Earlier this week, the people of the Internet flipped their collective lids when Sephora stocked Kat Von D's fiery red lipstick, dubbed "Underage Red." The name, consumers commented, promoted rape culture and was just flat-out creepy, and many pissed-off tweeters posted their concerns. Now, Kat has finally responded — in the most badass way.
"I have never expected everyone to understand or see things the way that I do," writes Kat in an opus-style Facebook post. She explained that the lipstick was named after her feelings about being turned away from her first punk-rock show while wearing a similar red lipstick. Since she was (say it with us) underage, Kat couldn't get into the venue. "Back then, I was already deeply in love with punk-rock music, and although in the eyes of many (including my parents), it may have been inappropriate for me to be wearing lipstick. But, I did," she writes.
As you can see, the term wasn't meant to be sexual. It's a form of rebellion — and a way to cherish a memory. For that, Kat says she doesn't feel she owes an explanation, and will continue to produce tubes of Underage Red: "So, NO. I refuse to sacrifice my integrity and creative freedom. NO. I will not be pulling 'Underage Red' from my collection. And, NO. This is not an apology," she writes.
We 100% respect Kat's creative vision and her decision to keep the tube on shelves, especially since she responded to these accusations in such an eloquent and female-positive way. There is nothing inherently sexual or provocative about the word "underage." It simply means "too young to do something legally." We pin our own feelings onto certain words based on our experiences with them, and this is a clear example of that.
You can read Kat's entire statement on her Facebook page. Kudos to her for handling this situation like a total boss.
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