A woman is waiting for the subway in New York. (August 3, 2022) Gary Hershorn
On social media, young women explain that they cover their outfits with large “subway shirts” to avoid sexist attacks on public transport. A clothing trend that shows the preservation of female insecurity.
This is the part that everyone is talking about on social media. subway shirt, “subway shirt”, whose hashtag now has 9 million views, appeared on TikTok, promoted by users in New York and London, before being widely shared by French media. Its feature: A piece is defined not by its style, but by its function. it’s a cover-up top that young girls wear with their outfits before rushing to the subway to avoid stares and inappropriate remarks.
In the video, model Caroline reveals the underbelly of modeling on Tiktok
In the video, American influencer Addison Ray films herself in a coffee shop, taking off the shirt she wore on the subway before sipping her latte. On the other hand, there’s Britain’s Sophie Milner, who films herself comparing outfits to their equivalent, with a tailored version “so she doesn’t get groped and stared at by a dirty guy on the subway.” If the phenomenon was born in Anglo-Saxon countries, then it finds its echo in France.
Tips for anti-aggressive clothing
Poll conducted by Opinionway 20 minutes In 2020, it found that of 695 young people aged 18 to 30 surveyed, 69% of women said they had refused to wear clothing at least once in the past year for fear of sexist comments or attacks. A habit confirmed by several testimonies of young girls collected by France 2 or Cnews on the streets of Paris. A subway shirt, but also sweatshirts or spare jogging pants. the latter remind us of their clothing tricks to remain undetected in transport. They all make a connection between light clothing and the risk of aggression.
Prediction of sexual acts and comments
The 5th annual report on the state of sexism in France, published in January 2023, states: “Sexism is not decreasing in France (…), and the younger generations suffer the most.” It also shows that 52% of women surveyed “refuse to dress as they want” in anticipation of possible sexist actions and remarks from men. In response to women’s insecurity in transportation, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin launched a prevention campaign on May 25, distributing leaflets to inform victims and witnesses of attacks. An action that is widely mocked by social media users who are more convinced of the effectiveness of their big shirt.
Source: Le Figaro
