25 November 2009
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Lady Sovereign

Hooray For Hoodies?

Lady Sovereign is a nineteen-year-old rapper who's using her latest single to champion the hooded top - or hoodie. She's featured in this Sunday's Politics Show which comes live from Poole in Dorset.

19 year old Lady Sovereign, aka Louise Harman, is annoyed at the way hoodies, the staple of the teenage wardrobe, have become synonymous with crime.

She's using her new single, Hoodie, to try and counteract the negative publicity the item of clothing has generated after being banned in some shopping centres and schools.

Currently on a UK tour, Lady Sovereign's taking her Save The Hoodie campaign to Downing Street, where she's handing in a petition at Number Ten. This teenager wants politicians to accept that hoodies can also be goodies.

Lady Sovereign, who's from west London, played Bournemouth's Consortium this week as part of her UK tour and told us a bit about why she has started a campaign to Save The Hoodie:

Hoodie wearer

"I'm fed up with politicians, government people, toffs, people who own shopping centres having a problem with the hoodies. Hoodies have been about for years and no-one has kicked up a fuss until now, so I just want to put an end to all the palaver that's going on.

"Being a teenager in Britain, we get targeted for a lot of things. We get all the blame for everything and are looked upon as criminals - that aint the case most of the time. It's kinda hard being a teenager nowadays because you just get the blame for everything."

In May, Bluewater shopping centre in Kent banned visitors from wearing hoodies - and afterwards reported that visitor numbers were up by nearly a quarter against last year.

Also in May, a 16 year old from Manchester was banned from wearing a hooded top for five years after a campaign of violence. In June, a head teacher in south Wales banned pupils from wearing hoodies.

Lady Sovereign is on tour in the UK until 17th November and then heads to the US for an eight-gig tour. Hoodie is released on Island Records on 21st November.

The Politics Show
Live from the Quay Advice Centre in Poole
BBC1, from 12.10pm

last updated: 11/11/05

Have Your Say

What do you think? Are hoodie wearers hooligans or are they stereotyped? Should hoodies be banned? Let us know what you think!

liquida
they r stereotyped

Alex
A hoodie is nothing but a sweatshirt with a hood, whats the difference between a hat and a hood, a hood will keep you warm, a hat wont do that, What you wear mos the time doesnt represent who you are, why cant people understand that?

Aimee
I cannot wait until this generation is in power - maybe we can ban old people from wearing beige?Freedom of speech? Human rights? Nah, lets ban clothing!

odrina
hoodie wearers are always assumed to be scary and violent. But in my opinion, that's just people's prejudice thoughts. Let the hoodie wearers run free!

hanna
i love hoodies. they make me feel powerful. although i am slightly small, they make me feel big and tough! Yeah man!

jack delaney
i ware hoddies all the time and there is nothing wrong with them they keep you warm and the good thing there very soft infact i have been wareing hoddies for years there great for the cold weather that is why they were invented for the cold i ware hoddies and that does not make me a hooligan there would be days when you need a hoddie i like all my hoddies and hoddies are here to stay

Veronica
Hoddies are cool and poeple, all people should wear then. (other then old people, that would be weird)

greebo (according to you)
its not just chavs that wear hoodies..its emos, skaters, goths, grungers..and they all get false blame for what chavs have done

Emily
I live in Alaska, USA, and we don't have this problem with people crimilizing the hoodie. I live in one of the uh... richest public schools in my city, and over half the kids wear them on a daily basis. They're warm and very comfterble. When you wear them you don't have to worry about weather you're getting out of shape, or your shirts too short for school. Did I mention they make you feel like you're being hugged? Hoodies should never be banned. It's like saying no one should wear hats because they can hide the face. It's just people looking for a scrapegoat.

zach wilson
i dont think hoodies should be banned especialy yours.

battsea
i wear hoodies all da time innit!!!! jus coz ya wear hoodies it dont mean u smoke do drugs and stuff like that!! innit lady sov ya go!!!xxxx

someone
u go lady sov

mancz_ghetto_gyal
YES YES YES, HOODIES R DUTTY MAN, SO EVERY1 KEEP DA HOODIES BIG UP MOSS SIDE MANDEM !!!!!!!!!

alfie in bridport
Only Chavs wear hoodies. Ban them and ban the chavs!

Gar
Hoodies are great Everybody wear hoodies! hide in a hoodie; be anonymouse in a hoodie; keep to yourself in a hoodie.

Graham B
The guy above featured is CHAV CHAV CHAV. Hoddies are bad they scare people!

leon, poole
i love my hoodie. it's the ultimate comfort blanket and you can just crash out in it. as usual a couple of idiots ruin it for everyone.