Target forced to pull 'sexist' Batman girls T-shirt from shelves
Target Australia T-shirts that put drycleaning and washing on Batgirl's to-do list before being a superhero have been pulled from the shelves after being slammed as sexist.
Target confirmed it has withdrawn the girls shirts from sale on Wednesday afternoon after a number of parents lodged complaints.
"Target, are you serious? In a world where so many are fighting so hard for equality for our daughters, you put this on your shelves?," Shelley Wedemeyer posted.
"Target, your Batgirl T-shirt is out of step with 21st Century family values. It is utterly offensive and must be removed," another posted.
The girls pink T-shirt reads from the top: 'Batgirl to do list: Dryclean cape, wash Batmobile, fight crime, save the world'.
After days of debate about the T-shirt on social media, Target Australia sincerely apologised for "any disappointment caused" on Wednesday.
"It absolutely wasn't our intention to cause any offence," a Target spokesperson said.
"After reviewing and reading our customers concerns on the Batgirl tee, we have decided to remove the shirt from our stores.
"It was never Target's intention to offend our customers with this item."
But Target's decision to withdraw the T-shirts from sale, has already been met with a customer backlash in just a matter of hours.
Parents who see nothing wrong with the T-shirt have slammed the company for caving to public pressure.
"Shame on you Target, how can you seriously bow to such a small minority and remove the Batgirl T-shirts from the shelves?" one person posted. "Such a pity that such a large corporation has been forced to retreat because of a small group of ignorance imbeciles that just had to be offended by something because the bird outside chirped the wrong way."
"Honestly, what's wrong with people nowadays? The T-shirt was harmless," another said.
"I see no problem. Adults of both sexes wash their clothes and their cars. It's not sexist or gendered. Everybody chill," a Target supporter said.
A parent said she bought her four-year-old daughter the Batgirl T-shirt and "she loves it".
