Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Jon


Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Monday, September 22, 2008

A&F - Why I Still Don't Shop There

Walked past the local A&F at Eaton Centre in Toronto and was taken back by a large framed photograph in the stores entrance lobby. I shook my head because I was till shocked to see that A&F still hadn't addressed their image issue. I went inside and all of the other images were similar in nature. Mostly white.

The company was originally established as Abercrombie Co. by David T. Abercrombie on June 4, 1892, as a small waterfront shop at No.36 South Street in downtown Manhattan, New York. Wealthy New York lawyer Ezra Fitch was one of his regular customers. In 1900, Fitch left his law practice and bought a major share into the growing company, thus becoming the co-founder. Abercrombie Co. later moved into larger quarters at 314 Broadway, and Fitch began to implement experimental ideas to renovate the store. In 1904, Fitch's surname was incorporated and so the official name was changed to Abercrombie & Fitch Co. In 1988, Limited Brands acquired the ailing company for $47 million after having success in popularizing Express and Victoria's Secret.

In 2002, Abercrombie & Fitch sold a shirt that featured the slogan "Wong Brothers Laundry Service—Two Wongs Can Make It White" with smiling figures in conical straw hats, a depiction of early Chinese immigrants. The company discontinued the designs and apologized after a boycott started by an Asian American student group at Stanford University. That same year, abercrombie kids removed a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.

More t-shirt controversies occurred twice in 2004. The first incident involved a shirt featuring the phrase, "It's All Relative in West Virginia," a jab at alleged incest relations in rural America. West Virginia governor Bob Wise spoke out against the company for depicting "an unfounded, negative stereotype of West Virginia," but the shirts were not removed. Later, another t-shirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings gathered publicity. The company stopped selling the shirt in October 2004 after USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi announced a boycott of Abercrombie & Fitch for mocking the sport.

In 2005, the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania launched a "girlcott" of the store for selling T-shirts that read, "Who needs brains when you have these?", "Available for parties," and "I had a nightmare I was a brunnette." The campaign went national on NBC's The Today Show, and the company pulled the shirts from stores on November 5, 2005. After Abercrombie & Fitch raised its price points in 2004, its products have been described as overpriced. After the company opened its flagship in London, the brand was criticized in the UK because the merchandise that was offered to the customers cost double (or even a direct $/£ swap) the prices found in the United States.

In 2004 lawsuit González v. Abercrombie & Fitch, the company was accused of discriminating against ethnic minorities by offering desirable positions to White American employees. The company agreed to an out-of-court settlement of the class action suit. As part of the settlement terms, Abercrombie and Fitch agreed to pay US$45 million to rejected applicants and affected employees, include more minorities in advertising campaigns, appoint a Vice President of Diversity, hire 25 recruiters to seek minority employees, and discontinue the practice of recruiting employees at primarily white fraternities and sororities. Dwight A. McBride has written Why I Hate Abercrombie and Fitch: Essays on Race and Sexuality, which explores greater American intergroup relations while criticizing Abercrombie and Fitch.

Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Simply Dashing!











Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Pier



Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Summers End Fashion Spread: Beach Bum























Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

No More Solo For Sulu

I was reminded today that I have more than a passing relationship to the Star Trek franchise and that this was something blog-worthy! I completely agree, the cracks are forming in the good old USA and if George Takai can boldly go where few have gone before so can the rest of the world. Why is that I can see Gene Roddenberry smiling?


Where the hell was Shatner and Nimoy? Seems they would have only had a cameo so they didnt bother to show! Shame
Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

At The End Of The Walk

The crowd of almost 4000 is now gone and left are the remnants of the day. Flowers laid in piles in front of the memorial. Long stemmed carnations are carefully weaved in and amongst other flowers on the stainless steel plates that portray the lists of names carefully chronicled by the year. The names of those who died from A.I.D.S. The flowers are a final act by those who gathered to walk and raise money to combat the disease and care for those who live with it today. Its a somber reminder that THIS is not over...not by a long shot, but its also a reminder of all those who have gone before their time. This years A.I.D.S. Walk raised almost $400,000 dollars.


Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Monday, September 08, 2008

EN Exclusive - Noah!!!


Finally on October 12th we will be getting the long overdue answers to all of the questions that we have had about the fate of Noah, Wade and the rest of the gang! The recent making of video on the Logo wesite we learn that indeed there is a wedding in the mix as the entire cast returns... Ricky has a new BF...what a surprise;-) The wedding takes place in Martha's Vineyard (Filmed in Halifax Canada keeping the filming Canada motif from the first two seasons)

DJ Stacey "Hotwaxx" Hale and Darryl Stephens

L-R The shows creator Patrick-Ian Polk, Darryl Stephens, Doug Spearman, Rodney Chester, Jensen Atwood and Kairon John


Stacey and Jensen

Patrick and Darryl

Jensen at a loss for words...

OK this is Benjamin Patterson better known as that two faced shady Trey stealing Guy who gets busted by the gang towards the end of season 2... So does this mean he's back for more drama!?!

It all comes back to Noah... and needless to say this is a must see movie. I wanted to quote Ramon Johnson from his blog on why Noah's Arc is important: "Image is everything in entertainment. Image has also been the bane of our gay existence. Many of the misconceptions and generalizations about gay men, especially gay men of color, are rooted in the images portrayed in mass media. At a minimum, Noah's Arc represents a medley of personalities, mannerisms, ideals, looks and expressions of gay black men, which is more in line with reality than the standard portrayal of the gay man of color as overly boisterous and effeminate." Something we've know all along!

I so happy to bring these exclusive images to the blog tonight thanks to Detroit DJ Stacey "Hotwaxx" Hale who took these photos at a recent sneak peek at a pride event in ATL! My circle of paparazzi seems to be growing! To know more about Stacey check out her website www.hotwaxxproductions.com I can attest she puts on a hell of a party!


Note: All images are copyrighted by Stacey Hale and Logo. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Get Ready For The Experience!


Coming October 11th...The Black Cat Experience! For here for details.

Mr.KickS

DJ JJ Rock

DJ Quinces

DJ Black Cat
Note: All images were created for The Black Cat Experience by Christopher Cushman. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.