I honestly don’t know where to begin. I saw a post on FB about this line of Styleart Diabetes TShirts sold on Amazon that really shocked me. Amazon.com : Styleart Diabetes TShirts There are 93 shirts each one more offensive than the one before.
I emailed Amazon and expressed my disgust. Here is what I said: “You have a selection of StyleArt Diabetes T Shirts which are extremely offensive. I have lived with Type 1 diabetes for 40 years and am appalled to see a T Shirt with this on it : “UH! This tastes so good! I might lose ma leg to diabetes” or this one “you’re so sweet i have to go before i get diabetes”. Or this one “Diabetes Candy’s Funny T-shirt”. Type 1 Diabetes is a serious, chronic, life long, auto-immune disease. It is not the result of eating candy, or cupcakes or donuts or eating ANYTHING. There is absolutely NOTHING funny about it. Would you offer a shirt that makes fun of cancer or ALS or Muscular Dystrophy ? You should not make fun of people with diabetes. It’s wrong on so many levels.”
I received an answer back from customer service:
Hello Clare,
I’m sorry to hear about this. I understand the shirt is offensive and disturbing.
On priority I’ve forwarded your comments to our listing and inventory department to take necessary investigations and remove the items from our website.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this regard.
We look forward to serve you soon.
Best regards,
Vaibhav B
Whether anything actually gets done or not remains to be seen. The Amazon UK version of this product line is “Not Available” although you can still see the product online.
If these tshirts offend you please get online, send a complaint to customer service at Amazon. Let them know this is not acceptable.
Thanks for you time,
Clare
Thanks Clare. What address did you send your complaint to?
I guess I’m just not that bothered by it… I value freedom of speech and free expression more than I value our perceived privilege to not be offended— that being said, the shirts are stupid and I would not choose to buy one.
We’ve got a long road ahead of us if we’re going to try to silence everyone saying stupid things and selling stupid products…
When someone says something stupid or offensive about diabetes, I either choose to walk away or use it as an opportunity to educate and advocate. But offensive D-stupidity on a tee-shirt…well, I just can’t ignore that. To me, it’s as if the person wearing said shirt continues spouting the D-stupidity at the top of their lungs every few moments with no one there to correct them and stop the perpetuation of D-misinformation. I don’t roll that way.
Please post the contact information so that I can also write a formal complaint. Thank you!
I’m in between on this… Yes, I value freedom of speech, but I am tired of hearing about the focus on eating sweets and any type of diabetes. My Dx is Type 2, which EVERYONE with any access to the media KNOWS is my own fault for my terrible lifestyle CHOICES. These shirts do promote that misconception which leads to the “Shame and Blame Game.” (And to demonstrate that it’s working, every time I get into a conversation about this topic, I feel compelled to mention that I was fit, active and at a healthy weight for some time leading up to my Dx!)
That said, the one about the DOC website asking to accept cookies is kinda funny …
I agree it’s an ignorant message portrayed by the shirts… But who are we to forcefully silence others, ignorant or not… The shirts are in poor taste, but that’s the cost of living in a society where people are allowed to express their ideas and have dumb senses of humor, etc.
You don’t have to look very hard to find t-shirts FAR more offensive than these-- but complaining about them doesn’t accomplish much, they have a right to be ignorant, stupid, and classless… And we have the right to call them out as such and not purchase such products or associate with people who do…
And frankly until I’m willing to educate myself about every other disease (which I’m not) I really don’t think we have a real solid case that everyone else should be so informed about diabetes… Then again I dont go around wearing t-shirts that imply things about other diseases either.
If you don’t like them, don’t buy them. THe marketplace will decide if these are salable. Does no one want to uphold the First Amendment?
and, on a related note and real irritation to me…
We have turned into a society of “those who are offended”. Can’t even have a Nativity scene without someone complaining that Christmas isn’t “inclusive” When are we going to allow Christians to enjoy Christmas parties and displays again?? I haven’t heard of any outcry when other religions want to celebrate THEIR special days.
I’m going to let nature take its course, I don’t see many of these getting bought and worn because they are so lame…
I am with you 100% Clare I am having difficulty finding their web address, there are some otehr issues regarding Amazon and diabetes. I would like to complain about the lot.
rick
PS: Worst thing about it? I like amazon
I’m offended by your use of the word “Christmas”. (Kidding).
What’s even more astounding is the things that DON’T offend the otherwise so easily offended… Lol
when there is denigration of a group, it is either done out of ignorance or for malicious motives. if the motives are malicious, then trying educate those type of people is useless. but for the ignorant, trying to counter false ideas is useful. so we have our t-shirt contest here at tudiabetes. i have two submissions that aren’t focused on educating; they are more about promoting solidarity and recognition of courage and perseverance. but you could submit a design to educate too, if you wanted. Richard 157 just linked to a video of a little girl with type 1. she and i assume her parents are trying to educate the public. i love that video!!
they do reflect attitudes people have. even if the t-shirts were to disappear form amazon from lack of sales or from complaints, the attitudes would still be there. the way to really deal with those attitudes is to challenge them in some way.
Really?? Using that logic, I guess we can just challenge jihadists to stop plotting to kill innocent people? Or are you simply wanting everyone to subscribe to your idea of the “correct” attitude? Most everyone has an opinion and unless you are going to engage in mind control, I doubt your “challenge them is some way” is going to do much.
I really hope nobody would address terrorism the same way they’d address a misinformed t-shirt company. It just wouldn’t make sense to apply that logic to two vastly different issues. im not sure your counter argument is very sound…just angry.
I think the most offensive part is how ugly they are. 
. Between the stupid phrases and hideous designs, I don’t think we’ll see many people wearing them whether the community complains or not. They can have free speech and a failing business!
On the other hand, I think it’s great to practice your right to free speech and make complaints if you don’t like something. It doesn’t mean you’re going to hinder someone else’s speech. Amazon is a business and has their own right to censor or not censor whatever they’d like based on what gets them the most business or aligns with their beliefs. If they get rid of the company, the company can always sell on their own, independent website.
I just think it is going to tank so fast that we need not waste our breath, lol. Kind of the old “there are Bigger fish to fry” (no offense to fish)…
i think people who have already decided to be terrorists are probably not the best target for education resources. but those who have not already decided are. that’s why anti-terrorism experts are talking about combating the ideology of ISL/ISIS- a war of ideas- as well as combating the terrorists with weapons.
"…As such, I really don’t see how anyone could argue against bombing ISIS’s military capabilities, as this would certainly lessen this group’s ability to continue doing harm and gaining more ground and resources. After all, we should not fool ourselves into believing that these power-hungry criminals would voluntarily denounce violence (and all they gain/achieve through it), just because someone asks them to do so nicely!
On the other hand, nobody is arguing that this war can only be won by military means, obviously an ideological battle should be waged in parallel to discredit and hinder ISIS’s upper hand in spreading their propaganda. I say this regretfully, but there is no question that this terrorist group has proven quite effective in using new platforms such as social media to spread their evil ideas, recruit followers and post awful videos depicting their cruelty.
The key question here is: how do we achieve this? The answer probably lies in a multi-layered, combined and coordinated effort of local, regional and international thought leaders, media outlets and religious figures…"
as an aside, what happened to the news about the terrorists in san bernardino wearing go pro cams? my daughter, who knows more about that stuff than me, said that the video the terrorists were taking could have been accessed by others close by. this is what i read on a faq site about go pro cameras:
“How can I extend the Wi-Fi range on my camera? Can I connect and control from a remote location?
You must connect to directly to the camera’s Wi-Fi network in order to control the GoPro. We do not support relaying the GoPro’s signal via wireless repeaters or other accessories. If you need additional range for controlling the GoPro, you may want to look into using the Wi-Fi remote which will give 600ft of range in ideal settings.”
i am just wondering if the husband/wife terrorist team was transmitting their footage to accomplices not far away.
do you think challenging my idea is going to do much? maybe yes, maybe no, depending on the strength of your argument. the point is you are willing to try. why aren’t you willing to challenge people who believe out of ignorance the type 2 is caused by slothful behavior? i don’t think you need mind control for those people- you just need open minded people who are willing to listen to you.
so you need to distinguish between those who might listen and those who are close-minded and could care less what you have to say. then you have to distinguish between those who are a physical threat to you and those who aren’t. of course if someone is out to kill you, you aren’t going to try to convince them not to with polite conversation.
I guess you have to pick where you want to advocate. Today in our local paper, “The People’s Pharmacy” published a comment from a follower that reported aloe vera gel capsules “dropped my blood sugar from 220 down to 120” and they basically gave them a high five and cited a study done
by “Planta Medica”. I thought about writing a letter to the editor, which I have done before w their other medical advice column, written by Dr Oz, but when I tried to find ANY negative reviews of People’s Pharmacy it seems the internet slate has been wiped clean for them. these are the same ppl who advocate putting a bar of soap in your bedsheets to relieve leg cramps. it’s very disheartening.
may I point out we’d like to get a type2 PRIDE movement going on right now and your T Shirt Ideas are welcome here
In your bedsheets! NOT PILLOWCASE? I KNEW I was doing something wrong!