http://instinctmagazine.com/blogs/blog/abercrombie-s-shirtless-greeters-are-ready-to-party-with-you-on-black-friday?directory=100011

I could get into shopping here. Although what I might be buying may not be on sale in this store.

Sure looks like it is going to be a White Christmas!

Sure looks like it is going to be a White Christmas!

You ain't just whistling Dixie there!

I love the ads and the photos and think all the guys are major sexy. I didn't even notice the lack of color in the photos until Lucky pointed them out. I guess that is something we get accustomed to or just don't pay attention to isn't it?

I first saw these pics at towleroad.com, a gay blog. There, some commenters note the lack of color, but others ask why A&F should add any color. The latter seem unaware of laws prohibiting discrimination in hiring.

How would you like to be a young man who shops at A&F, say, a young Asian man? You've got their products, but they show an ad with the Abercrombie boys and there is not an Asian face in the crowd. Hopefully, the young Asian man will quit shopping there. But no doubt A&F is telling him that he is NOT an Abercrombie boy. In our designer driven society, that is quite the putdown, at least for a young man.

I first saw these pics at towleroad.com, a gay blog. There, some commenters note the lack of color, but others ask why A&F should add any color. The latter seem unaware of laws prohibiting discrimination in hiring.

Actually "casting" allows one to discriminate against any person of color, age or disability. How they get away with it I do not know. I have a feeling our PT greeters are considered actors and have been auditioned for this role.

In the bottom pic I do see several black, asian and hispanic guys ... not saying that its a good balance just commenting on who is there.

You ain't just whistling Dixie there!

I love the ads and the photos and think all the guys are major sexy. I didn't even notice the lack of color in the photos until Lucky pointed them out. I guess that is something we get accustomed to or just don't pay attention to isn't it?

The lack of colour & diversity stood out "like a sore thumb" to me! It hit me immediately!!!!

A Google on the topic resulted in multiple instances of lawsuits being filed against this company for racism.

"In a 2004 lawsuit González v. Abercrombie & Fitch, the company was accused of discriminating against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women by preferentially offering floor sales positions (called Brand Representatives or Models) and store management positions to whites and men.[65] The company agreed to a settlement of the class-action suit, which required the company to (1) pay $4 million to African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women who applied and were not hired or worked in certain store positions, (2) revise its hiring, performance measurement, and promotion policies, (3) revise its internal complaint procedures, (4) appoint a Vice President of Diversity, (5) hire 25 recruiters to seek out minority applicants, (6) discontinue the practice of recruiting employees at primarily white fraternities and sororities, (7) include more minorities in marketing materials, (8) report to a neutral court-appointed monitor twice per year regarding its progress in those areas, and (9) report to the court once per year.[16][18]

Now, of course if FourAces is right, they wouldn't have agreed to diddlysquat (sp?)

But, even after the agreement above, their face is almost entirely white. Lots of good those 25 recruiters did!

Here's a lighter look at A&E:

Nude Clothes

It took a lot of googling, but I finally found an Asian greeter at A&E:

Does he meet the right image?

In the 2nd pic, I count 4 or 5 out of about 40 as persons of color, not a great deal fewer than the general population. First pic is harder to decipher as too many are in shadow.

Maybe A&F should take a tip from University of Wisconsin's catalogue and cut and paste some minority faces into crowd scenes. You know, to show how diverse they are.

My eye doctor yesterday told me that my eyesight is really pretty good. In the first picture I see at least four guys who are probably black, and one in the far back who might be Asian. In the second I see at least seven black guys. Of course, none of them is positioned prominently in the foreground; they are "background color," as it were. In any case, using shirtless young men to attract customers is sexually exploiting the youths, so we should all boycott A&F to make them stop such shameless pimping of these innocent young men's bodies.

so we should all boycott A&F to make them stop such shameless pimping of these innocent young men's bodies.

I agree Charlie. I'll be at The Grove in LA this Friday with my camera protesting. If it doesn't work, should I ask them about the pimping?

... should I ask them about the pimping?

No need to be impolite about it, OZ. Just lay down a trail of crumpled sawbucks and see who follows.

No need to be impolite about it, OZ. Just lay down a trail of crumpled sawbucks and see who follows.

haha. I just love a good game of cat and mouse!

Now, of course if FourAces is right, they wouldn't have agreed to diddlysquat (sp?)

But, even after the agreement above, their face is almost entirely white. Lots of good those 25 recruiters did!

Here's a lighter look at A&E:

Nude Clothes

I cannot speak for why they might settle a class action suit other than it might not be worth the trouble of fighting. ALSO I cannot say for certainty that they cast these positions instead of employ.

But what I am 100% positive about is casting can discriminate legally. Here is an example. I am casting a movie about a white family Dad 40 Mom 40 and their son 15. I do not have to consider any person of another race for these roles nor do I have to consider a person whose age might not meet what I am looking for. Therefore, I have a all white family at the ages I want.... this is totally legal and discriminates against persons of color and age. This is what I was referring to.

So those greeters at WalMart have been cast, not hired? Surely then they are cast for their white hair, just as the A&F boys are cast for their white pecs. SAG cards anyone?

Townie found this pic. I love it. ATTACK OF THE BOY CLONES. sign me up

Thanks for the pic, Townie. I'd take door #4.

Nah too young for me... I just need someone with a little bit of belly, receding hairline but great personality... A person doesn't have to look like that to have a great relationship with..

... I just need someone with a little bit of belly, receding hairline but great personality...

How about two out of three?

Masterpiece! I hope he has a great personality!

Thanks for the pic, Townie. I'd take door #4.

Absolutely. A closer look at no. 8 would also be enjoyable.

That pic turns out to be from a store opening in Singapore, causing Gawker to ask "Singapore? Where are the Asians?"

No more guessing on the racial diversity of the A&F boys. The Singapore store opening is captured on video, so see for yourselves. The one Asian I saw is very cute, and I think there is another one!

UPDATE: Via towleroad.com, I learn that the Singapore newspaper reported on the opening,and told us how many local boys were in the mix:

The Straits Times reports:

Employed by retail brand Abercrombie & Fitch, about 40 of these male models stood in a straight line flashing smiles and striking poses outside the yet-to-open flagship store in Singapore's premier shopping district.

Among the 40 models, about five were sourced locally.

Responses from the ground were tepid at first this morning, with many onlookers taking pictures from afar. But, curiosity soon overtook the passers-by, and within half an hour, the men were swarmed.

It must have been very expensive to fly out all those guys to Singapore! I don't wear anything Abercrombie well I don't get any help there... Just get ignored...

Absolutely. A closer look at no. 8 would also be enjoyable.

And with the video you can watch him all you want...in action!