Jezebel
I'm still a little bitter over the months I spent making $9 an hour clearing out their dressing rooms, but I have to credit the ethically exploitative, generically-trendhumping corporate paradox that is American Apparel for its ceaseless bloggy news flow. Just last week, the company ran a New York Times ad advocating the sort of immigration reforms that would make life easier for the folks that weave and sew those gym tees and hoodies our generation so loves. Then on Monday, the company officially listed itself on the American Stock Exchange, finally subjecting its financial results to the scrutiny of public shareholders who will no doubt at some point wonder if that whole "living wage" idea was such a smart one. Monday's announcement came on the heels of about a year the company spent trading opaquely under the name Endeavor Acquisition as a so-called "backdoor" listing, which reminded us of another "backdoor" thing about the company: that fucking billboard. We recently heard from the guy — yeah, guy! — who claims to have defaced it earlier this year. His letter is probably the best Christmas gift a bunch of whores like us could have gotten, not least because he admits he has a "lot to learn." Don't we all.
A friend just forwarded the american apparel story link and said: "dude, you're efamous...kind of". I was totally amazed and happy that such a debate was sparked by my humble offering.Sign Of End Times: Porn-y American Apparel Billboard Is Probably Fake. Not That Anyone Can Tell!
First off, i'm not a graf writer. Honestly, I was just reacting to the constantly degrading images of women that AA creates. That ad in particular - headless, bent over, composed so that the focus was irrefutable... I went home, grabbed some spraypaint, took the train back and waited until 4am to climb the scaffolding.
Now that i've read all of the comments and reactions posted on jezebel, i feel regret at having chosen the word "get". The people who mentioned "are" as a better choice of wording were right. I struggled with the thought of leaving such an open-to-interpretation message, but eventually just decided to go with my gut-reaction and get the hell down from there.
It was horrifying to read that some people interpreted it as "women deserve to be raped" or that i was probably some uneducated/ignorant/misogynistic graf writer promoting my justification....(geez, talk about a stereotype!) I also took offense to the comments that suggested i need to re-evaluate my concept of feminism... duh! of course i agree that women should be able to dress as they please and not have to worry about others interpretation. That said, i couldn't let this advert slide by without a protest. This wasn't a run of the mill ad by some faceless corporation. This was Dov Charney's "art" and ideology.
I'll be the first to admit that i have a lot to learn. I'm not much of an academic, and have only recently started reading books which address gender, feminist theories, body image... i have my own (imperfect) ideas and reactions to the world around me and accept that i am going to make mistakes, and grow as i learn more...
As an act of civil disobedience/direct action, i believe that this form of protest was effective(if only momentarily) in that it caused AA economic damage(well over $10,000.), inspired an open discussion on many levels and was a learning experience for all.
I don't mean to ramble on and on, so i'll just end this by saying thank you for bringing this topic/discussion onto your website. In the future, i will take greater precautions to be more clear in my meaning...
Comments
But WHY GREEN? Is that a commentary on the environment as well?
Hmmm....
:)
Good for him!
I hate American Apparel. Well, I hate their adverts, I hate the owner, and I hate their abuse of women and minorities.
I happen to love the quality of the stuff - but I don't buy it. Used to. Don't now.
@biscuitdoughjones: i second that.
"Advert." From Britain (or just an American with Brit aspirations?)
I'm glad he explained himself...if that's really how he thinks he has the mentality of the man of my dreams (the man of my dreams who could be a male feminist, without necessarily letting that bleeding extend to 'hippie'-ness...")
Hey guy, don't worry, what you did was awesome, and the meaning is clear. The whole "She deserves to be raped" debate will always occur when rape is discussed because some people really like harping on that. I don't see how any intelligent person can interpret your action as a justification of rape. It's exactly this kind of disobedience that needs to happen more often in order for shit to change.
If AA didn't like this type of attention, wouldn't they pull sponsorship from Gawker media? Is Jezebel actually promoting AA by giving it so much bad media?
I'm just posing the question. I actually won't shop there because of what I've learned on Jezebel...but you have to wonder why they are still a sponsor...
Where is this guy, and can I have sex with him?
"Gee, I wonder why women get raped, you fucking dyke!"
That's kind of awesome. I like him :-)
He went home, got the paint, got the train back? Why not just buy some paint somewhere local? He HAS got a lot to learn.
I feel like this guy is lying.
@nex0s: The one time I went in American Apparel and was disgusted to see a tissue paper thin tee shirt for 19.50.
They make some nice stuff, they make some shit stuff, I'm a broke/cheap-ass college student (sometimes it takes money to be generous and politically-conscious, yes?) who can't afford it but nevertheless feels like a huge asshole every time I look at my Old Navy tags to see, "Made in Malaysia/Mexico/Honduras" etc. etc. etc.
They're not alone in using slave labor, though, are they...
Sigh.
@Lymed: The only thing I can think of is that Julia Allison must be behind this somehow.
Interesting. But I wish he didn't write "Gee." I think "Hmm" would have been much better.
Also: do you think that he will use this escapade as a way to pick up chicks? "Hey, I'm the dude who grafitied the American Apparel ad. I'm a famous feminist! Wanna bang?"
@marie123: *borderline bleeding heart male feminist....
Hence the bleeding.
I understood what he meant when I first saw it on here. Women are constantly portrayed as sexual objects, playthings, here only for sexual gratification. It reinforces the idea that they should be treated as such. That they exist solely to pleasure others sexually, as long as they are perceived sexual.
The mannequins in the stores are posed in an extremely receptive manner this week. Hands and knees, plastic ass raised...
AA must have gotten the message?
I mean, it is pretty hot.
@bowlingfordollars: She was asking for it, the fucking dyke.
Hey Guy,
Thanks for being an ally, thanks for keeping an open mind, thanks for trying, thanks for your activism. Keep on it.
@myfirstandlastname:
Maybe, but I'm going to keep an open mind here, because I really, truly hope that people like him exist. It gives me hope.
@madamequeen: for some reason that last part reminded me of The Soup making fun of that Sizemore clip where he goes up to the chick and just screams "I HAVE A SEX LIFE!" I wonder if that line would work...
@bowlingfordollars: Ha ha ha ha ha...Is that going to be your catch-phrase now?
@marie123: heh, my boyfriend is a feminist with an intense (and somewhat unexplained) hatred of hippies.
If this isn't complete bullshit...awww
@madamequeen: It worked for me. But yeah, when I see a dude wearing a t-shirt that says "This is what a feminist looks like," I'm like, um, really? Do you really believe that, or do you just want some hot feminist ass? Because we are gooood in bed.
@Kataluna: Yes, you fucking dyke!
@madamequeen:
@myfirstandlastname:
You'd think he's got an angle (or will sooner or later), right?
That's an awfully eloquent/sincere monologue for a lie though (or maybe eloquent enough to be convincing = carefully planned out lie...)
@lolkate: GONZO! Awesome. I heart Muppets.
Need a life.
@Kataluna:
Me, too.
Good work, Mr. AA Billboard Defacer!
I think they want some hot feminist ass. But that's OK with me! If I discover later that they are undercover misogynists/ Nice Guys, I can kick them to the curb.
Ok, well then, that clears up some things for me. He is trying to be a self-appointed doer of justice
I would classify the act as a form of vigilantism as opposed to an act of civil disobedience.
@marie123: I think it's impossible for him not to have an angle. But that angle could be seen as somewhat innocent. He likes women, respects them, and also likes to get laid! It works out perfectly.
The general feel of their advertising (having only seen it here and on Wonkette) gives me the creeps. I went to their website, and THAT gave me the creeps. I'm glad he wrote it up there. And, AA was asking for it with all that white space.
@TruculentandUnreliable:
There was that whole thing with Andy Samberg wearing a NOW shirt a while back. All the feminists, myself included, went a bit gaga after he said he was actually serious about it, and not being (in the words of Feministing) an "ironic hipster douche."
[feministing.com]
@Kgibbs: If someone walked up to me in a bar and yelled "I HAVE A SEX LIFE!" I might be kinda intrigued. It would depend on his attitude and delivery of the line. I would be like, "Really. Tell me about it."
@LaPanique: Oh, so do I. I just meant it seems too good to be true.
Good for you, dude. There aren't enough of us (dudes) who see things this way.
@Lymed: There is no such thing as BAD publicity anymore. The more controversial and in bad taste, look at me, stupidity, etc. the better. That's what it has come to now.
This is 18 shades of awesome!
@PICKLES_IN_MY_TUNA: Which raises the question, should Jezebel keep giving AA all this publicity?
@madamequeen: haha did you see the clip? he just screams it, I'd have to say, I'd be intrigued as well
@cricketchicka: Maybe he didn't want to leave a trail. ;)
"I HAVE A SEX LIFE, you fucking dyke!"
I think Denton is the one to go to as to why AA gets so much as space on Gawker Media. I may be wrong, he's still an asshole though.
My husband's a bit of a feminist, he doesn't like to watch porn because he starts worrying about the women, how they're being exploited...
When it comes to dressing sexy - there is that line, such as the one in this ad, that once you cross it you reveal yourself to be who you truly are - an empty, vacous, skankwhore starved for attention.
I take great solace in seeking out these women at bars (you can tell them apart from the others by the dead/desperate look in their eyes) and calling them on their bullshit and treating them like the empty soul-starved holes that they are.
Is it wrong to want something more than a pretty face?
If you want to date a real super hardcore feminist..date fucking dyke!