Or at least now they can be.
I’m going to do some market testing with a product idea that I hope will not destroy the readership this blog is suppose to serve. About a month ago, my brother and I stumbled upon an idea. It was funny. To us. Then we thought, “There’s millions of people like us.” Could we sell our idea? It was so crazy it just might work. We brainstormed for a couple of hours and came up with about fifteen to twenty funny, edgy lines about disability to be printed on t-shirts. We put them through our own critiques and narrowed the list to about nine. We want to pick about three to print, and then we’ll go from there.
So this is a good time for my disclaimer. It’s possible that some of our shirt ideas could be offensive to some people. We mean the best. Really. And a lot of these shirts could potentially be ice-breakers to help get past social barriers. But we want to know which ones will cause laughing-induced snorts and which ones would best be put to rest. So if one does offend you, let me know. If you can’t continue reading because you’re laughing to hard, wait a second, take a deep breath, and let me know which one was awesome.
Okay. Now that we’ve put that behind us, let us continue. I’m going to give these images title attributes, so I think screen readers will be okay. Someone let me know if I’m wrong there and need to type each caption in the text.
Since I’m a little biased, many of these shirts are meant for wheelchair users (although there is a good one for people who are blind). So I find it helpful to imagine an unsuspecting able-body person and a disabled person (probably in a wheelchair) approaching each other on the sidewalk. The disabled person is wearing a shirt that says:
Now you know where that silly blog name came from. :-)
Great t-shirt ideas? Or greatest t-shirt ideas? Let me know in the comments, would ya?
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47 Comments
If you had a kids’ medium for “I know, I’m an inspiration,” I’d snap it up in a heartbeat–every summer I get my son a snarky t-shirt to wear back to school.
Thanks for the comment, Penny. We were “iffy” about that one.
Rofflecopter!!! I thought they were all pretty funny.
Blake, I would buy the I know, I’m an inspiration and the What Happened? I’m lazy one for Kyle. but he’s a 4t or youth xsmall. The lazy one cracks me up. People ask all the time what happened? This would be a good answer!
OMG ROTFLOL!!! My daughter has SMA as well and I absolutely LOVE these, all of them, especially the Chuck Norris on but I’m not sure how many other people would get it. My kid is only two but I would still love to have at least one of these in her size. Keep the ideas a flowing because I think you all are on to something.
If people are offended, oh well! Our son Aiden has SMA (type 1) and we try to keep a sense of humor in our life. So, I sue inappropriate humor as well and people look at me like there is something wrong wtih me. Anyways, love the idea I wish they came in smaller sizes for our wee one.
Hello! I just LOVE all the t-shirts, especially the I can see you and the Yes, I know… I have an SMA baby type1 (Deirdre valeria) and have worked for 9 years in Vocational rehabilitation as a computer specialist and, honestly, how can anyone be offended? You have to keep humor to keep going. If you cannot laugh at yourself, with yourself, then life will be quite a big sad hasle. so, yes, it is all a GREAT IDEA!!!!
Hey guys! You know i love them all. I think you are genious. These have! You need to launch them asap!!!! The world needs this humor. I love the contagious one because i have seriously been asked that before! Good job!
Blake, you’re not the first disaboomer I’ve seen advertise their shirt ideas, but you’re one of the best. Can I have a “my legs suck” please?
“Chuck Norris” made me put my head down and hoot for a bit. I’m not sure how many non-geeks would get it, but I don’t care.
I love your site design too, btw. The white on black is really nice to my hyper eyes.
Hehe some of those are great!
A few more suggestions, for what they’re worth? (I have these printed on tees myself)
– RETRAD (…get it?)
– Fire Hazard
– F*ck Walking!
Admittedly, I had them done when I was at highschool so they’re probably a bit past it, but oh well :)
Very funny. I’d have the ‘Inspiration’ one .
how about – Yes I’m a charity case.
(I take cash)
It was a Gypsy curse
Love me, Love my wheels
I wish I’d eaten my vegetables
Stephen
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I’ll keep you posted on our progress with the shirts.
@Jana: Yeah, that’s what made us think of it!
@Kim, Carapace: We thought about that, but we just couldn’t help putting Chuck on the list. Plus, we prefer his good side.
@Dawn, Vivian: Amen! I think the humor makes for a good ice-breaker. For me, it would let people know I have a personality.
@Bridgette: I need to talk to you about the shirts.
@cheryl: Thanks. I’ll keep you posted.
@Red: I like “Fire Hazard”
@Stephen: I suppose you would like that one. :-) I like number 1 and especially number 4. I also like number 2 as it reminds me of the time a lady prayed for God to rid me of my “generational curse.”
These are awesome. I’d buy some in a heartbeat if they were small enough for our Emily. :) Reminds me of the demotivators. Ha!
chuck norris, say no more. that one will go gangbusters.
I’ve got to have “I hate stairs”! That’s my favorite!! I have 2 boys with SMA type 3, Brady (age 5) and Colby (age 2). Please print them and let us know where we can order them – thanks! And nice site – I’ll visit again soon when it’s not so late. :)
I love the “I hate stairs” shirt most. It actually took me a few seconds to even get it.
Ryan, age 11 and also type 2 sma, would probably enjoy wearing that one. He has long since grown accustomed to “stares”, but occasionally he gets tired of it, like everyone.
I like your site and reading some of your stuff.
Thanks!
Blake – I love them all, especially the inspiration one. My nephew Shaun (age 14) has SMAII.
Two more suggestions:
STAIRS – THE LAST FRONTIER
UNITED WE SIT
Blake the website is a lot better. Much easier to read. Good job.
I like Inspiration. Might buy it if it comes in a kid size. Like the chuck norris one too, he is so sappy. Also, the hire me one is good.
Hate the legs suck one. I love my crippled shrivled legs. A few remind me of “Nth Degree” ones. Check ‘em to be sure ya don’t have to fuss with copywrite stuff.
I want “What Happened? Chuck Norris.” So funny.
I know a guy who has a shirt with the wheelchair guy on it that reads “I’m in it for the parking.” Hee hee.
I love these, especially the inspiration one! I’d buy that for my son in a second. I don’t like the legs one, though.
Hilarious! I would get the ‘inspiration’ one for my daughter. And I can think of several friends who would love the ‘hire me’ shirts.
Would you be interested in writing for The Neave Online Publication? I love your writing style and I feel like you would fit in perfectly with the other writers.
Being disabled and even in much constant pain, I can not only relate, but laugh. What puzzles me is that the feminists and anarchists haven’t clogged up your posts for being “mean-spirited” “evil” “bigots?”
You haven’t even begun to list any for disabilities that cause various twitching, stuttering,etc. I think that list is infinite. “Don’t make me repeat myself”
I was just surfing looking for fellow screenprinters and found this blog quite by accident. I am astounded by the pure genius of your shirts! My brother crushed several vertebre about ten years ago and spent almost two years in a wheelchair. He hung a sign on his chair that said “Just having a lazy spell” which brought as many laughs as it did critics. I wish I could have bought shirts like yours when he was disabled. I can say with certainty that he would have loved them.
I wish you the best of luck! Go get ‘em!
I had a tshirt made for myself which has on the front “DONT’ ASK” and on the back “Or I’ll Bash Ya”. I have SMA 3 and am 54 so all you young ones keep on truckin maties!
you don’t even need to get them printed upload them here http://www.redbubble.com and people can choose which colour they want them printed on whether a sweater hoodie or Tshirt or even baby jumpsuits or kids T-shirts and you can set your own royalty on the product.
I love the ‘I hate stairs one’. Love the line, love the image. Awesome idea.
I would buy two them i think they are so awesome.
Like them all, especially the “blind” one, but I don’t get the Chuck Norris one (sorry!). My son has an intellectual disability, is very tiny and is mobile.
In response to how people have reacted to him:
1. Don’t touch me. I am not a good luck charm.
2. I am over 21. I am allowed to be in the pub.
3. Say “Hello”. Don’t just stare.
I’d definitely be up for I hate stairs! And the inspiration one too!
Love them – here’s some suggestions: I can lip read from 3 meters. I caught it from someone on the bus/tram/train. We only do it to get Disabled Parks, and that wonderful classic line from the movie, “Hear no evil, See no evil”: Fuzzy Wuzzy was a woman ?????
Perhaps you could go in to the Bumper Sticker business too: e.g. My other car is a Wheelchair.
I was not offended by any.
I like the ‘I hate stairs’, the civil rights ‘hire me’, but the best one was ‘in case of fire, use the stairs’
I LOVE the fact that you are doing this.
Love them all except “My legs suck”. Find that a little gross. If I passed someone in a wheelchair wearing that, I definitely wouldn’t laugh. Probably like “in case of fire…” one the best.
I love them all. Great idea. I like the one Stephen suggested”I wish I had eaten my vegies”. I am of the older age group and that would be great.
Love witty shirts. I have a heap of shirts for my daughter who is in a wheelchair. You have to keep a sense of humour. We have ‘walking is overrated’, ‘this is how I roll’ ‘warning – staring causes paralysis’ ‘wheelchairs are the new black’ and loads more. If passers by are offended, then too bad. They don’t care if they offend us with their stares and rude comments. If fellow ‘wheelies’ are offended, then they don’t have to buy the shirts. You are always going to offend someone, but the majority are going to LOVE this.
How about one for folks with Autism saying “I Lack Focus.” And print the word ‘focus’ all blurry like they are zipping around so fast – which is what they do!
as a special education teacher with ADD and severe arthritis (one artificial hip and awaiting dual knee replacement) I can’t tell you how funny and true I find the shirts – but then again, I guess sometimes “shirt happens” LOL keep up the good work and sense of humor :-)
I like the stairs one.
Maintain the drawing of the stairs but change to “I hate stares”
It serves two purposes
I love except for the one “my legs suck”. No they just don’t hold you up. They try their hardest so get off their back.
I once caught myself saying “stupid legs” to my legs and pulled myself up short cos I saw that it wasn’t fair as they were working really hard to try and do what I wanted.
cheers
Glee
Great t-shirts, love the Chuck Norris one, would love to buy that for a friend. @Bruce great comment!!! @Billbo “Don’t make me repeat myself” classic!!!!
:-)
Such a great idea, I am working on a similar one that involves my own photographs and text on disability.
I think these are all good ways of educating people on disability.
OMG awesome! I want a “I hate stairs” t-shirt! lol
your title is rude
So true, hannah. So true.
Im in a wheelchair and am didappointed with most of the designs. I want funnier and more offensive. Also some of them are hard to understand, I think a lot of people wont get the humour till its explained to them
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