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Fact check: Desigual backpack with sexual message is genuine

Chiara Vercellone, USA TODAY
·5 min read

Corrections & Clarifications: This story was updated based on new information received after publication from multiple sources. The rating on this file has been changed from False to True.

The claim: Backpack found for sale in children's section has 'I want more sex' message

With the return to school quickly approaching, stores are filling up their inventory of backpacks, binders and other school materials.

But that prompted an image, which claims a children's backpack has a sexual message written on it, to go viral.

"Y'all be careful out there when buying your children's backpacks this year. We got these pics sent to us, and they said this was in Burlington which it's not on their website. Not sure if it's in store," reads the caption of an Aug. 2 post for a Jacksonville, Florida, group.

The post includes three different images of a green backpack hanging on a store's rack. They include close-up pictures showing small text reading "I want more sex," alongside other phrases.

The post has been shared over 5,100 times.

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The post came from a page that describes itself as a "satire/parody entertainment website," but a large portion of the content it posts is not satirical in nature, and this post was presented as fact. This left some users believing the image was of an actual backpack for sale.

"Are you kidding me? The manufacturer needs to be arrested. They need to remove it from the stores asap!!!" one user commented.

"It is so sad that this type [of] stuff is even out there," another one wrote.

The backpack's message is genuine. But it's not part of Desigual's children's collection.

USA TODAY reached out to the poster for comment.

Backpack message is genuine

The backpack in question is by the Spanish designer brand Desigual, which is known for its colorful designs.

The backpack is not listed for sale among Desigual's current line of bags and backpacks on its website. But USA TODAY found the same backpack previously listed on Amazon in the United Kingdom.

That listing shows the "I want more sex" message. Another part of the backpack that caught users' attention was artwork at the top of the backpack, which depicts an abstract version of a naked man and woman.

A spokesperson for Desigual confirmed to USA TODAY that the backpack is real. But it's part of the company's women's collection.

"This bag is not a product for kids, it belongs to the adult section," the company wrote Aug. 2 on Twitter, in response to a tweet with screenshots of the Facebook post. "This was an unfortunate mistake, we will talk to the distributor to fix it ASAP."

Desigual elaborated on the backpack in a statement emailed to Snopes, an independent fact-checking organization.

"Our kid's collection does not currently include any backpacks," the company said. "Since this did not happen at any of our stores, but at Burlington, which is a multi-brand store that is totally independent from us, our team has contacted them to correct the mistake."

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Heather Woollard originally published the images in a Facebook post on July 30. She told USA TODAY in an email that the photos were taken by a friend at a Burlington store in Montgomery, Alabama.

"My post was more or less making sure parents check their children's backpacks before sending them out on their first day of school," she said.

The Montgomery store declined to comment. The pictures posted on Facebook and Twitter appear to show the backpack situated near others designed for children.

Burlington's official Facebook page has addressed customer concerns about the backpack.

"We appreciate you bringing this to our attention," the company wrote Aug. 5 on Facebook in response to a comment that included an image from Woollard's post. "We are partnering with our store operations team members to have this product removed from our stores. Again, thank you for making us aware."

In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for Burlington confirmed the Desigual backpack was sold in the Montgomery store.

"However, this bag does not belong in our stores and it has been removed," said Kaitlyn Adams, a senior account executive for Tierney, a public relations agency. "It’s a violation of our Merchandise Integrity Policy and does not align with our core values. We take this incident seriously and are reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure compliance."

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Our rating: True

Based on our research, we rate TRUE the claim that an image shows a backpack for sale in the children's section with the message "I want more sex." Desigual has said the backpack is real, but it's part of its women's collection, not its children's collection. The author of the original Facebook post showing these images says a friend spotted the backpack in the children's section of a Burlington store in Montgomery, Alabama. Burlington has acknowledged concerns about the backpack on social media and confirmed to USA TODAY that the backpack was sold in its Montgomery store.

Our fact-check sources:

Contributing: Daniel Funke

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Desigual backpack with sexual message is genuine