Gamma Rabbit T-Shirts Now Available
Posted on February 28, 2013 Posted by John Scalzi 72 Comments
After I debuted Gamma Rabbit, the icon of friendly tolerance, here on the Web site, many of you asked if t-shirts would be in the offing. The answer: Why, yes! And now here they are, available to you from Sharksplode, which is run by Joel Watson of Hijinks Ensue, the fellow who illustrated our rabbit friend here.
The Gamma Rabbit t-shirts are available in women’s and men’s/unisex cuts and the colors you see here (update: Black has been added for men’s and women’s, and pink in the men’s). The graphic is imprinted onto the shirt using direct-to-garment printing, which means it’s not just a cheap iron-on experience. What I’m saying is, hey, these are nice shirts. Because you deserve nice, don’t you? Sure you do.
I’ll also note that a portion of the sale of each shirt (specifically, any profit I make from them) will go to RAINN, which works to help those who have been sexually assaulted. This will be above and beyond any donations accrued through the pledge drive here.
And while you’re picking up your Gamma Rabbit t-shirt, feel free to peruse Sharksplode’s other fine geek offerings. Go on. You know you want to.
Note: For those of you interested in getting stuff with Kirby Crow’s “Gamma Rabbit” design, I’m talking to Kirby right now about licensing that image. If that works out I’ll probably put that on mugs and buttons, etc.
In the meantime: These t-shirts are gonna be awesome. I just got two of them myself.
Why is pink ladies only?
Dunno. Possibly t-shirt manufacturer availability. I’ll check.
FWITW, I’d buy a t-shirt with Kirby Crow’s Gamma Rabbit. Or a mug. But I’d rather have the t-shirt.
I second gnw. Love Kirby Crow’s design.
Nice! I’m holding out for a Gamma Rabbit window cling, however.
Folks interested in the women’s shirts, the Women’s 2XL is about the same size as the Men’s Medium. To me, that says the women’s shirts run about 2-3 sizes smaller instead of just the 1 that was prominently mentioned. Looks like I won’t be buying any Women’s t-shits from them. Luckily, they have a useful sizing chart.
Excellent! So placing an order when I get home tonight.
As of launch I wasn’t able to get men’s shirts in pink. I will check with my supplier and see if I have any way of getting them added to the store soon.
Oh and yes the ladies shirts are a babydoll style JUNIORS cut. The 2X = a men’s medium is a fair assessment depending on your measurements.
Today, tee-zhirts. Tomorrow, ze vorld!
Any non-“My Little Pony” colors available? Like Black or Hunter Green?
Your rabbit has camel toe…..
Request for black base seconded. I’d prefer the Joel Watson on a black background but I’d take the Kirby Crow version too. Otherwise I guess I’ll have to settle for yellow. It doesn’t go with as much, but the blue is a little kiddish for my liking.
BTW, the SFWA website is malware-warning-borked again.
I believe My Little Pony-ishness is kind of part of the point :P
I don’t mind that black and pink are missing. One of they men/unisex shirts is “daisy”. \m/
Oooh, I would rock a Kirby Crowe Gamma Rabbit t-shirt in a heartbeat. Preferably in a non-pastel color.
Adorable. (Am also pretty keen on the Mal and Han t-shirt. Squee!)
Gamma Rabbit in Daisy, I think. And a Kirby Crow version in black.
Oooh! Button-down or dress shirts with purple Gamma Rabbit embroidered on the chest (where your polo ponies and alligators are) with cufflinks of Crow version. It would say “I’m not a bigot AND I know how to dress properly.”
Apparently, I can typing. Argh.
@scorpius The only “My Little Pony” t-shirt I have is deep, bright purple. Don’t be dissin’ the ponies.
@Some Jeff: We all can typing, sometimes.
Men’s Pink is now available and Black is available for Men’s and Ladies.
Gosh, pity I skimmed the comments otherwise I would have said that I want a pink one.
No way I’d fit into a ‘ladies only’ shirt.
Well, I /could./ SCREam–my imagination has blinded me! My Eyes!
Pointless to do, ’cause I’ve forgotten where I’d need to go to meet that dick who I wanted
to bait into throwing the first punch, and who was he anyway. And why did I want to.
`
That pink one would look so adorable on the little girl who sells me beer at the convenience
store.
I think it’s a religious thing for why she/(+they) only wear dark colored clothing.
`
BTW, at somebody and I think somebody else the word “tlypo” is in all of my spelling
check databases.
Well, ’nuff of that. Four foot two if she stands on her toenails like a Bunhead. (TV show
reference)
Probably ninety five pounds if she’s holding a twenty pound Maine Coon.
“After I debuted Gamma Rabbit,”
Clearly I am very very tired and should get away from the screen now.
I read this 3 times in a row as “after I debated Gamme Rabbit,” and I thought, “John and Gamma Rabbit had a DEBATE? When did THAT happen? And… Gamma Rabbit is someone REAL, some who can DEBATE??”
Probably past time to go to bed.
I agree with your sentiments John but these shirts are as ugly as a Christmas sweater. [This part deleted because it reinforces the idea the shirts are ugly, but in a way I find to be problematic. Now back to the regularly scheduled comment — JS] Holy Kittens!!!
Odin:
I think, like with a Christmas sweater, that’s part of the point.
Mind you, Joel, the artist, executed on my idea brilliantly, so all aesthetic judgments should come to me.
” That pink one would look so adorable on the little girl who sells me beer at the conveniencestore.”
That’s both objectifying and patronizing.
Yeah, unless that “little girl” is 6 years old. And I’m pretty sure that 6 year olds are not allowed to sell beer at the convenience store.
Mr. Scalzi: Point taken, but you don’t wear the sweaters out of the house. You only inflict them on guests and family members who come to your home.
Could not think of another way to express the middle section, no offense meant.
I do find that the hand placement of the rabbit might be a bit suggestive for females wearing the shirt though.
Odin:
“you don’t wear the sweaters out of the house.”
I’m relieved you are not aware of my sad, checkered history with sweaters.
No worries about that middle part, Odin. I understand that no offense was meant.
*Cough* Opra appearance *Cough*
“I do find that the hand placement of the rabbit might be a bit suggestive for females wearing the shirt though.”
You could try looking at our eyes or at least our faces
[Deleted because it’s either an innocent but clueless attempt at comedy, or an intentional bit of trollage. Either way, best removed — JS]
I want this in a cycling jersey!!! There’s so much “alpha” out there in cycling world that this would be an absolute JOY to wear.
I was so hoping for the shirt the Gamma Rabbit is wearing. Pink tee, yellow Gamma.
John, The name of your next band should be..
wait for it…..
GAMMA RABBITS
So, aesthetically speaking, I prefer the Kirby Crow version better, but on the other hand, I think Crow’s version (and folks asking for “strong” color backgrounds), are missing a subtle point to the pink gamma rabbit at the top of this page:
The point, unless I’m missing something, is that for someone secure in their masculine identity(*), the idea of some self-declared “alpha male” calling you a “gamma rabbit” is about as worrysome as a three year old calling you a “doodyhead”. The point of the shirt, unless I’m missing something, is to wear it in pinkish colors *because* you’re secure in your masculinity enough to know that your masulinity has got bupkiss to do with whether you wear pink or not. If you can wear a pink shirt with a non-tough-looking bunny on it, and not give a damn what some self-declared “alpha male” twit thinks, then you’ve essentially demonstrated that your masculine identity isn’t tied up in “looking tough”, “being strong”, “being a badass”, and whatever else the self-declared “alpha males” are attempting to define “masculinity” to mean.
If someone calls you a “gamma rabbit” and you respond by wearing a “bad ass” looking gamma rabbit t-shirt, then you are, in your own way, buying into the whole nonsense that the self-declared “alpha males” buy into: namely that being a bad ass has anything to do with being a man secure in his own masculine identity.
The thing that defines the self-declared “alpha males” is that they are *insecure*. A self-declared “alpha-male” would feel threatened if a gay man hit on him. A self declared “alpha male” would feel threatened if a woman did the same job as well as he did. A self declared “alpha male” would feel threatened to wear a pink shirt because someone might think him “girlish” or think him not sufficiently “alpha”.
Men secure in their masculine identity can wear pink, work side by side with women, treat everyone as their equals, and get that that isn’t a threat to their identity, rather that is what makes them all the more secure in who they are.
(*) I call out “masculine identity” specifically, because “gamma rabbit” is a term invented by “alpha males” to attempt to specifcially insult men they deem insufficiently “alpha”, not because I’m trying to reinforce self-declared “alpha male” nonsense.
2nd the vote for a cycling jersey. Totally the best place for it. 8D
Greg actually bothered going into detail where I just went lesigh. Cool :]
Greg says it perfectly.
Also, as a straight woman, if I saw a guy wearing this t-shirt, I would think he’s secure in his personal identity, and think “Hey, he’s probably not going to be a jerk. I will talk to him. There’s a self-actualized human being who’s worth getting to know.”
Or maybe “not a creep, say HI!”
Personally, I’m a Xi (pronounced “Ksee”) Lynx.
>>Sarah says
>>” That pink one would look so adorable on the little girl who sells me beer at the convenience
>>store.”
>That’s both objectifying and patronizing.
Patronizing?
Sure.
I’m some four times her age. It is best, in all ways, that I think of her as a cute granddaughter.
Which I do, she’s cute.
Objectifying?
I’m not sure whether I should suggest that you brush your daughter’s hair which will objectify
her at kindergarten (if any such) by causing her to have pretty hair or should suggest that you
should stop brushing your hair so that you will no longer be objectified as the lady with nice hair
OR try to figure out what “objectify” means to you.
But anyway, I won’t be offended if you objectify me as fucktarded bastard.
@ Joel
Yay! Thanks. You’re better than the home shopping network :)
@ Greg
Actually, I think the point is to be secure in your identity, masculine or otherwise. But I think that’s what you actually meant, so consider this a mere semantic amendment from a man who is not self-consciously masculine.
The flaw in that reasoning is assuming that masculinity having bupkis to do with whether you wear pink or not implies a willingness to wear pink. Pink (and to a lesser extent that available shade of light blue) is a very difficult color to match to an outfit. My commitment to the causes of social justice does not extend to clashing. Pink is most especially problematic as a base color. Coordinating an outfit with a pink tee-shirt is certainly possible, even within my highly personalized aesthetic, but it is not easy. I prefer pieces that are easier to match. Purple is, quite frankly, much easier, so I’m all about Gamma Rabbit. And while I do like the Kirby Crow one, it’s a little goth for my own tastes, so I prefer the Joel Watson design.
Pink just isn’t my color. In no way should that be inferred as a comment on its masculinity. It still wouldn’t be my color if I were a woman. I’m going to be me no matter what anyone thinks of my presentation, because I dress for me, and not for anyone else. And as much as I would like wonderful people such as Lurkertype to think me worth getting to know, I will never being someone I’m not to facilitate my approachability.
Also, because I have come to realize that my sense of satire is not always congruent with the peanut gallery, I will add that I am quite and completely serious about the above.
†Nothing at all wrong with goth aesthetics, it just isn’t me.
@ scorpius
A random variable? A clairvoyant cat? I knew you’d say that.
@ Shawn T
First off, I don’t think you were objectifying by calling someone adorable. But you were patronizing. Here is why. No one under the age of majority, i.e. 18 years, may legally sell alcohol in most states, so it stands to reason that the woman who sells you beer is an adult. When you call her a “little girl” you are infantilizing her. It would be no better if you called a young man of 18 a “little boy”, but that’s a lot less prevalent a problem for the following reason.
You, like a lot of older men (and middle age ones such as myself), may have a totally respectable ethic of not lusting after women a quarter or even half their age‡. But when you call a woman a “little girl” simply to signify your own ethic of not treating her as a sex object, you’re implicitly suggesting, however unintentionally, that the overriding attribute of womanhood is sexual availability. The respectful thing to do is to be able to call her a woman, lady, person or any other title of adulthood without behaving as though doing so jeopardizes your own moral integrity.
In other words, if thinking of 18 year olds as potential mates after you yourself have attained a certain age goes against your values or personal mores, it is up to you maintain that self-discipline in your own outlook; it is not up to women to revert to being girls. This does not mean that it’s necessary to treat young adults as your experiential or maturial (it’s a word now) equals to respect them as people. But treating them as kids is, short of treating them as inhuman or slaves, very nearly the most deeply disrespectful condescension you can deploy. As a guiding principle, treating other people with dignity is about them, not you. Your needs and wishes never exercise a just claim superseding the fundamental equality of those around you. That is the foundation of an egalitarian society.
‡To be clear, I’m not say it’s wrong. How consenting adults of any age interact with each other is absolutely none of your or my business. But whether you choose to interact with someone in any particular capacity is your choice entirely, as it would be for anyone.
Is it just me, or does this art make it look like the rabbit is about to get attacked by a big hairy dude with a baseball bat? It makes me think “This is what someone who tries to be accepting is gonna get.”
I think it’s a cool character and I support the message but I don’t like the pose.
I, too, would prefer to be wearing the rabbit’s shirt.
I’m holding out for the Kirby Crow design, in black. It will look great with my REAL MEN AREN’T AFRAID OF PINK TRIANGLE PARTIES button.
I agree with the pink shirt argument in general: my partner, who is large, masculine and – as a friend once put it, untroubled by self doubt – occasionally orders pink shirts from traditional British tailors (Thomas Pink, Charles Tyrwhitt etc). I don’t think he’d worry overmuch about Gamma Rabbit, although it is not his style (nor mine – you’ll get me into a cartoon t-shirt when I’m cold and dead etc etc, but I do quite like the monochrome version).
Thanks for the cite to the printing information. That may be useful in the future (I _hate_ those printed-on-plastic applications on T-shirts — the ones that make my chest sweat & itch most of the year here in Southern California — and appreciate knowning the name of the technology for the system that’s more like dying the fibers of shirt (with the added bonus of better colors and enormously more DPI)).
Being an Old Geezer who hasn’t dared to get PayPal (and therefor might be able to afford buying into a Retirement Home, Real Soon Now), I don’t expect to buy one of these shirts… but if it’s offered in black, with a white imprint “This Shirt Is Pink” (or even just “Pink”), I might Take Steps.
Meanwhile… Yes, I do seriously Appreciate your Attitude.
Pink. I have been hassled more than once in the gym by other males for wearing even a pink headband — the thinking[sic] seems to be that this is an attempt by me to drain other’s muscle energy. “A pink tee shirt? Really? You gay?” Well, no, but I told him I was in a committed relationship and he fled.
Gamma Rabbit appears to be beginning the Taijiquan move called “Push”. He needs not to lean back, and have his hands a little closer together (no more than shoulder width) and a little lower, for when he shifts his weight forward. His feet are well positioned in a channel. ;)
Purple’s good too, Gulliver. Someone who knows what goes with their coloring and style is always worth getting to know. Gamma Rabbit himself is certainly all about the purple.
Thanks, Lurkertype. I probably went into more depth than was really necessary. I just didn’t want anyone getting the mistaken impression that I was eschewing the pink or blue colors based on any notions of gender-roles or masculinity/muliebrity.
>Is it just me, or does this art make it look like the rabbit is about to get attacked
–snip–
I see body language that’s saying ‘oH, Please Don’t.’
So, yes.
>Gulliver March 2, 2013 at 3:06 am
Viz @ Shawn T
Yes.
>But you were patronizing. Here is why.
snippage on legalities and the TL:DR, but I’m very glad that you care enough to
say so much.
I’m five foot twelve and a quarter, 230 pounds, male, bald, grey haired.
She’s four foot eight, 80 or 90 pounds, female, has hair.
To me, five foot six is little.
To me, her age makes her young.
Gull. ? Sir/Ma’am?
begin:
Now, sweatheart, why don’t you go and play with your “action figures dollies” while
the adults talk.
end: Guess what that was.
htom says March 2, 2013 at 4:48 pm
>Pink. I have been hassled more than once in the gym by other males for wearing even
>a pink headband — the thinking[sic] seems to be that this is an attempt by me to drain
>other’s muscle energy. “A pink tee shirt? Really? You gay?” Well, no, but I told him I was
>in a committed relationship and he fled.
-giggle- Dangerous thing to do:
The harassment starts:
Whuds you? some fucking home?
No, I’m not, but thank you for hitting on me, that complement has made my day.
Your buddie was just looking at your muscles. Maybe you two should talk. -wink-
–
Some kind of gang colors thing I think. –
A long time ago I was asked to wear my red Popular Mechanics ‘Ask me Anything’
tee shirt.
Turns out it was some kind of gay pride day, gays wear red shirts sort of thing.
@ Shawn T:
If you want to be a sarcastic prick towards young women based on their stature or appearance, no one can stop you. I figured you were doing it unintentionally, but maybe not. As for my four oh-so arduous paragraphs of “legalities”, at least my comments are coherent, as opposed to some commenters whose incoherent sarcasm looks like a postmodernist vomited bad poetry :)
Cute and funny. Not a big fan of the pose, which sort of says “PLEASE DON’T HIT ME!!!!” in my mind. The essential message might be better served with something more…what? Comfortable? Relaxed? Happy?
Haven’t read anything since last night.
I fault of mine (that I’m aware ;( ) of is that I tend to be too literal and so
tend /not/ to think of connotations, only the denotation.
To me, “little” is a statement of what is IMO fact and does not carry any
insulting associated meaning.
This is a statement: I’m aware that the words “you are to young to *.*)
are offensive to people who in fact are.
(If “you are to young…” ticks you off please remember those few years
ago when /that/ ughy thing happened.
Would/wouldn’t the current you do _so_ much better with?)
–
I’m aware that many words such as “boy,” “girl,” “sweet…” have bad
emotional associations for many people.
If I consider, in context, such a person’s reaction valid I try undo the
harm I’ve done.
If I think, in context, that they are being idiots I tend to be a dick.
Sometimes, I try to be dickish in a way that I hope will be good for them.
Since I haven’t caught up on the comments I am lacking on the “in context”
part, and, if I feel like it I’ll catch up, and per my goddam 20 year old but
getting more interesting as it decreases its youngness New Years Resolution
I will apologize, try to make myself understand why I should feel sorry and
make all amends in the venue in which I f’d up.
“as it decreases its youngness.”
Yeesh.
@ Shawn T
A lot of it comes down to delivery and context. Part of effective communication is thinking about how what you say will be interpreted. Yes, it’s a pain in the ass that what is a simple statement of fact to one person may carry insulting connotations to someone else. But until we invent telepathy, it’s a hurdle we’re stuck with. Ultimately, only you and she can know if “sweet little girl” became in insult in context. I personally find that it’s best never to assume, though. She may be highly intelligent and have an unusually mature outlook for her age, in which case constantly being condescended toward might get real old, particularly in a culture where the more prevalent assumption is that women are not highly intelligent or sophisticated.
Our society has come a long way, but women are still treated like children on a regular basis, particularly young women more so than young men. In which case someone well-intentioned such as yourself may be unintentionally piling on top of years of insufferable bullshit. When you don’t know someone very well, I find it’s always best to be courteous and polite until you do. Unless you really know someone, you can’t realistically know if it’s “good for them”, and assuming it is can become yet another straw on the camel’s back.
Sorry I replied to your sardonic jibe by insulting your writing style; that was a low blow I regret resorting to.
Wow, you are fast.
I’m seeing a disconnect: To me, her name is “Hello” and so far as I can tell her name for
me is “Hi” with the smile that a cashier uses on a customer who doesn’t spend 45 seconds
realizing: Oh, yeah, I gotta pay and then searches pockets/purse for money and says, ‘Oh.
My wife has my wallet.’ I’ll only be five minutes.
–
A side effect of how women are treated is that my mother’s female doctors couldn’t wait
to get away from I don’t know what (except I do) and her new male doctor does well, and
has actually been helpful.
–
O shit, I shouldn’t say this. Her new doc is a nice lad. He’s some five foot six, and so young.
Thing.
One of Mom’s doctors.
Started wearing sunglasses.
Started forgetting documents and her cellphone here.
The last time I saw that doctor she didn’t have any visible bruises but was
wearing long sleeves.
They say that she still works for them, and all is good.
~
They also say that they are competent.
Oh kitten kick.
What I meant by “Wow, you are fast.” is that you answered
quickly.
Nothing else.
@ Shawn T
No worries, I understood. I carry my phone and tablet with me most everywhere I go these days. There are three or four sites I check regularly throughout the day (the only one’s I regularly comment on) between or while doing other tasks. This is one of them. So unless I’m doing something I can’t multitask with, such as teaching class, I usually get back to replies here pretty quickly. Once we have BrainPals, maybe it will be like those motor-cognitive experiments in the ’60s where my brain will just comment in anticipation of the conscious volition. [Insert joke about internet zombies being way ahead of the curve.]
G?
>But until we invent telepathy.
Oh shit please no.
>”only you and she can know if “sweet little girl” became in insult ”
I’m certain that I’ve never insulted her.
>You, like a lot of older men (and middle age ones such as myself)
Shit.
Gulliver, you are such a sweet little cutiepie that I’ve just gotta lick
your face from your collarbone to your dandruff just like a husky
dog would when it likes you, except I drool less, and brush my teeth.
You trolled me very well.
Kudos.
@ Shawn T
In that case, thank the gods for impersonal distance. I’d hate to have to send you to the hospital.
Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.
Keep ‘em. I think I’ll just ignore you in the future.
Gulliver, I am a human, as are most people.
I read ( <– past tense) things as you are a male human.
IIRC, you were all me on about fems being offended by my speculating
that a girl to whom I would never give clothing (It's a thing kind of thing:
The only people you give garments to are those whom you expect to be
able to take 'em off of) would look cute in a some shirt, but that for
religious reasons she would not wear such a light color.
–
If a woman or girl had issues, yes, I'd listen and if in a good mood would
try to make my answers useful.
A middle aged man defending the weaker sex from my onslaught?
My off the cuff def of patronizing: Assuming that people are too helpless
to defend themselves
OOH! Let's bring this in! (Sorry) (Very Sorry) -_- if you so believe you
are a nanny state democrat! (I so very apologize).
–
If you were in some way recently sensitized to that issue I strongly suggest
that you at worst go to the park and talk to some pigeon feeder or me and
at best talk it out with, okay, I don't know who.
Actually, that old lady in whereversville who was feeding the pigeons?
The bus station was near a park, and I had three hours to kill ’til my
next bus.
She was sharp, and was feeding cat food to the pigeons because she
didn’t want to throw it out.
Her cat had died.
My thought was that she shoulda found somebody else with a cat in her
building.
–
“[Always be nice to the starving crone].” Mercedes Lackey
>I’d hate to have to send you to the hospital.
Indeed so, Yes.
–
Do you have any idea about how much putting somebody on an
ambulance costs?
Expect illegal double billing, and the doer of such to send the refund
for to a stranger.
——–
Our records show the it will take you fifteen years to get a promise
that we will deal with you in our manner.
Shawn: I notice you didn’t call your mom’s doctor a “little boy”. Why is that? Could it be because “little boy” mean someone between 3 and 10 or 12 or so?
Cally?
Most of Mom’s D. are fems.
And? vis the little boy thing? Have you stopped giggling about how the kittens you’ve
kicked look so funny while they slide down the wall?
Answer yes or no.
Also, fuck you.
My parser is kicking in. Perhaps I should have wandered off without saying anything.
And ignored you.
Well, next week is still this month.
BTW, the ambulette company that actually /triple/ billed is no longer allowed
to bill–they now are not an ‘approved provider.’
I’m still out the /one/ bill that I payed that they refunded to somebody else.
My guess is that an employee’s bad actions were very bad for the company–
Somebody walked off with a lot of money, and most of the people who worked
at probably can’t get new jobs, partly because it might have been them who did
it.
I’ve been thinking about why I ignored the legalese that IIRC Gulliver
so kindly provided.
It’s because IIRC a sixteen YO cashier at a grocery store can sell beer
but the law is unclear on:
So far as I can tell a fifteen YO cashier can’t touch the sixpack, but
it may or may not be legal for /me/ to move that sixpack past the
scanner thus it’s me buying it from the scanner/store: not that young
one selling it to me.
–
Parable about making inferences: I paraphrase what I said: I called
Mark Anthony “Mark.” It is now inferred that I am calling all people
who exist “Mark.”
Thus my hostility.
–
Peace, out.
–
I’m removing this link from my middle clicked ‘daily1’ folder, which
I middle click once per day because doing so brings up things like
‘Heavenly Nostrils.’ http://www.gocomics.com/heavenly-nostrils/2013/03/03
-_-
Absent an email suggesting I visit I’m gone.
dude, what the fuck?