]

If I heard one of my boys us "look at those ta-ta's" I would tell them it's inappropriate.

It's the context. If one of your boys said "Look at those breasts!" would that be any more appropriate?

If the shirt isn't appropriate at school is it appropriate for WDW? My thoughts no.

It may not have been appropriate at that school, but in other schools it might be allowed. I taught at a school once where the students had a very strict dress code and one that was very liberal. I couldn't believe some of the things they were allowed to wear, I'm sure this would be OK there.

Normally I lean conservative on clothing in WDW (I was very disgusted by a shirt I saw last time around. Can't remember the exact phrasing but it was about being drunk and had the not so nice word for "butt" on it). However with this I just look at it a little differently. I guess I could understand how some can't though... BTW I wouldn't mind a"Save the Stones" campaign as well...my dad is a survivor of testicular cancer.

[Jeff G]

It's the context. If one of your boys said "Look at those breasts!" would that be any more appropriate?

I was just about to change that because I agree, this phrasing isn't any more appropriate.

It may not have been appropriate at that school, but in other schools it might be allowed. I taught at a school once where the students had a very strict dress code and one that was very liberal. I couldn't believe some of the things they were allowed to wear, I'm sure this would be OK there.

I understand some schools are more liberal than others. This is one of those subjects where there are two sides of the fence. I'm not offended but I do find the shirt inappropriate at WDW and can understand why individauls may take offense.

[Patti_C]

I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but I have a shirt that has a baseball diamond on it and it says "save second base" A friend of mine had breast cancer and bone cancer and they had a benefit for her and i bought a shirt. I only wear it at home, because i don't feel comfortable wearing it in public. my opinion is that we do need to be aware and so do our young teenage girls.

[Gooftroop5]

Well this woman was utterly insulted by this shirt and wouldn't stop talking about it to her husband for the 25 or so minutes that we stood in line.

Ok, now I do understand what it means, but seriously, if she was worried about younger kids, would most young kids even know what that means? I mean I don't think it's really a well known slang, but I would think young kids wouldn't really get it. Am I wrong?

Did the lady know what ta-tas meant or did she have to have it explained for her?

I haven't heard the word "ta-ta" used in forever. I am surprised most people would know what it means at any age. My mil wouldn't have known. Would my children know what it meant NO. If my dd 9yo asked (my boys are too young to read) I would just explain it to her it just being a slang word for breasts and the message she was trying to convey.

We have just had 2 people very close to us die within the last 9 months of breast cancer complications. Both ladies would've chuckled when they saw it. They were both very old school.

At least it covered her "ta-tas". I think its offensive to see them hanging out. Yet I wouldn't go on for 25 minutes plus (I am sure it didn't stop after you were away from this woman) about it. If it wasn't this she would've found something else to complain about the whole time she was standing there. More than likely it would've been standing in line 25 minutes.

[Disney Doll]

I think the word ta-tas is fine if it is used in the appropriate context and I would not think twice about seeing this shirt at WDW. The word ta-tas is not something I've heard much. Maybe it's a regional thing? I guess I never knew it was considered a "bad" word by some.

[tmosier]

Offensive? I wouldn't say that. Something I would wear or would let my daughters wear? No way! And I wouldn't let my son, if I had one, wear a testicular cancer awareness t-shirt reading "Save the Nads" either.

I have to wonder how many young women who wear such a shirt do so because they truly want to promote breast cancer research vs. doing so for the shock value or for the male attention that such a shirt brings.

[mrsgaribaldi]

I don't find it offensive. Look how much it made people "talk" just here at Intercot.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

I received a kidney transplant from a friend 2 years ago and my sister from a cadaver 1 year ago so I carry a "Donate Life" backpack and wear a green National Kidney Foundation bracelet when I'm in Disney. I'm all for people supporting and promote any health cause. If it causes people to talk and do something to make a difference that could save a life....why not. I think it is great to see a teenager who has a cause to support. Think of all of the other t-shirts she could have been wearing.

[tinkerbellybutton]

OK, I don't know how I missed this post before but since I saw it I wanted to put my two cents in. What makes "ta-tas" a worse word than say bum-bum? I know a lot of children that use that word and it's a much more tasteful name for their bottom than others that I have heard. I have seen the shirts at a fund raising carwash and I think they are great. Although I did have a harder time explaining to DS11 why there were big black hand prints on the "ta-tas" of the other t-shirt girls were wearing at the carwash, the word itself was a piece of cake. (BTW DS now knows how to do a breast exam)

[SallyfromDE]

I realize it's not like the end of the world or anything, but I just don't get the need for the coarseness of the shirt. I actually find that it cheapens the cause to a degree.

Look at that woman that was offended. Did the shirt do anything to help her become more interested in fighting breast cancer? A potentially offensive shirt alienates some people, while a nice, tasteful shirt is going to help your cause across the board.

Actually Ian, it could be the end of world. Breast Cancer does kill both men and women. As for the offended woman, she would have found the use of Breast just as offensive. I work in retail and the "older" crowd gets offended by a mannquin sitting the wrong way.

How do we know the young lady wearing the shirt didn't lose a mother, aunt of Grandmother to the disease? I think the shirt is a nice change to the same ole', same ole'.

[SallyfromDE]

However , I do find it tasteless, and
disrespectful to breasts, women in general, and also disrespectful to breast cancer victims.

I asked my Mother and Sister, both breast cancer survivors, what they thought. None of us had seen this shirt. They both asked where they could get one. I guess they didn't feel it disrespectful to themselves.

Here's my take on it ....
I actually find it doubly tasteless to wear a shirt like that in Disney World with so many kids around. I really don't feel like standing in line with my DD6 and having to answer the question, "Daddy, what are ta-tas?"

If it's a young child, they just want a simple explainance, so you give them something simple. It's another word for Boobie. If they are a little older, a little more information, another word for a disease that can hurt people. Or maybe a simple "I don't know" would work.

[crazypoohbear]

I'm sitting here thinking about Ta Ta's Vs. Breast and I think I have figured it out.
Years ago more people were dying of breast cancer because it was not considered "polite" conversation. Now there is much more breast cancer awareness because at some point years ago someone decided to use the word "breast" and bring it to the forefront. Now no one cringes at the word, it is not whispered any longer.
Does anyone remember when cancer was whispered and not discussed.
Now people are talking, whether it's breast, boob, ta ta, 2nd base or mammary gland it is getting attention, saving lives and helping woman/mankind.

So spread the word whatever word you choose. Just keep talking! It is saving lives!

[SteveL]

I must respectfully disagree. There's nothing I like more when getting chemo than a little giggle. Even though some of us might have cancer, we also have a sense of humor.

Ed, you just made me cry (happy, strong tears). Thank you for your battle words!

This weekend we just had the ACS Relay for Life, and I'm proud to say that our team has raised approximately $40K over the last five years.

We have several breast cancer and colon cancer survivors on our team. Because their sense of humor survived all of the surguries, radiation and chemo treatments they picked the name for the team.... T & A Team.

So far only one person has objected to the name and numerous other survivors have chuckled and made positive comments.

Cancer isn't just vulgar, it's obscene.

[ElenitaB]

We have several breast cancer and colon cancer survivors on our team. Because their sense of humor survived all of the surguries, radiation and chemo treatments they picked the name for the team.... T & A Team.

See A Chorus Line a few too many times?

[LaurenNJ]

[When you're in the trenches, a little humor never hurts.

I've seen far tackier t-shirts around (even at WDW); at least this one was for a good cause.[/QUOTE]

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Boojum]

If that's the worst shirt I ever see, I'll be in good shape. (Actually, it's too late--have already seen worse, including in WDW)

Plus, if I had to guess, I'd be willing to bet that the woman who was doing all the complaining was probably an "inveterate complainer." If it hadn't been the shirt, it would have been something else.

[drummerboy]

I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but I have a shirt that has a baseball diamond on it and it says "save second base" A friend of mine had breast cancer and bone cancer and they had a benefit for her and i bought a shirt. I only wear it at home, because i don't feel comfortable wearing it in public. my opinion is that we do need to be aware and so do our young teenage girls.

Had to think about that one a bit. I didn't know people were even using that term any more.

[crazypoohbear]

Just occurred to me...
Do you think that Tigger was a proponent for breast cancer awareness when he uttered the phrase...... ready......


ta ta for now??!!!

[garymacd]

Well, it got some people talking.

My beloved wife lost her mother to breast cancer 15 years ago. I watched not only her die, but also a part of my wife.

Humour certainly helps and the more people talk about it, the higher the awareness will be.

Ladies, please! Perform your monthly exams, and if your doctor says it's time for a mammogram, get it done! While you're at it, get that other test done annually, too. My best friend lost his wife to ovarian cancer at the age of 37. She wouldn't go to the doctor, and when she did, she didn't listen to him and it was already too late.

Guys: do YOUR self exam monthly, too!