Wifebeater (slang)

Wife beater, also wifebeater, and sometimes abbreviated as simply beater, is a slang term used in the United States to refer to a tank top style 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 is another term for the same style of shirt, and arguably just as offensive, guinea being a racial slur against Italians, among whom this style of shirt is stereotypically popular.

The origin of the term is from the belief 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 wifebeaters around the house, including in one scene where he beats his wife.

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 some places, such as Australia, the term wife beater is used more specifically to refer only to a tank top that is white. This definition probably comes from the fact that most underwear singlets are white, and the stereotype of a wife beater is a man who sits around in his underwear drinking and watching television.

In the Great Britain and Ireland, the term is used as slang for the Belgian beer Stella Artois. This likely arises from a 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.

Sources

• "Wife Beater n.: 2 [slang] A Sleeveless, Ribbed White Cotton Undershirt" by Booth Moore, Press & Sun-Bulletin, January 13, 2003