Twitter user @MUnitedGirl, a.k.a Helin, claims to have been misquoted by local and international media, which went into a frenzied meltdown yesterday as a result of a tweet she posted suggesting United’s new adidas women’s replica shirt was a little too revealing.
As her tweet was picked up globally, most outlets began publishing stories that the German manufacturer and United had acted in some sort of chauvinistic fashion. Other female fans then came out in support of the new shirt, claiming it wasn’t sexist at all and that they loved it.
Natalie Dickinson posted a photo of herself wearing the shirt, which features a plunging neckline, to Manchester Evening News’s Facebook page.
“I love my shirt. Makes a nice change as I usually feel like I'm being strangled by tshirts/football shirts," she wrote alongside the image.
"Those moaning are the girls with no boobs to fill it. It's actually quite flattering and it's not as it they don't have the choice of buying a men's one instead.”
Facebook user Cat Ball posted a similarly complementary statement. “I've bought this and I love it. If women don't want the woman's shirt... Then buy the blokes 1... Simple!”
And so it went on.
Clearly @MUnitedGirl had copped enough flack as a result of her initial tweet, by the end of the night she felt she had to put a stop to what must have been constant hounding from all quarters.
“I am shellshocked. Some people have way too much time on their hands… It really is pathetic,” she wrote. “The media sickens me.”
It seems all Helin really wanted was a women’s version of the men’s shirt, which she claimed previous United sponsor, Nike, had provided previously.
Adidas has produced replica female kits similar to United's for other clubs it sponsors, including defending Premier League champion Chelsea, Spanish giant Real Madrid, and German champion Bayern Munich.
The Bavarian-based company, which is also FIFA's preferred sportswear and equipment sponsor, said the design of the women’s shirt came off the back of research into what fans actually wanted to wear in support of their teams.
“Based on research from fans, we also offer a women's shirt as part of our lifestyle range of products,” a statement from the company issued yesterday read.
“This range has a slightly different design and fit to give fans a choice,” it concluded, suggesting women were free to wear the men’s replica shirt should they prefer.
Adidas also saw fit to point out no complaints had been received from the female fans of other clubs they provide shirts for.
