How is the term "wifebeater" (describing a shirt) still politically correct?

yeah i would say it is. it doesnt offend me, probably because i am not a woman and therefore not a wife. but i really dont hear the word a lot or see many worn nowadays

I thought it was slang for making fun of rednecks and what they wore – I personally don’t know another term that describes that particular style of tank top…

It doesn’t really bother me. I have always grown up with the term.

And it isn’t derogatory towards women. It is insulting to the men that wear them. I think of people from the south that live in mobile home parks that start drinking Budweiser at 10AM when I hear the term.

P.C. is so overrated!! I’m glad some words survive.

No worse than boy beater.

@robmandu
Well played..

It isn’t.

Wife beaters deserve to be insulted, they’re not a protected class.

@misterbluesky – I agree with you. I think the connotation is quite negative and is offensive, especially to victims of spousal or physical abuse. Unfortunately, I do not see a change coming anytime soon.

@waterskier – You don’t need to be a woman to be offended by the term. I am not African-American but I am extremely offended when anyone uses the “n” word.

@PupnTaco It is not clear that the use of this term is meant as an insult to wife beaters.

I like to pair my wifebeater with a windbreaker.
However, I would apply neither term (as a pejorative) to, say, the local vicar (although privately he may be the latter, it is unlikely that he is the former).
Context, my dear friends.

Novelty works wonders for seriousness.

I had never heard of the term until last year. One of my roommates asked me if i wanted to borrow her wifebeater. I flipped out on her. I thought our college major had finally got to her and made her nuts. When I realized she’s talking about a tank top, I was just weirded out by the name. Why was it ever called wifebeater anyway? Does anyone know the origin?

My girlfriend and I have been using the term “wifepleaser” as a less offensive alternative.

Maybe that will catch on.

Here is what the Ft. Worth Star Telegram says about origin of the term.

And from the NY Times this year.

@ marina – thanks. both your links don’t work. i figured the first one to be this . but i don’t know what your second link is referring to. but the first link was enough for me to understand the origin.

@Pnl Sorry I have a screwy connection today. Yes, the first one was the PDF. The second one (New York Times) has this headline and date: NOTICED; An Undershirt Named . . . What?
By ELIZABETH HAYT
Published: April 22, 2001

It seems the consensus is that if the term was offensive to women, it should be changed, but it’s insulting to rednecks so who gives a damn. Is that accurate?

I honestly don’t think it is offensive, if it’s offensive to anyone it shouldn’t be women but the people who wear them! Then again, I do live in Australia, and we’re not too concerned about being politically correct or polite…