Barnes & Noble and Borders Censor Image of Model Andrej Pejic (offensively androgynous?)

Yahoo! Contributor Network ^ | May 17, 2011 | Vanessa Evans

[decimon]

Photos of male model Andrej Pejic, featured in the new issue of Dossier magazine, have caused something of a firestorm of controversy after two of the United States' biggest bookstore chains have requested that the company use opaque plastic to cover the images. Pejic is featured shirtless on the magazine's cover.

At 19, Pejic has become known for his androgynous look, and frequently models men's and women's fashions. But the cover photo for Dossier, at least according to the Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores, goes too far. By showing an androgynous model on its cover, the chains reportedly felt that the image might offend some customers. Barnes & Noble in particular, stated that they felt that customers may look at the image and be confused as to the gender of the person featured, leading them to be offended by it. The official response from the company to Dossier's objections stated that while they know the cover features a shirtless man, "the model is young and could be deemed a naked female."

Some fashion sites have taken the initial stance that the objection to Pejic's cover is based on physical ideals of male beauty. Jezebel and other online responders have focused on the idea that Pejic is being censored because he is thin and does not have an athletic build, unlike some other male celebrities and athletes that have been featured shirtless on other magazines in the past.

[jocon307]

Are you old enough to remember the TV Ads for some brand of margarine “It’s not NICE to fool Mother Nature!”, said by Mother N. herself, annoyed the margarine was so much like butter.

They were very amusing ads, I wish we had listened to them!