Slog - Comments on Abercrombie & Fitch: So Gay, Not So Pro-Gay http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so Gay male consumers are, let's be frank, total suckers. If a company shows us enough good-looking, half-naked young jocks wearing their products—or not wearing their products—we will buy their t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, socks, kitchen magnets, whatever. And so long as the company keeps marketing their products with boy tit (get Bruce Weber to shoot your ad campaign!), the gay shopping zombies will treat your company right. You would think that boy-tit-flashing companies would recognize their dependance on the gay consumer and treat the gays right. But somehow despite their thoroughly homoerotic—and thoroughly effective—boytittastic ad campaigns, Abercrombie & Fitch doesn't... Copyright 2008 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:50:40 -0800 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:02:12 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by David Summerlin Can I still keep their catalog next to the toilet?

]]> David Summerlin http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c548839 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c548839 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:04:20 -0800 Comment by monkey When it became apparent that A&F was the new Tommy Hilfiger I stopped shopping there. I'm not going to pay that much money to be someone's walking advertisement.

A&F can (continue to) SUCK MY CULO, CHICA!

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c548991 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c548991 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:14:33 -0800 Comment by 3@r p|_|$$y news of the A&F’s anti-gay business policies

Uh, so what are these anti-gay business policies, boss? Or is HRC just bitching out about the exposed-nips ads?

]]> 3@r p|_|$$y http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549050 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549050 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:31:41 -0800 Comment by josh I maintain that the best way to destroy Abercrombie & Fitch is to circulate this profile of its CEO among its key demographic [salon.com]

He sounds so fantastically creepy that it might just break through the advertising haze.

]]> josh http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549068 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549068 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:53:39 -0800 Comment by shuichi You've touched on something that drives me just completely insane, Dan. When I was a teen fag in the early eighties, there were two choices for homos: either you were out of the closet, or you were deeply closeted. Now, there is a third option, this completely fucked-up, homophobic state of limbo, the game of "passing" which you describe. These twerps enjoy all the gains made for them by the hard work of the fully-out homos who came before them, while looking down on those who are completely out and "gay-acting". The men-seeking-men section of craigslist is rife with this particular pathology.

]]> shuichi http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549071 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549071 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:00:05 -0800 Comment by jonny895 jonny278

]]> jonny895 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549078 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549078 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:10:56 -0800 Comment by Andrew Perhaps you haven't noticed, but A & F's clothes are just flat out ugly. Everyone looks better without them. The models are totally fuckable, but the clothes? Ratty and used looking right off the shelf, and not in a good way but a "hey isn't it time we gave this to Goodwill" way. No wonder the models are naked.

And Dan is reading too much into the motivation to purchase said ugly rags. It's just mindless consumerism and fad power.

]]> Andrew http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549082 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549082 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:17:35 -0800 Comment by Casey True A&F story. I live in Chicago. One night I got invited out to a friend's birthday party which was mainly barhopping in Lincoln Park frat bars and Lakeview gay bars. So I headed out with my own homemade Abercrombie shirt: plain white tee with the Abercrombie logo inked across my chest with a black sharpie. The best part was how few people got the joke. Mostly I got nasty stares and overheard comments like, "ooh, he's so ghetto. he just wrote that on his shirt."

]]> Casey http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549085 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549085 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:24:49 -0800 Comment by Dan Savage Casey, do you have a picture of yourself in that shirt? I'd love to see it—and post it. Send it to editor@thestranger.com.

]]> Dan Savage http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549104 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549104 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:25:47 -0800 Comment by Cowboy_X DS: this is the kind of post that makes me so, so happy that you're blogging now

]]> Cowboy_X http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549106 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549106 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:31:47 -0800 Comment by vincent The article is total bs designed for those certain gay men who overthink being gay. think about it.....since we are born the way that we are....we don't have to necessarily wear certain brands of clothes or speak in a certain way to be gay. there is some stupid notion in this country that gay men all have to wear certain kinds of clothes, hate sports, and be totally passive airheaded doormats. Think about it, there are straight women athletes and straight women who are tougher than their straight male counterparts. So, if gay men are actually females on the inside then who is to say that they are not those types of females. I call these types of gay men "ronnie krays" which is what I am (Ronnie Kray being a gay british gangster who once shot a straight rival for calling him a fat poof. Gay men in america should study Ronnie and Reggie Kray and learn how to actually survive with dignity and be a gay man who gets respect rather than being a weak fruit.

]]> vincent http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549327 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549327 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:33:27 -0800 Comment by Papayas No self-respecting PERSON would shop at A&F. Even before the HRC report came out we all knew about the racist hiring policies, and their stupid t-shirts. I mentor a 12 year old Black girl. She can't afford A&F, but she desperately wants a t-shirt. Sadly, the most popular A&F t-shirt at her mostly white school reads, "I had a nighmare I was a brunette." Ick!

]]> Papayas http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549365 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c549365 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 21:38:01 -0800 Comment by Coco What's with all this "we" stuff? I don't wear A&F. And hopefully, at your age, neither do you.

Plus you can't just say this company has "anti-gay business practices" without detailing what those practices are--unless you got your journalistm degree at McDonalds or something. You don't like the "lifestyle" stuff put over in A&F marketing materials--obviously, you don't--but who cares? Give us details and facts.

]]> Coco http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551237 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551237 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 05:51:40 -0800 Comment by konstantconsumer why anyone would want to be a walking billboard for ANY company, i haven't the slightest clue. especially a company like A&F, who not only treats gay guys like shit, but also women. how degrading is that shit?!

]]> konstantconsumer http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551285 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551285 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:00:24 -0800 Comment by Leeerker Go read the Q&A section at Aberzombie.com. So damn funny and the lawsuit info is even funnier.

]]> Leeerker http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551377 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551377 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:54:21 -0800 Comment by konstantconsumer coco, you *could* click on the link to the HRC report. or, just bitch and moan some more.

]]> konstantconsumer http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551383 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551383 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 07:44:27 -0800 Comment by Mark Mitchell Why hasn't Proud Gay Republican weighed in on this? Seems right up his alley.

]]> Mark Mitchell http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551428 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551428 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:24:47 -0800 Comment by Gloria Wow. Those ads are *gay.* I thought you were joking.

Up in the north, A&F isn't quite as pervasive yet, but it's getting there, opening stores this year. A friend of mine, otherwise a nice girl, works at one. After being transferred to the new flagship store downtown, the commute became easier, but she expressed disgust at how "ugly" her co-workers were.

]]> Gloria http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551444 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551444 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:48:14 -0800 Comment by Gloria Note: Read the PDF. It has scores, but no details.

]]> Gloria http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551456 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551456 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:07:11 -0800 Comment by Special K I call A & F 'Alabaster & Rich'

]]> Special K http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551659 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551659 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:39:00 -0800 Comment by konstantconsumer gloria, if you go through the pamphlet, it explains how you get high scores or low scores.

]]> konstantconsumer http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551806 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c551806 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:43:32 -0800 Comment by Gloria Hmm. Well, from what I've read, there is the colour code explanation, which is vaguely defined.

The Q&A mentions what is evaluated -- e.g. benefits, ad practises, etc. -- but how do we know where a company made a misstep? We know they're doing somewhat badly, but *what* exactly is A&F doing or not doing?

Note: I just looked on their site, which is listed in the pamphlet. A&F's profile includes an evaluation, but it's all yes or no and feels a little barebones to me. Kinda tame. From the scandalized sounds being made, I figured it'd be something meaty.

]]> Gloria http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552110 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552110 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:11:34 -0800 Comment by Catman i'm a fag and of course i've never worn that ill-made sweatshop garbage! i'm not a victim of advertising!

]]> Catman http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552256 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552256 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:25:05 -0800 Comment by groovinkim i always found it bizarre that all the jocks at my suburban high school were into a&f when the advertising to me screamed "hot young gay men, look here!"
apparently they saw nothing unusual about undressing in a dressing room with a giant picture of a muscular man in his underwear staring down at them..

]]> groovinkim http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552312 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/abercrombie_fitch_so#c552312 Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:02:12 -0800