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Buy or Boycott?

American Apparel has become famous for its well-designed, comfortable clothes, and an ad campaign that makes many of us supremely uncomfortable. My personal dilemma.

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  • Posted By: DrHarryHudsuckerPHD @ 07/13/2009 7:36:10 AM

    No of course NO woman is responsible for being raped (or much else if you listen to p.c. p-whipped boys and feminazies), just like the guy who strolls into Harlem, or Watts, or Compton dressed in a K.K.K. outfit isn't responsible for the certain @ss beating (and possible rape) that he will endure in doing so.

    I mean doesn't EVERYONE have every right to dress how they like?

    U.S. culture is renowned for encouraging certain groups not to assume ANY culpability for their actions.
    However those who know better have learned to mind their Ps & Qs when dealing with the degenerating society in which we live.

    The point is, if YOU look "cheap" you really shouldn't be expected to be thought of as anything other than "cheap," but if aren't the one dressing like you've made a career of being on your back, then you should really be more concerned about young boys thinking you are all a bunch of uptight prudes with nothing better to do than bitch about attractive women making a buck off their looks.

    Sure, nobody wants a society where fellatio is as readily available (and maybe even performed) on every street corner like a shoe shine used to be, but a vast majority of the people recognize this isn't the Victorian era of button up collars and garments that cover every inch of a woman from possibly exposing a tantalizing wrist or kneecap!

    I find it so ironic that the flag wavers who support such things as middle eastern women being "liberated" of their burkas are the first ones who cry foul here, if a woman is too scantily clad.

    Now i know I can't be the ONLY one who sees the irony here. Surely there must be a few guys left who still have a hold of their own testicles. I mean if not, then where do all those kids come from that these people use a the rationalization for wanting to ban every image of a woman who is not over 200 lbs or wearing a business suit?

    That's another point as well. If society is so corrupted in its imagery, then why are these people having kids? I mean how irresponsible is it that that they would expect society to change for the benefit of THEIR children? "How will I explain this to my kids!?" is common question in the argument to censor imagery. What should be the standard reply is clear; "Why didn't you think of THAT before you had kids!? Could you be any more incapable of being a parent than to have introduced this id child into world ( or city) where things like this are a pervasive common place!?"

    I know this country is a far cry from ever having a modicum of the maturity that Europe has towards nudity, but really is a city or even the world its stands now the bet place to shelter your child, if you are not going to be Quaker and live out in the sticks?

    Get a grip people, Its a woman's ass not a public performance of Deep Throat!

  • Posted By: DrHarryHudsuckerPHD @ 07/13/2009 7:35:47 AM

    No of course NO woman is responsible for being raped (or much else if you listen to p.c. p-whipped boys and feminazies), just like the guy who strolls into Harlem, or Watts, or Compton dressed in a K.K.K. outfit isn't responsible for the certain @ss beating (and possible rape) that he will endure in doing so.

    I mean doesn't EVERYONE have every right to dress how they like?

    U.S. culture is renowned for encouraging certain groups not to assume ANY culpability for their actions.
    However those who know better have learned to mind their Ps & Qs when dealing with the degenerating society in which we live.

    The point is, if YOU look "cheap" you really shouldn't be expected to be thought of as anything other than "cheap," but if aren't the one dressing like you've made a career of being on your back, then you should really be more concerned about young boys thinking you are all a bunch of uptight prudes with nothing better to do than bitch about attractive women making a buck off their looks.

    Sure, nobody wants a society where fellatio is as readily available (and maybe even performed) on every street corner like a shoe shine used to be, but a vast majority of the people recognize this isn't the Victorian era of button up collars and garments that cover every inch of a woman from possibly exposing a tantalizing wrist or kneecap!

    I find it so ironic that the flag wavers who support such things as middle eastern women being "liberated" of their burkas are the first ones who cry foul here, if a woman is too scantily clad.

    Now i know I can't be the ONLY one who sees the irony here. Surely there must be a few guys left who still have a hold of their own testicles. I mean if not, then where do all those kids come from that these people use a the rationalization for wanting to ban every image of a woman who is not over 200 lbs or wearing a business suit?

    That's another point as well. If society is so corrupted in its imagery, then why are these people having kids? I mean how irresponsible is it that that they would expect society to change for the benefit of THEIR children? "How will I explain this to my kids!?" is common question in the argument to censor imagery. What should be the standard reply is clear; "Why didn't you think of THAT before you had kids!? Could you be any more incapable of being a parent than to have introduced this id child into world ( or city) where things like this are a pervasive common place!?"

    I know this country is a far cry from ever having a modicum of the maturity that Europe has towards nudity, but really is a city or even the world its stands now the bet place to shelter your child, if you are not going to be Quaker and live out in the sticks?

    Get a grip people, Its a woman's ass not a public performance of Deep Throat!

  • Posted By: k price @ 04/28/2009 11:49:37 AM

    i don't think the tagger was suggesting rape is a womens fault but the way the media portrays women

  • Posted By: amy04790460 @ 12/26/2008 1:55:33 PM

    I applaud the tagger for making a point about how women portray themselves. I don't shop at places where they insist you buy clothes that accentuate every curve. Those curves are my business and my husband's. Little boys will see this sign and they're learning that we're cheap.

  • Posted By: lopat @ 12/26/2008 1:34:56 PM

    For the tagger to suggest that it is a woman's fault for being raped is sickening. Like if somehow a woman is being less than modest, she is inviting someone to rape her. Maybe if all women start wearing burkas and covering their faces rapes will cease and men will be liberated from their apparent natural temptation of raping women.

  • Posted By: Yumion @ 12/13/2008 9:21:25 PM

    Your all idiot's. This advertisement is further trying to normalize women as objects to be abused by implying that women are up for a *** any time...we'll there not...this picture is a blatant misrepresentation on the female gender. If you don't agree that this add decreases respect for women and increases womens chances of abuse your mad. Rape is related to power...just think...what does this billboard do? It certainly doesn't give any power to women.

  • Posted By: Corwinstephen @ 10/14/2008 2:32:43 PM

    Feminism is simply the socially acceptable way for women to express their own insecurity. I'm sure that anyone with a bit of self confidence will have no problem appreciating the beauty of the add without getting all up in arms about it.

  • Posted By: kabbott101 @ 09/10/2008 2:21:16 PM

    I stumbled upon this article a little late... BUT I can't believe you'd call that graffiti "clever". That's why women get raped? really? because of how they dress? Really.... so why do 80 year old get raped? you're an idiot.. Women don't ask to be raped. A rapist shouldn't ever be able to use the defense "she was asking for it with those tights". The other comments on here are by idiots too.

  • Posted By: briana.lenz@gmail.com @ 06/26/2008 7:54:48 PM

    American Apparel is bad. This video is good. http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/watch/AmericanApparel

  • Posted By: Vedia @ 11/18/2007 10:37:26 PM

    I hate American Apparel because the clothes they make are very cheap, very low quality, the design is so bad that when regular women wear it for the ad - they look ugly. It's not because they're ugly - it's b/c the fabric American Apparel uses is so cheap and stretch that w/out photoshop, anyone wearing American Apparel would look ugly, except for anorexic supermodels.

  • Posted By: Vedia @ 11/18/2007 10:37:08 PM

    I hate American Apparel because the clothes they make are very cheap, very low quality, the design is so bad that when regular women wear it for the ad - they look ugly. It's not because they're ugly - it's b/c the fabric American Apparel uses is so cheap and stretch that w/out photoshop, anyone wearing American Apparel would look ugly, except for anorexic supermodels.

  • Posted By: hoopes_az @ 11/09/2007 12:35:21 PM

    The ad may be exciting, provocative, and may sell clothes, but like it or not, it does affect the way that boys see girls. To the extent that advertising promotes women as bodies instead of people, it's a problem. I personally think it is a HUGE problem. The fact that it is so subtle and is viewed by many to be harmless or of good taste is what makes it especially problematic.

  • Posted By: jenabill @ 11/09/2007 11:52:41 AM

    Seeing their ad on Jezebel really chilled me. I don't know why but it did. i thought, WOMEN pay the bills for this company, WOMEN are their customers and.....this is how they see us.

    Yeah, can't buy from them anymore either.

  • Posted By: erictheknight @ 11/09/2007 11:44:44 AM

    I think apparel ads showing shapely, scantily clad women is always in good taste.
    ericearache@yahoo.com

  • Posted By: jojoc10 @ 11/08/2007 8:08:17 PM

    Arguing that by somehow being provocative these women should be blamed for how they dress (or not is ridiculous). This is the same argument that was used at the Air Force Academy several years ago where a Senior Officer remarked that (and I paraphrase) "the way some of these girls dressed was comparable to a person walking down a dark alley with 100 dollar bills hanging out of her pockets," as if to say that she got what was coming to her and somehow deserved this?

    Just because there is an argument for something does not mean it should be published. Use some discretion.

  • Posted By: MacLean Carson @ 11/07/2007 9:07:53 PM

    Whatever happened to plain old good taste?

  • Posted By: AllisonsOpinion @ 11/07/2007 6:20:01 PM

    i think people tend to blame rape on sexuality. rape isn't about sex, its about power.
    i think these ads, although provacative and sexual, are extermely good in what they've been designed to do: catch your eye and sell a product. I can't fault this company for that.

  • Posted By: AlexD @ 11/07/2007 4:50:21 PM

    and for that person to deface that ad saying why women get raped, women get raped even without being provocative and sexy. So before that idot goes and defaces someones ad, maybe they should really know the facts on rapes and sexual assualts in america.

  • Posted By: AlexD @ 11/07/2007 2:55:13 PM

    I dont have any problem wit the advertisement with american apparel. there are worse things on t.v and on radio now a days that we should stop being such hypocrits on one thing and not on another. The young ladies seem to be of age, I doubt he would have underage women posing in his ads. His clothes are sexy free and young and thats what his ads project. this isnt gap or old navy where everything is soo plain jane. This is marketing at its best...and dont think that i am a perverted maled, I am a female who loves thier clothing and hip sexy ads.

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