Creator Of "Woman President" Shirt, Once Banned By Walmart, Cheering On Hillary Clinton
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There's a woman in Squirrel Hill who is cheering on Hillary Clinton every step of the way.
Anne Ruben designed a t-shirt back in the '90s about a woman becoming president, only back then, Walmart banned the shirt.
But now that times have changed, Ruben feels like she's kind of getting of the last laugh, and she's thrilled about it.
When you walk into the 91-year-old Ruben's apartment, the t-shirt is hard to miss. It's on display in a variety of spots.
It's Margaret from the "Dennis the Menace" comic strip, declaring, "Someday a woman will be PRESIDENT!"
Ruben is a mother, a retired psychologist, and has always considered herself a feminist. So that president line really resonated with her. She got permission and had t-shirts with the image printed up.
"Walmart bought it," said Ruben.
But then things went south after a customer in Florida complained, and Walmart decided to pull the shirt.
She says," The message on the shirt went against their family values."
The story made the news in 1995. There were protests, and Walmart had a change of heart.
"Walmart lifted the ban, and they bought 55,000 t-shirts. My husband and I went on a worldwide cruise," said Ruben with a smile.
Now, 21 years later, Ruben is thrilled that Hillary Clinton could make the comic strip prediction a reality. She's even had new t-shirts printed up with an added line on the back: "Someday is now!"
It all makes her a little emotional.
"I'm so thrilled," said Ruben. "I really thank God that at 91 years of age, I've lived long enough to see it happen."
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Walmart shared with KDKA-TV a statement about its decision to ban the shirt back in the '90s.
Spokesperson Danit Marquardt wrote: "Wow, it still pains us that we made this mistake 20 years ago. We're proud of the fact that our country - and our company - has made so much progress in advancing women in the workplace, and in society."
If Clinton wins, Ruben says she's going to Washington DC for the swearing in, and she says she'll be wearing one of the shirts.