- On TikTok, some women are posting about wearing large T-shirts that they call "subway shirts."
- The shirts are worn with the purpose of preventing catcalling while commuting.
As summer approaches, with all its promises of bright, sunny, sweaty weather, some women are taking to TikTok to issue a warning for others to protect themselves on public transport.
The term "subway shirt" is gaining traction on TikTok, where women are filming themselves wearing oversized T-shirts over their strappy summer tops for safety while commuting.
"Otherwise known as an outfit dampener, it's an oversized tshirt we wear over our cute outfits so strange men don't bother you on the train," one TikToker wrote in a $4 posted on April 15, which has received 2.6 million views.
The concept seems to have $4 $4 $4 TikTok in 2022 when several women filmed themselves putting an overshirt on to go outside despite the intense summer weather. It's picked up steam in recent months, $4 $4 $4 $4 April and May have received millions of cumulative views.
@ideal.grace stay safe out here #nycspring #nycspringtime #nyclife #nyclifestyle #nyclifestyletips #nycsubway #nycsubwaymoments #subwayshirt #justnycthings ♬ original sound
Some TikTokers described it as a $4 $4 have lived by for years to help them feel more safe, due to harassment being a $4 $4 the cities where they live.
In one video posted on May 24, one $4 said that she still experienced catcalling even though she wears a large overshirt most of the time while commuting.
"I think at this point, guys will catcall at anything," she said.
@fionaylin Should i bark at them next time #subwayshirt #nyc #nycsubway #catcalling #fyp ♬ Spy X Family Lofi (Remix) - Gen Hoshino
Several commenters responded to the videos by saying they related to feeling unsafe in public spaces, particularly during the summer, and that they believe it's a shame women are going to these lengths to protect themselves.
@kittylever be safe kittens
♬ original sound - Lydia Campanelli
"It's so exhausting being on guard all the time for just existing in a feminine body," one user wrote.
$4 of 2,000 Americans conducted by the nonprofit organization Stop Street Harassment, 65% of women said they had experienced sexual harassment.
$4 women are increasingly using TikTok to document street harassment in real-time. Going viral with such posts has often resulted in renewed harassment in online spaces, which some women said created a "retraumatizing" effect.
For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.>$4