Forever 21 removes shirt after consumers lash out

Twitter users said the men’s shirt made light of sexual assault and rape. Brand managers apologized after the item was removed from its website. 

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Yet, clothing company Forever 21 went there.

One of its latest offerings is a T-shirt that reads, “Don’t say maybe if you want to say no.” The shirt was marketed to men.

Many saw it as a brand manager’s attempt to stir up controversy by reducing an extraordinarily important and weighty topic—sexual consent—to a mere T-shirt slogan. It could even be perceived as an excuse for sexual assault. RELATED: Use this guide for effective crisis communications tactics.

The justified outrage on Twitter was predictably swift:

Hey, @Forever21, we think you should #StopVictimBlaming and pull this shirt from your stores. https://t.co/lilmI6t3WL

— Project Consent (@consentproject) March 14, 2016

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