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Guardians of public morality had plenty to do last month. Abercrombie &
Fitch, the clothing retailer whose catalog is a favorite of gay boys
everywhere, became the target of a coalition that spanned the feminist left
and the religious right. Led by Illinois Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood,
this unusual alliance called for a boycott of A&F and its catalog, the A&F
Quarterly.
Not surprisingly, the A&F boycott was called in order to "save our children": "I am disgusted by the sexual images Abercrombie & Fitch is using to sell its clothing line to a young, impressionable preteen and teenage audience," Wood said. "As a concerned parent and elected official, I feel parents should be made aware of how this company is recklessly targeting our youth." In addition to the usual assortment of Jewish, Christian and Muslim clergy, the anti-A&F coalition includes the Illinois and Chicago chapters of the National Organization for Women (NOW). While Wood and the clergy worry that A&F might lead teens into promiscuous sex, NOW's Catherine Caporusso fears that it might encourage eating disorders among young women. "It just sends the message that if you don't look like this, you cannot be attractive," Caporusso said.
Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm, an earlier opponent, complained that the catalog featured "explicit and detailed verbal descriptions and narrative accounts of sexual excitement, erotic fondling, oral sex, sexual intercourse and sadomasochistic abuse." This is precisely what draws millions of people to Abercrombie & Fitch; even those who, like myself, would never buy its products.
Though there is no frontal nudity here, there are enough bare pecs and buns to indicate that whoever put this catalog together is an aficionado of the male form. Furthermore, the male models interact with each other in ways that go beyond horseplay to the blatantly homoerotic. That and its popularity with young adults is the reason why Abercrombie & Fitch threatens so many people. Fortunately, for those of us who appreciate an attractive male, the A&F boycott does not seem to be working. Certainly the people who are boycotting A&F are the ones least likely to buy from its catalog or browse its Web site. Elsewhere on the censorship front, two of our most notorious gay plays are being challenged by self-appointed guardians of morality. For years, Naked Boys Singing has entertained audiences with its delightful combination of clever tunes and tasty male flesh. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to close down the show, but Provincetown?! Apparently some blue-noses went to see the show at the Crown and Anchor and were shocked - shocked! - that Naked Boys Singing featured naked boys singing. They complained to the Department of Regulatory Management, which ruled that Naked Boys Singing is "adult" entertainment - because of the nudity - and, therefore, in violation of the zoning laws. Though P-Town ordered the Crown and Anchor to cease and desist, the C&A continues to show Naked Boys Singing. The last time we checked on Terrence McNally's always-controversial play, "Corpus Christi", it was performed at Florida Atlantic University under a barrage of official condemnation. The play's uncanny ability to attract attack did not cease when it moved to Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne. No less than 21 Indiana state lawmakers filed a federal lawsuit to block performance of Corpus Christi, arguing that taxpayer money should not be used to subsidize it. 'This is not just an innocuous little play," said the plaintiffs' attorney John Price. "It's a full-blown, unmitigated attack on Christianity and its founders." To its credit, the University has stood by Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi threatens many people with its portrayal of a Christ-like figure who is openly gay, and whose hate-crime lynching uncannily resembles the Crucifixion. Not one performance has gone by that did not receive its share of verbal attacks, organized protests, or even death threats. However, by filing suit in federal court, the Indiana legislators have taken opposition to this play to a new and more dangerous level. If the lawsuit succeeds, it would set a precedent that can be used to suppress any form of expression that is considered to be an attack on religion. Coming at a time when the Bush Administration seeks to end our country's separation of church and state, these are consequences that we should all be concerned about. Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer who lives in South Florida with his domestic partner. He can be reached at jessemonteagudo@aol.com
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