'HoboJacket': Inspired or offensive? [Updated]

The website, which encourages you to donate your rival college's clothing to the homeless, swears that it's simply "an edgy way to incentivize" giving

The website HoboJacket boasts that it's "the politically incorrect but right thing to do."
(Image credit: store.thecoop.com)

As winter begins, it's hard to see how anyone could be against donating jackets to the homeless. But HoboJacket, a website started by MIT students Jin Pan and Cathie Yun, has found a way to make even that simple act of charity controversial. HoboJacket asks you to donate money that will go toward the purchase of jackets sporting the logo of the college you hate most. Those jackets will then be donated to the homeless, who will show "the true value" of your rival college's degree by wearing the logo in public. "Donate your rival college's jackets and shirts to the unfortunate because it's terribly unfortunate that people actually went to that other college," implores the website. Is this a clever way to inspire charity, or an offensive stunt that exploits the homeless?

HoboJacket is disgusting and offensive: "Listen up, Yun and Pan, here's some advice," says Laura Beck at Jezebel: "Being homeless already carries enough social shame, it doesn't need your help." The site's primary impact is "contributing to the overall level of sniggering disgust that permeates how many college educated folks think about the homeless, and that's not funny — it's repugnant."

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.