'Feminist Father' Dating Rules Shirt Goes Viral

Author:
Emily Smith
Updated:
Mar 2, 2018
Original:
Jun 20, 2014

A photo of a South Jersey dad wearing a shirt that promotes men respecting his daughter has recently gone viral on social media, after it was originally posted and shared on Tumblr.

The shirt reads:

“Rules for dating my daughter:

1. I don’t make the rules.

2. You don’t make the rules.

3. She makes the rules.

4. Her body, her rules.

- Feminist Father.”

Kristine Speare, the man’s daughter, said that her father is supportive of her passion for feminism and completely agrees with the shirt’s message.

Speare, 20, is a part-time Burlington County College student who also works at her father’s restaurant. On Twitter, she describes herself as a feminist, coffee addict and book lover. She often tweets empowered selfies and uses the hashtag #YesAllWomen.

The image was posted Sunday on Tumblr and was shared 196,000 times before finding its way to Twitter, where an Australian TV star known for her sexually-themed tweets further promoted the shirt. The shirt also gained popularity on Facebook after RH Reality Check posted the image onto its Facebook page – there, it earned 14,000 likes and 20,000 shares.

Although reception of the shirt has generally been positive, some have disapproved of its message.

“What a terrible way to parent,” one commenter wrote. “Kids need rules and boundaries set for them.”