User:CymraegUn/sandbox

Shehugger™
Shehugger™ was created to start a conversation. The Shehugger is an awareness-raising and funding tool inspired and developed by Public Spectacle

Back story

In the USA, the white tank tops ("vests", as they are known in Great Britain) worn as undershirts but also commonly worn as t-shirts, have been assigned the alarming tag of "Wife-beater". This cultural use of a term which appears to endorse domestic violence has evolved over the past few years, and it is quite easy to locate speculative discussion which pertains to the alleged origins and continued use of this language. Public Spectacle, amongst others, is interested in asking people to take a look at their own use of this language, but as advocates and educators, the objective is to avoid any confrontational approaches; the interest is in how social and cultural trends such as this can be accomplished, and even perpetuated by people who are or have themselves been victims of violence. The question is directed to all demographics. With this in mind, the Shehugger campaign was launched. The campaign consists of two equally important components: to see if it is possible to modify the cultural lexicon and change "wife-beater" to "Shehugger" with an accompanying change in intention, and to use this lighthearted intervention to generate funding for the advocacy work that largely depends on grants. All funds raised through sales are used to support Public Spectacle's work. When income can be generated through sales, it means that Public Spectacle is not competing for the same limited funds which are also needed by many other advocacy groups. The view is that to the greatest possible extent, it would be better and more functional to collaborate rather than compete with other service providers. The back of the shirt reads,"taking the violence out of fashion".

Hug Life

Inspiring awareness helps facilitate collective problem-solving. The aim is to provide information in a way that supports dialogue and deals with serious issues without presenting too seriously. To this end, the "Hug Life" video was commissioned and distributed, and on October 1st 2012 the Shehugger "wearable advocacy" shirts were available to everyone.

"The Shehugger is the symbol of a movement for living in healthy, violence-free relationships. Because hugs are nice."

External Links

Shehugger Campaign Official website

Public Spectacle Official website