Wife Beater Tank Top Poll

Poll: Does The Term “Wife Beater Tank-Top” Offend You?

Posted by: Amelia McDonell-Parry Filed in: polls
11:30AM, Thursday August 21st 2008

A couple weeks ago we did a post on this awesome, but expensive tank-top/garter combo from Kiki De Montparnasse—because the tank was the kind with the ribbing, I used what I thought was the most common term for the tank itself. A wife beater. Last night, I got an email from a reader which read:

There is absolutely no reason for a website for ladies to be using “wife beater” as fun slang! Ladies in the know also call them boy beaters—I don’t appreciate that either but take note of the language you use and accept. It influences our culture!

The term “wife beater” has become pretty ubiquitous as a way of describing this particular style of tank. If you’re describing to a friend a tank top with ribbing (like those made by J. Crew or Hanes), calling it a “wife beater” pretty much ensures that the friend will know exactly what you’re talking about. While the term can obviously be viewed as offensive to women, in the way the reader described, Intern Annika also told me that some people feel like it has racial undertones. So I did some research.

The correct term for this type of ribbed tank-top is A-line.

The term “wife beater” refers to the type of tank top men who beat their wives supposedly wear, but there are also some racial overtones, aimed specifically at Italian-Americans. A-line tanks have also been called Dago T’s or Guinea T’s, both of which are slang terms that demean Italian-Americans.

Most major brands won’t refer to a ribbed tank-top as a wife beater, but American Apparel does. Then again, they also have made some other questionable marketing decisions.

At the end of the day, I get why the term wife beater being used to describe a piece of clothing is offensive to some. That’s why I’m curious how you feel about the term—are you offended?

comments

Simosa
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 11:40 am: [report]

I’m not offended. But, looking at the question…and the comment from the reader. It’s a legitimate comment…language influences culture.

I wonder why I’m not offended and if I should be. Certainly I should be. If it was called a puppy beater I’d be appalled. What’s wrong with me?

lilo
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 11:55 am: [report]

The term didn’t offend me until I read your post regarding the racial connotations. Not so wild about it.

JWM
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 11:58 am: [report]

Please. This type of knee-jerk indignation is so tired and predictable and easy. If you want to feel victimized, you can project that vicitimization onto any word. This particular annoying e-mail writer is jumping to the false conclusion that the term somehow tacitly *endorses* domestic violence. Some other annoying MALE writer would say it’s a reverse-sexist slur asserting the negative stereotype that men are violent. Another annoying CLASS-OBSESSED writer would point to the obvious classist undertones implicit in deriding poor people who can’t afford to wear anything over their undershirts. As for the Italian thing? Gee - by some chance did your “research” consist of asking… someone who self-identifies as an… ITALIAN? There’s no doubt that millions of bigoted people have attached every ethnic slur conceivable to this particular garment.

You know what I’m offended by? Idiots who enjoy getting offended. How are people still getting this worked up over stupid words? Are you still in f***ing kindergarten? Get over it!!!

Amelia
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 12:03 pm: [report]

@JWM Um, I’m Italian. Do I count?

Sarah
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 03:44 pm: [report]

Nope. I love them, and generally I just call them tank tops. I think there are other, bigger issues out there to be bothered by.

But I do find the article interesting.

ClatieK
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 07:34 pm: [report]

I’m offended that she called this a “website for ladies.” Deeply, personally wounded, in fact.

ClatieK
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 07:37 pm: [report]

I’m also offended by the term “ladies in the know.” That is a horrible turn of phrase.

Elle
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 08:09 pm: [report]

I call them wife beaters, but I never really gave it much thought. It’s not something I would spend my time worrying about.

Lynn
wrote on August 21 2008 @ 09:26 pm: [report]

I call them “wife beaters.” I get pissed off when people decide they are “offended” over silly non-issues, so I’m not about to change my ways anytime soon. Calling them “boy beaters” is particularly stupid because that just calls attention to the fact that you cared enough to reverse it. If you are “offended” by the term “wife beaters,” how are you NOT “offended” by the term “boy beaters”? Being offended by the former is silly, but being a hypocrite is ridiculous.

I’m still not sure I get where the “offense” is coming from. Is this writer herself a ribbed tank?

noelle
wrote on August 23 2008 @ 04:13 pm: [report]

knowing that the term is offensive to some over sensitive fools makes me want to use it more often. Maybe I can have a good laugh at some loser who tries to correct me.

Mik
wrote on August 28 2008 @ 09:09 am: [report]

People gotta stop thinking up crap to be offended about. Not everything has to be altered to suit your comfort level. I’m sure if they tried harder, they can think of something more important to whine about.

GAPrincess
wrote on September 4 2008 @ 02:27 pm: [report]

I grew up in NJ in the 1970’s and the common, though not PC term for the ribbed tank top in question was a ‘guinea tee’. As they were usually worn by men of Italian descent.

Fast forward 20 years and thanks to the television shows COPS and perhaps Jerry Springer we have ‘wife beaters’. Obviously Italians no longer where this type of undergarment. Only men who live in trailer parks and/or beat their women wear these now.

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