so, this past week an organization called 'to write love on her arms' [TWLOHA] broke the news that they were going to sell their black title shirt in Hot Topic stores around the US. This happened to have very mixed reactions. mine comes from both sides [okay, so my initial reaction was WHAT THE FUCK TWLOHA!!!! but now its all kind of okay...]. some supporters say that TWLOHA sold out and will only be known as an [even more?] 'emo' organization. while others think this is quite amazing and will spread the word.

the blog on this is here: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=61976377...



the TWLOHA story/website is here : www.twloha.com



my response to this below:

after reading this, it kind of changed my view on the whole 'selling through HT' thing. while still trying to grasp that people actually are going to be informed about the story/organization when they buy a shirt, i still kind of dislike it. some of the more ehm...'preppy' kids may just view it as even more 'emo' because they are sold through HT. and i read one of the comments that said something along the lines of asking kids what TWLOHA is if they're wearing the shirt and talking to them about it, and if they don't know what it is, informing them. so at least if TWLOHA just becomes 'cool' because of this, at least by talking to the kid they'll know what the shirt really stands for and [hopefully] realize that the shirt isn't the entire depth of TWLOHA and that it goes much deeper than just a few words on a t-shirt. that wearing that shirt is like wearing your heart on your sleeve [or chest, or back, or side...] and that it stands for hope and love and community and open conversation and the response to that and screaming your voice as loud as you can to anyone who will listen. and after talking to that kid who just thought it was 'cool' to wear that shirt, that maybe they'll think different. maybe it was their story too, maybe they'll support it, maybe they won't, but at least they'd know what it was. much love. <3 you are in no way a sellout. i don't see how you could be a sellout.

-kat.