"Wife Beater" Shirts Are Now Called "Wife Pleasers"
I don't think many people would argue this was a great name to begin with. But how do you feel about this new P.C. name?
Gen Z has decided that white tank tops for men should no longer be called "wife beaters" . . . because obviously that doesn't play well in 2023. So the new term is . . . "WIFE PLEASER." (???)
It's already being used a lot on TikTok, and Urban Dictionary added it last year. So the term "wife pleaser" is already in circulation.
The shirts are back in fashion. So the idea is they're "pleasing" to the eye. Plus, it almost rhymes with "wife beater," so it's not too hard to make the shift.
No one seems to know where the term "wife beater" originally came from. Some sources say it was a guy who killed his wife in 1947, and was photographed in one. Also, Marlon Brando wore one when he played an abusive husband in 1951's "A Streetcar Named Desire".
It's not the first time someone's tried to come up with a new name. Other suggestions that never got traction include "wife lover," "wife blesser," and "wife respecter." (???) Some think just "tank top" or "undershirt" would be fine.
(GQ)
Originally posted on August 11th, 2023