University of Kansas orders coed cleavage Twitter page to cease and desist its activities
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The University of Kansas has demanded that a Twitter fan page devoted to posting pictures of coed cleavage butt out.
The University sent a cease and desist or order to @KUboobs, which took off like wild fire in February 2012 when female Jayhawk fans began sending in 'boob selfies' - pictures of their cleavage in low-cut KU t-shirts.
The 'boobment' - as Ken Soap, who runs the page, calls it - has spawned more than 55,000 Twitter followers and its own line of KU merchandise.
Announcement: The Twitter page KU Boobs told its 55,000 followers that it had been targeted for legal action by the University of Kansas
Support? Jayhawks fans have tweeted their support for the page with a fresh round of photos of their cleavage
KU Boobs announced the legal filing by the university with a Twitter post yesterday that said: 'KU Boobs has been ordered to cease and desist by The University of Kansas by June 12, 2013.
'If you have ever wanted to submit a #kuboobs pic and never have, this is your last chance!'
In response, numerous young women submitted photos of their cleavage with the hash tag #SaveKUboobs.'
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ShareThe Twitter page is not associated with the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
However, KU officials have countered the claims from the Twitter page, saying the university objects to the site selling unauthorized Jayhawks merchandise.
In a series of Tweets, associate athletic director Jim Marchiony explained that the university doesn't want to see the site shut down.
Defense: A UK official said the university didn't want to shut down the site - it only wanted the owner to stop selling merchandise
The explanation from the university did not seem to stop an outpouring from fans of the site
'KU is not trying to shut down the @KUboobs Twitter account. A Twitter account is one thing. But they're selling merchandise with KU on it.That violates KU's Federal trademark, which the University must protect. We've asked them to stop selling that merchandise, not to shut down the Twitter account,' he tweeted.
That hasn't stopped adoring fans from rallying to the cause.
'@KUboobs is being shut down? That brings new meaning to "save the ta-tas,' one Jayhawks fan tweeted - along with a shot of her cleavage.
The trend began after University of Kansas student Tiffany Kent tweeted a photo of her breasts in a Jayhawks shirt with the hashtag #kuboobs in the hope of boosting support for her struggling college basketball team during a game in February last year.
The move proved to be a successful one, inspiring a sensational turnaround for the Jayhawks, from a 19-point deficit to a one-point-lead over the Missouri Tigers by the end of the game.
Boosting morale: The hashtag #kuboobs has sparked an internet phenomenon, with thousands taking part
Busting out: The University of Kansas Jayhawks have likely never had such enthusiastic support
The trend has since gone nationwide too, with over 30 spin-off 'boobs' Twitter accounts dedicated to cleavage-led support for other colleges, such as @UF_Boobs, @bamaboobs, @arboobs and @vandyboobs.
Ms Kent, who uses the Twitter handle @mommyloveswine, says she remains stunned by the scale of the trend she inspired.
'One of my friends tweeted me and said, "you should see the #kuboobs that you started." And I was like, "what are you talking about?" All of a sudden they're everywhere,' she told KCTV5.com.
Not all the feedback has been positive though.
'I did have one friend imply it might not be the classiest thing to do, but in my mind, it is fun and it is a good time to be a KU fan,' she said. 'If you don't like #kuboobs, you don't have to look at them.'
Double trouble: The @KUBoobs Twitter account currently has over 22,500 followers
Sexy support: Students across Kansas and beyond are embracing the trend for 'boob selfies'
In fact some are even arguing that it is a feminist movement.
Rachel Smalter Hall, a feminist theorist from Lawrence, Kansas, wrote on The Larryville Chronicles: 'It’s all about who’s in the driver’s seat, and in the case of #kuboobs, it’s the ladies all the way.
'#kuboobs has emerged from the throes of March Madness: a frenzied, cultish worship of the male body and its physical prowess. It's a masculine sphere that traditionally excludes women...
Birds of a feather: There seem to be an array of different chest-baring branded garments to show support for the Jayhawks
Nationwide trend: The Kuboobs idea has sparked spin-off versions in support of other college teams including Kentucky University (left), Vanderbilt (centre) and Missouri (right)
'But with #kuboobs, ladies are here to announce their fandom, loud and proud, and to seize their own place among the Apollonian body worship that’s synonymous with the NCAA basketball tournament.'
For her part, Ms Kent says she hopes to use her unlikely success to raise funds for breast cancer research as well as awareness for her beloved Jayhawks.
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