Banned in the USA: Have sexual images in advertising gone too far?
Abercrombie and Fitch, frat-boy standard and symbol of Americana, got so much flak from conservative groups for their last hyper-sexual catalog that it was forced out of print in the States. But that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to push the envelope, and the latest flesh-filled edition will be sold in Europe only. Apparently, Bruce Weber’s homoerotic images of naked boys frolicking across the prairie just make apple pie Americans nauseous. Still, I’m confused. I mean, male and female nudes have long been a staple of western civilization in the art realm, yet it’s okay to have highly suggestive, overtly kinky American Apparel billboards all over the country? From what I remember from the last Abercrombie catalog, the images, shot by a highly respected photographer aren’t graphic in any way, shape or form, just beautiful nudes. And the whole moment sparks the question: Why are Americans still so prudish about nudity anyway? I remember a story I edited at Jane magazine a few years
