I love "controversial" t-shirts. Meninist shirt? I've got that. Raegan/Bush? Bush/Cheney? Got both of those, too! I'm the proud owner of a whole slew of t-shirts with a message. You can add my "Battle for Life" (pro-life) t-shirt, my "Too Big to Jail," anti-Hillary Clinton tank, my "Remember Benghazi" tank, honoring Chris Stevens, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, and Tyrone Woods, and my "Blue Lives Matter" t-shirt, supporting our police department. There's probably a few shirts that I forgot, but I think you get the point.
It's not that I love wearing shirts that I know offend people (though I do realize this is true for most of my shirts), but I love wearing shirts that I know are going to cause people to think. When I put on any of my shirts that have a message, I always hope that someone stops me and asks me about my shirt, whether or not they agree with it.
If someone stops me to say they appreciate my shirt, this is a perfect conversation starter. If someone were to approach me and tell me that they disagreed with my shirt, this could open up a chance for me to share my views, possibly changing theirs. Or, they could share their side of the argument and open my eyes to their way of thinking.
So, next time you see a shirt that you do or don't agree with, and you want to say something, do it. Start a civil conversation with a stranger (or someone you know) and share your views. Even if you don't change their opinion, it might help you better understand their way of thinking. Or, most likely, you'll strengthen your own argument for what you believe.
Either way, the outcome doesn't sound too bad, does it?