Clothing complaint on 7 News
18/11/2013
Channel 7 News 18/11/2013 [Clothing complaint] (18.00)
Heated scenes erupted in Rundle Mall this morning when protestors blocked the entrance to a popular shop accusing it of selling offensive clothing. Disability advocates demanded the singlets emblazoned with the word ‘retard’ be pulled from sale. They came to give the Globalize fashion chain a dressing down. The controversial tops have been on sale since April but recently caught the eye of Sam Payer [phonetic] whose son, Ben, has down syndrome.
(Unidentified male, grab)
Unidentified male: “They are horrible.”
Reporter: “And why do you think they’re horrible?”
Unidentified male: “Don’t think they [unclear].”
(Unidentified female, grab)
Unidentified female: “He was bullied a few years ago and that word was used for him.”
The protest boiled over when Paralympian Mel Leckie rocked up wearing one of the singlets.
(Mel Leckie, Paralympian, grab)
Leckie: “This has nothing to do with people with disabilities. I don’t see what the problem is.”
(Unidentified female, grab)
Unidentified female: “Would you use the terms ‘faggot’ or ‘nigger’? Do you use those terms?”
Leckie: “No.”
Unidentified female: “Then why is ‘retard’ acceptable?”
Leckie: “I called myself a retard this morning when I put something on the wrong way.”
(Kelly Vincent, D4D MP, grab)
Vincent: “Do you not know what that word means? How can you say that? What does that word mean for…”
The designers insist the word isn’t ‘retard’, rather ‘retarde’ French for ‘delayed’ or ‘held back.’
(Karen Hauptman, Protestor, grab)
Hauptman: “But here in Australia the word ‘retard’ or ‘retarde’ it only means one thing, it’s a word that’s used to bully.”
Police were called in as the mother of one storeowner confronted protestors.
(Unidentified male, grab)
That’s what [unclear] he should be ashamed of himself.
Unidentified female 2: “Well, he’s not ashamed of himself.”
Nor it seems is his Co-Owner.
(Clayton Cross, Store Co-Owner, grab)
Cross: “It’s not even a word it’s just simply a expression on a t-shirt and people can take it as they will.”
There was a back down of sorts but there are fears this morning’s protest has done more harm than good. It turns out staff didn’t need to take the tops off the rack because they’d already sold out.
Reporter: “Are you surprised it sold so well?”
Unidentified female 3: “Not really.”
Other Globalize outlets are still selling them but they’re not on display
