Alexa Nikolas is defending her brand! The former Zoey 101 star recently faced backlash for releasing a t-shirt amid the Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV documentary.

Keep reading to find out why viewers are upset by her new merch. 

The Eat Predators founder, 31, announced that the group would start selling a shirt with the word “sickelodeon” on it. On their website, the organization explained the meaning behind the message.

“We firmly believe that art can be a catalyst for change. That’s why we offer an array of products and merchandise, each carefully designed to carry our mission forward. By wearing our iconic Eat Predators logo, a symbol of strength and resilience, you become a voice for those who have been silenced for far too long.”

In case you didn’t know, Alexa is the creator of Eat Predators — which aims to raise awareness about alleged predators in Hollywood. The movement is made up of individuals who have either experienced abuse in the entertainment industry or who stand by the message.

After the release of the product, Alexa was met with some resistance from critics who thought the shirt was insensitive. “This not weird to y’all?” one social media user wrote while another added, “exploiting the trauma of your peers for money and fame is so diabolically evil i can’t even comprehend how you got here.”

The former Nickelodeon star quickly shut down the hate by explaining, “We are left with nothing meanwhile they make millions off of us still till this day. While we can’t afford therapy. Shame on you.”

“I got exploited as a child while in a toxic work environment and that company made millions of dollars off of us kids. I want to see people supporting me and others rocking a Sickelodeon t-shirt. You watch that doc and attack me?” she said on X in reference to the doc series.

Despite her candid response, some X users weren’t persuaded. One wrote, “Girl, we see, hear and feel terribly sorry for you. No one’s taking away from that. But you can’t profit off of other victims and their own trauma, it’s just straight up weird and idk how you don’t see a problem with that. We’ve been on your side but don’t get weird now.”

In the Discovery + show, Alexa recounted her experience working on set and how it negatively impacted her mental health.

“Towards the end of season 2 of Zoey 101, I wasn’t happy. I actually could not show up to set anymore without crying. A lot of my self-worth was deeply damaged from that set experience. Me, as a person, was altered for life.”

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