Jennifer Loves Sweatshops? Young Activists Blast Starlet

June 25, 2008 — -- Student anti-sweatshop activists are ratcheting up their pressure on actor Jennifer Love Hewitt for her celebrity endorsement arrangement with underwear maker Hanesbrands, which stands accused of exploitative labor practices.

Since last year, groups including United Students Against Sweatshops and the Worker Rights Consortium have pushed for Hewitt to take a stand against the alleged unfair and abusive labor practices by Hanesbrands managers at its factory in the Dominican Republic. In response, they contacted Hanesbrands, and "were advised. . . that the claims of the student unions were unwarranted, without merit and were being resolved" by talking with the Dominican workers, according to Hewitt's lawyer, Robert Wallerstein.

Now USAS, whose members are college and university students, has posted a website attacking the star of CBS' "Ghost Whisperer," www.JenniferLovesSweatshops.com. WRC, which has also pushed for Hewitt to take action, denies any involvement in the site.

"We respect your accomplished career as an actor," USAS says to Hewitt in an open letter posted on the site's home page. "As a spokesperson for Hanes, however, you are selling products made in unsafe factories overseas where women are abused." The group calls on Hewitt to "stop selling Hanes sweatshop underwear."

Hewitt has appeared in print and television ads for Hanes since 2005. "Jennifer Love thinks they're perfect," reads the copy to one print ad.

USAS spokesman Zack Knorr cited Hewitt's "strong stance" last year on the media's portrayal of the female body, prompted by paparazzi photos of her in a bikini. "It would be great if she would do the same thing in this case."

"A size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be," Hewitt wrote in her blog at the time. "To all girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini – put it on and stay strong."

One of the shots graced the cover of People magazine with the headline, "Stop Calling Me Fat!" On its site, USAS paired it with a cover for a fake "Worker" magazine showing a woman with a drawn face and the headline, "Stop Starving Me!" A footnote explains the quote is not attributable to an actual Hanes worker and the photo is not of a Hanes employee.