My letter to Cynthia.

Dear Cynthia,

I understand that American Apparel is an outcry against sweatshops and cheap labor. Even though this is a controversial subject in regards to globalization, I commend you on your company's good intentions. However, what really disappoints me as a consumer is your ads that appear in newspapers. I am specifically speaking of the ad in the June 28th edition of Metro, Boston's commuter newspaper. This ad was extremely large and eye-catching since it was on the back cover of the paper. While I sympathize with your need to sell your products, I don't agree with the way you are advertising it. The size and noticeability of the ad would not be offensive if it weren't for the fact that it was a huge picture of a girl in nothing but underwear.

A similar ad had been placed in a college newpaper with a girl looking provocatively at her audience. That's more reasonable because it was thrown in along with various "adult ads." The Metro has a different audience altogether. Most people who read it are commuters, middle-aged professionals who take the train from their suburban homes to their offices in the city. Do these people with kids and husbands or wives need to see this? Of course, everyone knows that sex sells, but why would you plaster half-naked women over a newspaper cover? It seems to me to be quite indecent. In our culture which subjects anyone who takes in media to oversexualization, you are only worsening the condition. By cheapening sex, you are cheapening an act of love and the individual as well.

The fact of the matter is, you don't need to resort to these sexual images to sell your products. I have seen your other ads online, and their nature is completely unnecessary. Your products speak for themselves. They are good, quality products that consumers would love to buy. I'm sure you have very good business, but consider how removing your explicit images would benefit you. There is a whole market out there that does not completely consist of "horny" young people. Perhaps if you accentuated what you stand for rather than tainting your good ethics with blatant sexual images, you will become a huge seller to families as well as the youth.

After all, not all young people in America want you to sell sex; I am one of those who would rather buy your product for what it is rather than what it suggests.

More on how American Apparel is a big, giant ass.

And... AA uses porn star.