I live in an area where the 700 Club is headquartered. For those of you not aware of the 700 Club, it’s an uber-religious organization run by Pat Robertson (who is also looking into buying our local newspaper). As most of us know in the design business, sex sells in advertising and Abercrombie & Fitch use that to great advantage as well as Victoria’s Secret and other popular chain retail brands. That said, I was amazed when I read about “complaints” made about a photo mural in our local mall at the A&F store. Apparently some folks found the following image offensive, as well as another of a woman who had bared breasts but the nipple covered with her hand (couldn’t find that image).
What I find utterly fascinating about this, besides the ridiculousness of it all, is the Virginia state seal; shown below.
If you haven’t already surmised the issue here, let me spell it out; that’s a woman on the flag of Virginia, our state seal, with her left breast bared. Hmmm, somehow, that isn’t offensive but a guys’ butt crack, which might I add, I see way too much of just walking around in the general public, is offensive. I think the small-minded people who brought this complaint need to reexamine what is important—one murder every 32 minutes, one violent crime every 6 seconds, one robbery every 57 seconds and one physical assault every 7 seconds. While the Virginia Beach, VA police were busy “saving our virtue” the real crimes went on without the officers’ help where it’s truly needed.
My name’s Jen; I’m a cynical, sarcastic, ex-drummer who is fond of dark humor. I've held way too many factory & retail jobs but finally found my calling one Christmas holiday in a dark, musty basement. I am now a CSS & XHTML web standards looney and can be found daily—when I’m not at my Mac—at the local fair-trade coffee shop buying an iced-soy mocha no matter the temperature.
I am also the owner of Pop Stalin Design specializing in CSS & XHTML web design as well as custom WordPress themes.
If Pat or any of the cretins involved with the 700 Club ever got perspective, I think it might cause a schism in space-time, and the shock wave would destroy us all. But you know the real issue they have with the ad photo: it’s them gaaaw-damn homer-sexshuals! Ole Pat probably got a semi when he saw the ad and it sent him into a frothing rage.
I think you’re right about the homer-sexhuals; we ruin everything you know.
So ridiculous! If it weren’t so sad, I would be laughing more. My first instinct when I read this was to comment with a simple, “Move! Now!”.
That poster is still front and center in Abercrombie & Fitch, so no luck for the uptight person cruizing through the mall…haha
Yeah, I read later that the VA Beach DA was not a happy camper about the whole thing and reamed the police department for acting without consulting with him first. All charges were dropped.