MeWeTOO tee

This 'MeWeTOO tee' was designed by NopeSisters 'to stand with the #metoo global movement. We all know someone who's a victim, or we have our own experiences of sexual abuse, harassment, or violence - so we believe it's not just #metoo it's we too' (https://www.nopesisters.com/products/mewetoo-tee).

The 'me too' movement was founded by community organiser Tarana Burke in the United States in 2006 to help survivors of sexual violence, particularly in underpriviledged communities of colour in the United States. The movement seeks systemic change to cultures and systems which allow sexual violence. In 2017, the #metoo hashtag went viral on social media as survivors from all walks of life came forward to share their experiences of sexual violence and harassment in the workplace after allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct went public.

This particular t-shirt was worn by New Zealander Brodie Joyce. She writes: 'I wear my MeWeToo tshirt in solidarity with fellow survivors of sexual abuse and violence. This shirt signifies the fight against sexual violence that myself and my peers...commit to everyday. I wore my shirt after my aggressor’s sentencing in court for unlawful sexual connection. That day, my friends came to court to support me in reading out my victim impact statement. They showed up in Nope and MeWeToo shirts in support of me and it felt as if we were all a part of something much bigger than ourselves and that we can overcome sexual violence, together' (18 July 2018).

NopeSisters are Johanna and Brittany Cosgrove. They make clothing with a message and share their profits with charity organisations that align with issues they feel strongly about. In the case of the MeWeTOO tee, they share the profits with Sexual Abuse HELP Wellington, and Sexual Abuse Prevention Network.

Their ‘mission is to design fashion for a cause, making a positive difference to real people, one tee at a time’ (https://nopesistersclothing.com/). NopeSisters clothing addresses ongoing feminist issues and contemporary zeitgeist movements, including sexual abuse and gender-based violence; mental health initiatives and suicide prevention; period poverty and sustainable menstrual products; and breast cancer awareness.

Their t-shirts act as walking billboards and conversation-starters. T-shirts have long been used for this purpose, and are a useful tool for protest and social movements - they are affordable, popular, and easy to print and embellish. In the case of NopeSisters' t-shirts, they are machine-embroidered with a specially prepared stitch by A1 Embroidery in Petone, Lower Hutt. Stitching is more intensive than printing, and evokes NopeSisters' conscious design approach. In the MeWeTOO t-shirts, the stitching is small to encourage men to wear the shirts without large confronting text.