Target (NYSE:TGT) has received plenty of flak for a ‘Batgirl’ shirt it released in Australia.
The company — which has no affiliation to the U.S. version of Target — released a pink shirt designed for girls between the ages 1-7 that features a to-do list of what the female superhero needs to do before fighting crime. The shirt says “Batgirl to do list” and it reads “Dryclean cape, wash Batmobile, fight crime, save the world.”
Female shoppers — especially mothers — have taken exception for the piece of apparel which they believe is sexist due to the suggestion that a female superhero must do their house chores before going out to fight crime. One mother asked why can’t girls simply play as superheroes without having to do things around the house beforehand.
Target apologized profusely for the shirt, claiming it didn’t mean to offend anyone and choosing to take the shirt down. “It absolutely wasn’t our intention to cause any offence with this shirt, so we really appreciate you all getting in touch with us to let us know your thoughts,” the company wrote
Other shoppers believe that the backlash associated with the shirt is uncalled for due to the fact that male superheroes also have to do their chores around the house before fighting crime. Additionally, some mentioned that if people don’t like the shirt, they should simply not buy it.
TGT stock is up 0.6% Thursday.
