Wife-Beaters?

Question

Why is it that everyone calls those undershirts wife-beaters? I call them that too but I just dont know why...

Answer 1

Because in tons of old movies moslty gangsta movies. And even in new movies. A guy is always beating his wife while he is wearing one.

Wife beater, also wifebeater, and sometimes abbreviated as simply beater, is a slang term used in North America, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and various other places to refer to an A-shirt, tank top, singlet, or 'muscle shirt' when worn as a sole, outer layer as opposed to being worn as an undershirt. This term is often seen as demeaning and is often associated with the similarly derogatory phrase "white trash".

"Guinea T" and "Dago T" are other terms for the same style of shirt; and arguably just as offensive, "guinea" and "dago" both being ethnic slurs against Italian Americans, among whom this style of shirt is stereotypically popular.

The origin of the term is from the stereotype that the shirts are worn predominantly by men who beat their wives; black tank tops were often worn by Ike Turner, a notorious abuser of his wife Tina. In the 1980 movie Raging Bull, the main character, a boxer, is commonly seen wearing tank tops around the house, including in one scene where he beats his wife. Another likely source for the association is the movie A Streetcar Named Desire, in which Marlon Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, also frequently wearing tank tops, violently beats his wife (see below). The wifebeater is also seen in New Zealand movie Once Were Warriors, where Jake the Muss, a stereotypical Māori tough man is nearly always seen wearing his black wifebeater. This movie is well known for the scene where Jake violently beats his wife after a heavy drinking session with his mates.

Wifebeaters are also popular in the street gang culture of the United States. From there the wearing of wifebeaters spread to hip hop culture; wifebeaters are often worn by hip hop artists in public, on stage, or in the media.

Use of the term wifebeater to describe an article of clothing (as opposed to its literal use) is relatively new, perhaps originating as early as the 1970s. Some people find the term extremely offensive, as serving to legitimize spousal abuse; while others consider it harmless or even humorous. The term has been denounced by the National Organization for Women, who say it trivializes domestic violence. "The implication is that wife beating is not viewed as sufficiently serious to lift it above the level of something that's OK to joke about," says Kim Gandy, president of NOW. Like all slang, its meaning is not known to all; so to those unfamiliar with the slang sense, wife beater will only mean a person who beats a wife.

In England, the term is used as slang for the Belgian beer Stella Artois. Although this is also used in Scotland by some, its main usage remains as a vest type sleeve-less shirt. In British culture, Stella Artois is associated with a drinking culture in which domestic abuse may follow a bout of drinking at the local pub. Another possible origin for the English usage is the famous scene in the movie A Streetcar Named Desire, where Marlon Brando's character, yells "Stella!", the name of his wife, as he begs her to return after violently beating her.

A shirt of this type worn by women and often more fitted than the male version is sometimes referred to as a "boy beater".

Answer 2

Wife beater, also wifebeater, and sometimes abbreviated as simply beater, is a sometimes insulting slang term used in parts of North America, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and various other places to refer to a sleeveless undershirt, such as an A-shirt, tank top, singlet, or 'muscle shirt' when worn as a sole, outer layer as opposed to being worn under another shirt. This term is demeaning and is often associated with the similarly derogatory phrase "white trash". 'Guinea-Tee' is a colloquialism for wifebeater used in the NYC area; this term is also demeaning as it references a slur for Italian-Americans.

The origin of the term is from the stereotype that the shirts are worn predominantly by men who beat their wives. In the 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire, the character Stanley Kowalski (played by Marlon Brando) who is frequently seen wearing tank tops, violently rapes his sister-in-law Blanche (see below). In the 1980 movie Raging Bull, the main character, a boxer, is commonly seen wearing tank tops around the house, including in one scene where he beats his wife. The wifebeater is also seen in the New Zealand movie Once Were Warriors, where Jake the Muss, a stereotypical Māori tough man is nearly always seen wearing his black wifebeater. This movie is well known for the scene where Jake violently beats his wife after a heavy drinking session with his mates.

Answer 3

A WIFE BEATER is a sleeveless vest or undershirt (of any color), worn and seen (often times) on men,

who are involved in the social and cultural reality of physically abusing their women or wives.

It is also worn by young and older men wear to lounge around the home or yard.

Or even hangout with friends and buddies in bars, parks, clubs, and street corners.

Answer 4

Historically, I think "Wife-Beaters" was a term that came from men who actually sat around with fat guts and beat their wives. I think it also has some sort of an Italian connotation (not 100% on that part).

Answer 5

my guess is it looks like the waredrobe of an actual wife beater

Answer 6

Makes more sense than say, Hamburger-helpers, and they don't deserve more attention than the politically incorrect, unmentionable yet all too real Husband-beaters, to my way of thinking.
Oh right, it's a shirt in America, so advanced!

Answer 7

Whenever you watch a movie and the man beats his wife he is always wearing one of those.....hence the term "wife beater"

Answer 8

Because most time in the movies when you see a man beating his wife, he has one on
Plus it shows off their "manliness" with muscles and all that.
Go figure

Answer 9

I thought it meant that I could slap my wife's *** with it like a gym towel. AskSergio FindingaWife.info

Answer 10

Because, imagine you are seeing a man who beats his wife on Cops or something. Now, what do you imagine he is wearing?