After one mom took the company to task, Land’s End has rolled out science-themed t-shirts for little girls. Finally, some NASA amid the pink-and-purple sparkles!
Land’s End introduced the shirts three weeks after a mom’s Facebook complaint drew attention to their measly offerings. The Huffington Post reports that Lisa Ryder’s daughter spotted science-themed t-shirts in the boys’ section of the catalog, only to discover they offered zilch for girls. This really stuck in her craw:
We immediately flipped forward in your catalog to find the equivalent shirts in girls’ sizes. But when we got to the available t-shirt designs for girls on page 56, instead of science-themed art, we were treated to sparkly tees with rhinestones, non-realistic looking stars, and a design featuring a dog dressed like a princess and wearing a tutu.
My daughter was very confused. Lots of her friends that are girls love science, too. Why were there no cool science shirts for girls?
Pffft, obviously it’s because girls are baby princesses who must be swaddled in ruffles and gentle colors until their majority. Science will just hurt their poor little brains.
But the company responded quickly, launching the new additions on Facebook: “You asked, we listened.” Pretty smart to keep parents happy, considering all the back-to-school backpack shopping currently happening. They say they’ll add more styles depending on customer response. And that is how you handle a social-media call out, companies.
Of course, Ryder could’ve just ordered a couple of “boy” t-shirts for her daughter. (And the selection there is still much better.) But it’s such a relief to see something that’s not stereotypically feminine sold specifically to girls. I recently walked into a Babies R Us to buy a gift, for instance, and was confronted with a sea of hot pink and leopard print. And sure, some girls just really love pink! Sure is nice to have options, though.