Forever 21, a clothing store for teenage girls and cost-conscious, misguided women, has recently earned a reputation for selling controversial items, and the latest product in question is the "Oriental Girl" necklace being sold for a whopping price of $1.50. It's a charm necklace of a young girl who some say looks Asian, but in reality looks more like a blend of Olive Oyl and Princess Leia wearing a Wonder Woman color motif. It's also worth noting that the girl's eyes are distinctly rounded, not almond-shaped. Take a look at the supposedly offensive necklace here.
Can People Make Fun of Their Own Race?
What's considered "offensive" is the fact that they're labeling the charm as "Oriental Girl" rather than "Asian Girl." It's an understandable argument until you take into account that the owners of Forever 21 (aka F21) are the Chang family, and they're actually Asian. Based on the comedy strategies of Kat Williams, Dave Chapelle and Mike Epps, it's apparently acceptable to poke fun at one's own ethnic group, so why should the executives at Forever 21 be treated differently?
The Other Forever 21 Merchandising Fiasco
The company recently received complaints for a tee-shirt that said, "I'm Allergic to Algebra." The message on the tee was controversial because it reenforced the stereotype that young women (the target demographic) aren't big fans of math. Kind of like when Barbie took flack for saying, "Math is hard."
It's strange to think that a simple necklace costing a dollar fifty is causing such a stir. Are people seriously angry about this?
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