Old Navy is under fire for a line of toddler T-shirts that seem to discourage people becoming artists, which has caused the fashion company to pull the controversial shirts from their stores due to customer feedback. The shirt includes the moniker Young Aspiring Artist, but the word "artist" has been crossed out and substituted with other jobs such as "astronaut" and "president."
Many critics of the Old Navy shirts went on social networks including Facebook and Twitter to complain about the children's clothing. They argued that the shirts devalued the art profession, while some people even promised to boycott the clothing and accessories retailer, according to Today.
Kelly McKernan is a parent and artist herself. She argued that Old Navy was discouraging toddlers from being creative, according to The Huffington Post.
However, some people made the point that an artist probably designed the shirt. It could suggest that the shirts are satirical.
Old Navy quickly apologized for the T-shirts and pulled them from its online store. It told Today in a statement that it did not try to offend anyone on purpose.
The company pointed out that its toddler tees are available in several different designs. They include images such as unicorns, dinosaurs, and trucks.
However, it is not clear why the Old Navy T-shirts focused on artists. The Huffington Post points out that it would be more practical to be an artist, as there are only 50 working American astronauts, and one President of the United States.
Other clothing retailers have also been criticized for T-shirts that are casually sexist or racist. They include Abercrombie & Fitch and Urban Outfitters.