"I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

HDCS — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:59:47 GMT

I think they're great. I saw them before my son, half Indian half caucasian mutt, was born but never got round to getting one. They only thing I'd add is that they need to consider adding something along the lines of cafe con leche. Or as is the case for my little guy, masala chai with extra leche =).

Anyone who is offended by these really needs to grow a sense of humor.

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

Hanmee — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 18:51:47 GMT

I guess my concern is with when language is misappropriated by an outside group. If this is something of debate among Hawaiians, that's up to them. I'm not of Hawaiian descent so it's not really my place to mold it into my own meaning.

(I'm not Hawaiian - I'm half Korean, half Caucasian.)

Language is certainly always in flux. There are definitely differences in language evolution with a people who grow up in their "native" homeland versus those who move to a different country. I distinguish that though from someone else trying to decide what something means in someone else's language. Although in certain scenarios it may seem harmless, in others, not so much (1984).

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

bubbles76angel — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:52:57 GMT

Hanmee - originally hapa was a derogatory term in hawaii as well as being only used to label people of hawaiian/caucasian decent, so should we stop using it entirely? I think it's wonderful that we've managed to reappropriate the term to be something positive for people of mixed heritage.

As for swirled, their shirts are cute and I don't see the problem with the shirts. For so long people of mixed race/cultures felt like they didn't belong to any group, rejected from both or all groups because they weren't "_____" enough. It's wonderful to see products like swirled helping to expand our community.

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

Stefania — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:19:47 GMT

Hanmee, as someone who was born in Hawaii, I understand the term hapa has been misappropriated. But it is now widely used to refer to half something (not necessarily Hawaiian), half something else--especially and even in Hawaii. Language is always in flux.

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

creative-type dad — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:17:53 GMT

They're lighthearted and not mean. I would buy one for my kid--

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

Hanmee — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:56:18 GMT

I think they're cute. I agree with the previous comments. I think we should embrace and appreciate each other's racial differences and the diversity and not be so PC, we can't appreciate some humor.

Btw, the term hapa is widely misused to mean half/part Asian. It actually refers to someone who is part Hawaiian with something "else". You have to be part Hawaiian to use the term. See http://www.realhapas.com

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

nichole — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:10:53 GMT

I'm seven months pregnant with my first child and I've already purchased two "I'm Swirled" shirts. I'm caucasian and my partner is Indian. I love his chocolate skin and we've always teased each other that we fit together like chocolate and milk.

We plan on talking to our daughter about race and making her feel special for the unique qualities that she will live with forever. Multi-racial parenting will be a whole new world for us and I know there will be challenges we face as a family. I hope we can meet them honestly and openly with a sense of humor.

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

JenniferD — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:21:55 GMT

I'm amazed at how everything has to be an issue nowadays. Why should these shirts be controversial? I think they are cute, fun and harmless. The people who are up in arms about this need to get a grip and find something else to be irritated about. I just wish they had a shirt with a bowl of rice and a taco and my cutie would be set!

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

Monica — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:30:22 GMT

I'd definetely buy a "she's my mommy..." tee for my 3yo, we've heard so many times "are you the nanny? are you babysitting her? are you the stepmom?"

the last one we've heard was "did you adopt her?"

she's blonde, I'm dark hispanic, her father is Irish.

people just should learn to go past skin colors and not feel the need to label people.

re: "I'm Swirled" T-shirts: Cute or Controversial?

BBBGMOM — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:16:46 GMT

Part of me wishes I'd had a "she's my mommy..." tee shirt as a little Asian-Caucasian girl 30 years ago. I grew up in very white towns where I was - to my knowledge - the only "mixed" kid until I got to high school. I always wanted both of my cultures acknowledged, but was 90% of the time simply assumed to be white by default. People thought my mother was my babysitter all the time.

I see nothing wrong with the shirts as long as the images are harmlessly whimsical. We in the U.S. tend to be afraid of discussing race so these shirts might be a fun conversation starter.