Information AboutWifebeater (shirt) |
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Wife beater, also '''wifebeater''', and sometimes abbreviated as simply '''beater''', is a Slang term used in North America , Scotland , Australia and various other places to refer to an A-shirt, Tank Top , singlet, or 'muscle shirt' when worn as a sole, outer layer as opposed to being worn as an Undershirt . This term is often seen as demeaning and is often associated with the similarly derogatory phrase " White Trash ". "Guinea T" and "Dago T" are other terms for the same style of shirt; and arguably just as offensive, "guinea" and "dago" both being ethnic slurs against Italian American s, among whom this style of shirt is stereotypically popular. The origin of the term is from the stereotype that the shirts are worn predominantly by men who Beat Their Wives ; black tank tops were often worn by Ike Turner , a notorious abuser of his wife Tina . In the 1980 movie '' Raging Bull '', the main character, a Boxer , is commonly seen wearing tank tops around the house, including in one scene where he beats his Wife . Another likely source for the association is the movie '' A Streetcar Named Desire '', in which Marlon Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, also frequently wearing tank tops, violently beats his wife (see below). Wifebeaters are also popular in the street gang culture of the United States. From there the wearing of wifebeaters spread to Hip Hop Culture ; wifebeaters are often worn by hip hop artists in public, on stage, or in the media. Use of the term ''wifebeater'' to describe an article of clothing (as opposed to its literal use) is relatively new, perhaps originating as early as the 1970s . Some people find the term extremely offensive, as serving to legitimize Spousal Abuse ; while others consider it harmless or even Humor ous. The term has been denounced by the National Organization For Women , who say it trivializes domestic violence. "The implication is that wife beating is not viewed as sufficiently serious to lift it above the level of something that's OK to joke about," says Kim Gandy , president of NOW. Like all slang, its meaning is not known to all; so to those unfamiliar with the slang sense, ''wife beater'' will only mean a person who beats a wife. In England , the term is used as slang for the Belgian beer Stella Artois . Although this is also used in Scotland by some, its main usage remains as a vest type sleeve-less shirt. A possible origin for the English usage is the famous scene in the movie '' A Streetcar Named Desire '', where Marlon Brando's character, yells "Stella!", the name of his wife, as he begs her to return after violently beating her. In British culture, Stella Artois is associated with a drinking culture in which domestic abuse may follow a bout of drinking at the local pub. IN THE NEWS Building 19 , a New England -based Discount Store , put an Ad in their 2006 President's Day flyer for A-shirts. It was advertised as being a "Wife-Beater" shirt. Building 19 management (and the cartoonist who drew the ad) later apologized. SOURCES
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