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Teenager Asked to Change her Shirt in Wichita because it supposedly contained Profanity

by whland
12 replies
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Teenager in Wichita Kansas was asked to change her shirt at a mall because the guard claimed the shirt had profanity.

Really I see no problem with that shirt or the words on it.

Wichita teen asked to change her shirt at Towne West Mall

WICHITA, Kan. -
A teenager is asked to change her shirt at Towne West Mall...now the mall is changing its policy.

Bobbie Haydon says her 13-year-old daughter wore a shirt that says "RUNNING SUCKS" to the mall on Saturday. A security guard stopped her and asked her to either turn the shirt inside-out...or change it completely.

Haydon says she bought the shirt for her daughter, who is an avid runner. She says she never thought it would cause controversy.

"I hear a lot worse than that walking around in the mall than I actually saw on the shirt," Haydon told us.

Haydon says she asked to speak with a supervisor when the guard told her to cover up. The supervisor came and explained said the shirt has "profanity" on it.

"He said that Towne West or Simon Properties is trying to promote a family atmosphere," Haydon says, "and you have stores in there that do not promote a family atmosphere, I think that what my daughter had on is perfectly fine."

Haydon filed a complaint at customer service because she does not want other teens to get picked on for a shirt she says is benign.

We contacted Towne West Mall and emailed their director of marketing. We were told the security guard did apologize to Bobbie and her daughter. The mall says they're changing the policy on profanity and that word is no longer on it's list.
Source: Wichita teen asked to change her shirt at Towne West Mall | Local News - Home

Chad
  • Profile picture of the author socialentry
    Wichita must be one heck of a boring town if that kind of thing makes the news

    Wtv u do, dont send me to wichita
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      What a stupid story. The mother might want to look up the origin of the slang word "sucks" before defending her daughter's "right" to wear the shirt...and before buying more "slang" clothing.

      If she doesn't like the standards set by the mall - stay out of the mall.
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      • Profile picture of the author Horny Devil
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        I don't know about "running sucks", but . . .

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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        What a stupid story. The mother might want to look up the origin of the slang word "sucks" before defending her daughter's "right" to wear the shirt...and before buying more "slang" clothing.

        If she doesn't like the standards set by the mall - stay out of the mall.
        Here is what the urban dictionary says about this:

        1. Suck
        Not good. Bad.

        The early Jazz musicians would say that a guy could really "Blow" if he had a good sound when playing the horn. If he couldn't play very well then they would say that he was "Sucking" on that horn. That's where the term "Suck" as being something bad came from.
        He plays that horn so poorly that he must be sucking on it.

        He doesn't blow, he sucks.
        Of course, ironically, NOW, they can say "blows chunks" to say something is REALLY bad!

        As for "If she doesn't like the standards..."?

        1. If you take this to the nth degree, almost EVERYTHING will likely be BANNED!!!!!! DECADES ago, I predicted something, and it has FINALLY happened! It made the news!!!!!

        'Don we now our FUN apparel' -- wait, that's not right! - latimes.com

        TALK ABOUT SICK!

        2. HOW is she to know? Is the mall invite only? Does the invite include a study pack to get approval to handle it?

        Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
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    I understand a business not wanting profanity but don't most malls in the US have stores like Spencer's (hxxp://www.spencersonline.com/) that sell similar shirts?
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    That's one problem with ruling on profanity. What is profane to one person is not to another. Some people are so overly language sensitive it's hard to have a normal conversation without shocking them in some way or another. I studied language as a major and you can't do that if you're sensitive to it. There's only one word in the English language that I find offensive, and that one will piss me off bad enough to go to physical blows over under the right circumstances if a man says it to me - and no, it doesn't start with "f".

    As far as "sucks" - it's never been a taboo in English - and at this point it's mainstream enough of an expression that it's sheer silliness to pitch a fit over. Had that girl been a 20 - 70 year old woman wearing that shirt, she'd never have gotten stopped.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      There's only one word in the English language that I find offensive, and that one will piss me off bad enough to go to physical blows over under the right circumstances if a man says it to me - and no, it doesn't start with "f".

      Someone would probably have to be very cunning to figure out the word.
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      • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
        Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

        Someone would probably have to be very cunning to figure out the word.
        You spelt one of the words in your post incorrectly.
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  • Profile picture of the author Wolster
    Wonder how all the shop keepers feel.

    If the dope on the door is concentrating al his efforts on stopping kids with shirts which are fairly the norm in this day and age, the shoplifters must be grinning from ear to ear.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    BTW what does a vacuum cleaner do? DON'T say vacuum because: 1. you can't describe a word with the same word. 2. a vacuum is a space with negative pressure.

    YEP, they SUCK! The negative pressure has to be relieved by air filling the void, and they SUCK! How about a STRAW?

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author whland
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      BTW what does a vacuum cleaner do? DON'T say vacuum because: 1. you can't describe a word with the same word. 2. a vacuum is a space with negative pressure.

      YEP, they SUCK! The negative pressure has to be relieved by air filling the void, and they SUCK! How about a STRAW?

      Steve
      True. I hear parents say here suck your pacifier or suck your bottle.

      After all that's what A pacifier is for it's intended for the child to suck. Same with the bottle, they suck that too. xd

      Or you tell your kid to stop sucking their thumb. I hear that a lot too.

      See suck isn't such a bad word after all. If it is then we better find a better word for sucking the bottle, sucking the pacifier, or sucking thumbs.

      Chad
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by whland View Post

        True. I hear parents say here suck your pacifier or suck your bottle.

        After all that's what A pacifier is for it's intended for the child to suck. Same with the bottle, they suck that too. xd

        Or you tell your kid to stop sucking their thumb. I hear that a lot too.

        See suck isn't such a bad word after all. If it is then we better find a better word for sucking the bottle, sucking the pacifier, or sucking thumbs.

        Chad
        I was watching TV the other night after reading this thread. Four shows in a row had scenes where someone said this or that sucked. If people think the word sucks is profanity, then they must also think the words stink and blow are profanity also.
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