A lot of people have cutesy things written on t-shirts and intricate tattoos and the like. Question is how long and intently one can look at these things to figure out what they say/are without being rude. A bigger issue in the case women, obviously, especially for t-shirts, which typically have their message inscribed across the chest, and who are generally more sensitive about being ogled. But it’s rude to stare at men too.
OTOH, if people have these t-shirts and exposed tattoos they presumably intend or at least expect that people will look at them.
On the third hand - if there’s one available - I think a lot of people don’t mind if certain people read them but do mind if others do, and it’s difficult to know which category you fit into for a given tattooed/t-shirted person.
Spend the time to read the text if you want to know what it says. People that worry about breast ogling shouldn’t wear something to be read on them. Ask them what it says if it’s partially hidden under a boob, as lifting it up to finish the reading may get you arrested or not depending on the person.
I’m heavily tattooed —including a bunch of 'em that are visible outside of my shirt— so I can usually get away with looking at women’s tattoos. Generally they think that it’s a sincere interest in their tattoos as art rather than an shameless attempt to look at their tits. Once in a while they are correct.
T-shirts are a bit more problematic, though. If a woman catches me reading her T-shirt, I usually have to look her in the eye and say, “I’m sorry; I was actually reading your shirt, not staring at your boobs. They ARE nice boobs, though.” It gets a giggle more often than an angry glare.
I have the opposite problem. I’ll be gawking at some boobs and the owner will think I am reading her shirt. It’s not fair - I’m sleazy, not curious.
OK, that’s not true. But a real problem I have is when there is something written in a language with a different script that I am studying. I am just trying to decipher the message but I stare for so long it looks less than innocent. I am just trying to educate myself here!
For my one exposed tattoo, most people seem to think that getting a really glazed look and tilting their head to the side and staring wide-eyed at it while whispering the words as they read them is required to make it okay to stare.
Looks rather odd.
I prefer it when people just ask what it says. I then hold it up to be more easily seen and we can converse.
I knew a girl who would wear shirts with a slogan and then be upset that people were “staring at her tits,” I could never figure this out, in my opinion if you wear a shirt with words on it you have to be ok with people reading it otherwise whats the point of wearing the shirt?
I have tattoos, but they’re on my back. Usually they’re covered by my clothes, but in the even that I’m wearing a tank top or something where they’re visible, I have no problem with people reading them. I’ve gotten used to it. Often, I’ll even lift my hair out of the way to help them read it better. I’m cool with it.
Like anything else, there’s looking and there’s leering. If someone’s got something funny on their shirt, they’d have to be a jerk to get offended if you looked or laughed a bit. But you don’t have to use it as a conversation starter or prove to them that you can read.
I once passed a freak in downtown Berkeley, and I happened to glance past him, not even at him. He shouted at me “Yes it’s real!” When I did focus on him I saw he had a huge nut and bolt through one earlobe. But I guess he’s super sensitive about it? In Berkeley?
I tend to wear a lot of the um, sarcastic Tee shirts in work. We have a sort of policy regarding work supplied shirts that they would like us to wear ,but no hard policy. The only stipulations is that they not be offensive, and inappropriate.
I get the offensive, but its really hard with the inappropriate lol.
My boss is one of those A types thats really big into team work, and the one time Im not paying attention to what I wear, the Tee says ITS ALL ABOUT ME.
Another fav, was the one thats says Im Probably Lying, that time I was in the bar and not really caring about the message, cept for walking by a pair of cops thats doing community patrol and they give me that solemm nod, lol.
i want to get the Tee shirt , that says in mouse print, you nosey fucking bastard.
I wear my employee badge on a clip hanging from my belt. I can’t clip it too far to the right or it blocks my pocket. So it ends up hanging somewhere near the first belt loop. I have no grounds for complaint when half of the security guards stare at my crotch every time I enter the building.