iPhone Slide to Unlock T-shirt From ThinkGeek Invites Strangers to Touch Your Breasts

Slide to Unlock Tee: Not the Way to Declare Your Girl Geekery

April 24, 2008

I just had one of those classic brain-fart moments when you see something and think it's clever and harmless, and then you actually, you know, think about it, and go, "Oh, come on." And with that I bring you this new Slide to Unlock T-shirt from ThinkGeek.

At first I was like, cool! iPhone T-shirt! And then my brain worked and I realized that it was an invitation your momma wouldn't approve of.

Call me a square, I can take it. Don't think it's sexist? Well, they're not making it in mens' sizes.

25 Comments

lovesickblues111 3 years 31 weeks

It's vulgar... sexist? well... today vulgar is mostly sexist, too.. I'll never wear this kind of cloths but I don't really care if someone else does.. maybe I'm not feminist enough.

4 years 9 weeks

Don't confuse Sexy with Sexist. My wife wears this as a night shirt. Are you telling me that her invitation is vulgar or that I'm sexist because a woman wears this shirt?

mich elle 5 years 4 weeks

I wouldn't wear it but I think it's clever. I don't really see what's "sexist" about it--frankly I'd rather be objectified than have someone think I have no sense of humor.

michelle92 5 years 4 weeks

eww, i would never wear that

POPSUGAR Beauty 5 years 4 weeks

I'm with shannoninsf and GiggleSugar (and Geek and GeneParmesan and...). This is some sexist BS.

GiggleSugar 5 years 4 weeks

I'm not sure if a man or woman came up with this T-shirt (it's probably a toss-up), but either way, why can't geek girls be cool geek girls without also inviting strangers to grope their boobs? It's as if women always have to be sexual in addition to anything else they might be. LAME-O and tired. :oy: (Also Mr. Darcy, "The only thing that's sexist is that they dont have a male version." With all due respect..."the only thing"? Isn't that what makes this sexist? That men aren't viewed as objects to be groped above all else?)

natali3nguyen 5 years 4 weeks

gross. who thinks of these things?

Colleeninator 5 years 4 weeks

Also with MisterDarcy.

shannoninsf 5 years 4 weeks

Mister Darcy, it wouldn't occur to you that a woman who bought this shirt is a product of the ingrained sexism of this society? The term self-sexist doesn't make any sense. And how does an "i love my penis" shirt objectify a man? Those shirts are meant to make women feel uncomfortable, on a conscious or unconscious level. You KNOW it's different for a man to wear that shirt and a woman to wear the above shirt. And did you check ThinkGeek's link? They outright say that this shirt invites strangers to touch your breasts.

GeneParmesan 5 years 4 weeks

Women "self-objectify" because they have been socialized to think it's ok or cute to do so. This t-shirt says a lot more about society than it does about one woman who decides to buy and wear it.

bee ree 5 years 4 weeks

Is there an "I love the c*ck " shirt? I don't see that one as sexist. But I can see the slide to unlock as being sexist, in the same way the aberscrombie and fitch "who needs brains when you have these?" t-shirts were. They make the outfit about how big the breast are, as though the woman wearing them should be about how big the breasts are, because the guys she is (supposedly) hellbent on attracting are all about how big the breasts are. If you would be mortified about your daughter wearing it, I would say it is sexist.

TsuKata 5 years 4 weeks

I'm with MisterDarcy. It's coded sexual; that doesn't make it sexist.

minorbug 5 years 4 weeks

Sexist?? Objectifying women?!?!? Obviously, you haven't seen the original "Slide to Unlock" line of apparel at CafePress: http://www.cafepress.com/keepitrealfake Including my favorite, the iPhone Thong: http://www.cafepress.com/keepitrealfake.162448538 Now that's classy!

MisterDarcy 5 years 4 weeks

Ugh! GeekSugar Geek could you please sanitize the comments? Seems like greater than/lesser than symbols are mistaken as HTML code. Fie! ____ @GeneParmesan: "most vulgar t-shirts are meant to objectify women EVEN if they are designed for men." What? Have you never seen the "I love my Penis" t-shirts? Many men absolutely love to objectify themselves if it is to brag about their penises. Personally, I assert my masculinity by profusely quoting Chanticleer from Canterbury Tales. That guy us a stud like Neil Diamond. And so, what of this "Slide to Unlock" t-shirt? It would take a woman to buy and wear this "Slide to Unlock" t-shirt. So is she self-objectifying? Self-sexists? Ditto for women who wear "Nice Tags" t-shirts? Nah, she's just objectifying herself out of her own choice. And I'm sure Camille Paglia would be proud of her, but probably sadden by such women's poor fashion choice. Low-cut blouses and short skirts are not for every woman (I personally look terrible in them), but we would hardly call the shop selling it sexist or objectifying of women. So ditto goes for ThinkGeek. When my friend Avi wears his "I love my Penis" t-shirt (after the gym, but before Friday service at B'nai Israel), he's really just objectifying himself. Not me. Bonus Question: What happens when a man wear's a "I love the c*ck" t-shirt. Is he being homo-centric and sexist? I mean, if a "Federal Booby Inspector" t-shirt is... PS: I'm tired of thinking. I'm going back to relaxing with Zima Black. The gentleman's modern and stylish drunk.

MisterDarcy 5 years 4 weeks

@GeneParmesan: "most vulgar t-shirts are meant to objectify women EVEN if they are designed for men." What? Have you never seen the "I <3 My Penis" t-shirts? Men like to objectify themselves too. Especially, how their penis is more awesome than some other guy's penis. And similarly, this t-shirt is made for women. So it will take a woman to buy it and a woman to wear it. So, it is "self-sexist" and "self-objectifying" like when I wear my "I <3 my Penis" t-shirt on weekends after working out in the gym but before Friday services at B'nai Israel. So really, a man wearing a "Federal Booby Inspector" can be sexist. But a woman wearing a "Nice Tags" t-shirt sexist and objectifying women? I think Camille Paglia would probably argue it is either a form of empowerment at best and bad taste at worse. Bonus Question +1 EC And by the way, if a man wears "I love the cock" t-shirt does that make him a misogynist or homo-centric? Screw this thinking, back to killing my brain with Chimay.

tdamji 5 years 4 weeks

yeah, thats pretty awful.

Ryot 5 years 4 weeks

ThinkGeek is typically not sexist. It may take them a few months, but they'll have a male equivalent of this, one way or another. They cherish geek-girls like few other retailers do.

GeneParmesan 5 years 4 weeks

Oops, I meant to add that most vulgar t-shirts are meant to objectify women EVEN if they are designed for men. The male counterpart to this t-shirt would not be a pair of shorts with a vertical arrow on the zipper (no frat boy would wear that unless it was part of a hazing ritual or if he was stripping on the side.) It would be a t-shirt with a picture of a woman wearing this exact t-shirt.

GeneParmesan 5 years 4 weeks

Of course it's sexist. Most "vulgar" t-shirts are sexist and objectify women..."Female Body Inspector," anyone?

rennekat 5 years 4 weeks

Ok I don't mean to be really stupid, but I just don't get it.

asilgrif 5 years 4 weeks

I think it's funny, I don't understand anybody making a fuss about this.

EvilDorkGirl 5 years 4 weeks

Thank you Mr. Darcy! Are you actually a Mr.? And jdots -- check thinkgeek. They've got tons of appropriate, non-vulgar geeky girls shirts. I own the "All your base" and "Ch1X0r" shirts. I'm a raging feminist, and I thought it was pretty funny myself.

MisterDarcy 5 years 4 weeks

Oh drats, I confused my horizontal with my vertical. That's why I've been doing so many things wrong for decades! Fie!

MisterDarcy 5 years 4 weeks

Repeat with me Kids! "What's vulgar is not necessarily sexist!" The only thing that's sexist is that they dont have a male version. The male version would be the same sign but for a pair of tight fitting shorts. And probably horizontally placed instead of vertically. You know...zipper. I'm sure there's tons of geek frat boys that would wear a pair of those shorts, without blushing. So let's not be closed minded prudes GeekSugar. It's the 90's after all...I mean, 2008.

jdots24 5 years 4 weeks

I find it gross. They really need to come up with better geeky girl shirts!

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25 Comments

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