What does a feminist look like?
The Fawcett Society, a British women’s advocacy group, and Elle UK magazine teamed up to create a T-shirt celebrating the empowerment of women for Elle’s December ‘feminism issue.’ The T-shirt was quickly removed from stores after word spread that it was produced under sweatshop conditions.
The shirts, which read “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like,” were manufactured on the island of Mauritius where female workers earn the equivalent of about 1 USD per hour and sleep in confined quarters.
London store, Whistles, stopped selling the shirt on Monday (Nov. 3rd). However, the Fawcett Society still supports the product, with Deputy CEO, Eva Neitzert, stating that the shirts were made in a “fully audited, socially and ethically compliant factory.” Neitzert believes that claims of unethical working conditions were unfounded and informed reporters that the Fawcett Society will thoroughly investigate concerns.
A tour of the factory found that workers earn about 190 USD per month (about a quarter of the country’s average wage) and work a legal 45-hr workweek. One worker told the reporter touring the factory that she usually works 12-hr shifts and finds it difficult to live on her meager salary. The National Empowerment Fund reports that the minimum poverty income level is about 207 USD.
The shirts cost about 14 USD to make and sell for about 72 USD. All profits from sales of the shirt support the Fawcett Society.
One worker reflected on the irony of the shirts’ existence. “How can this T-shirt be a symbol of feminism when we do not see ourselves as feminists? We see ourselves as trapped.”
Eva Neitzert claimed the Fawcett Society had been “assured that the garments would be produced ethically here in the UK.”
The Fawcett Society stated, “as a charity that campaigns on issues of women’s economic equality, we take these allegations extremely seriously and will do our utmost to investigate them.”