The World Cup is a mere 37 days away – so perhaps it's inevitable that we have our first piece of misogynistic merchandise hitting the shelves. A football shaped, BDSM-style gagthat men can use to shut up the 'chronic naggers' in their lives while they're watching the game. Yes, really.
Online gift emporium (who we now realised are non-ironically named) The Diabolical Gift People have manufactured 'The Domestic Anti-Nag Gag' - and are billing it as the ‘perfect earache solution’ to save poor men from having to endure listening to women asking them to ‘turn the footy off!’ or if it’s their ‘turn to do the washing’ or ‘put the bins out’. They also believe it is: ‘Slightly less subtle than asking someone to “put a sock in it” but so much more effective!'
The gift was available on River Island's website, until this morning when the retailer pulled it, after pressure from Twitter users over it's inherent sexism. 'As soon as this product was brought to our attention we withdrew it from sale and removed it from our website,' they said in an official statement over the £4 'novelty' gift.
As for the manufacturers themselves? When we contacted them, we were told the person responsible for The Domestic Anti-Nag Gag was 'out of the country at the moment'. Which is remarkably convenient, no? In the meantime the 21st century version of the Scold's Bridleis still for sale on their website. Depressing times.
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiecullinane
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.