Description

This Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum shirt displays the iconic phrase from The Handmaid’s Tale. This faux Latin’s intended meaning is “Don’t let the bastards grind you down” — which is actually quite a lot to ask for, if you’re a handmaid.

The dystopia shown in The Handmaid’s Tale includes the backdrop of an environmental crisis, restrictions on abortion, marches for women’s rights and Americans fleeing to Canada–so naturally people currently reading the book (or more likely, watching the series) think it’s surreally prescient. But the book was published in 1985, which goes to show that unfortunately, curtailing women’s reproductive rights apparently never gets old. Check out this interview with Margaret Atwood (Penguin Random House) to read how her novel came to life in the early 1980’s Berlin, and this feature in Time on Atwood and Elisabeth Moss, about the TV series’ currency.

About this Nolite te Bastardes t-shirt:

• Printed to order on a Bella + Canvas 3001 premium unisex tee
• 100% combed and ring-spun cotton
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk fabric
• 30 singles
• Side-seamed construction
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping

NOTE: This item is printed on demand.

We normally take 2-7 business days to make our products, then you should add shipping times on top of that. Please see the FAQ page for current fulfilment estimates.