Meet the Vendors Selling ‘Cornell Seven’ Merch
Brands, influencers, and Etsy sellers claim they're hawking T-shirts, mugs, and buttons out of solidarity with the woman who accused seven male classmates of sexual assault. Some say it’s shameless.
The phrase "Cornell Seven" has been trending online due to an anonymous woman accusing seven Cornell University fraternity members of sexual assault. #IAmJaneDoe, a hashtag, gained traction after trolls tried to expose the alleged victim. All seven accused have denied the allegations and none have been charged.
The trend sparked backlash on social media for Cherrykitten, a brand known for selling slogan-topped clothing. They faced criticism for selling shirts referencing the case, with accusations of capitalizing on the incident. Cherrykitten removed the post and apologized for the insensitive move.
This incident is part of a larger trend of vendors capitalizing on current events to sell merchandise. On Amazon, Etsy, and Redbubble, there are numerous listings featuring AI-generated images of women wearing merchandise related to the Cornell Seven case. These listings often use keywords like "feminist," "true crime," "protest," and "lizzieborden."
Many of these vendors are driven by a desire to show solidarity with the alleged victim and support sexual assault survivors. However, some critics argue that these vendors are exploiting the situation for profit. The attorney for Jane Doe, Thomas P. Giuffra, has not authorized any fundraising sites for her, urging the public to be cautious about contributions.
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