Children’s Hospital of Abercrombie?
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Clothing manufacturer Abercrombie & Fitch has raised the ire of parents and child health advocates on many occasions over the years for marketing aimed at teens and pre-teens that, critics say, is overtly sexual, objectifies young people, conveys negative messages about body image and encourages underage drinking and promiscuity.
Abercrombie’s latest controversy involves a children’s hospital.
It seems the Columbus, Ohio-based company contributed $10 million to the building of a trauma center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and several other child health organizations nationwide are now urging the hospital not to name its trauma unit after Abercrombie. They contend that a prominent relationship between the hospital and clothier is inappropriate given Abercrombie’s penchant for T-shirts for teens featuring slogans such as ‘Who needs brains when you have these?’ and thong underwear for pre-teens printed with the words ‘eye candy.’
‘A&F advertising and products would seem to contribute to the sexualization of children and objectification of teens and yet they want us to believe they are interested in their health,’ says Dr. Sharon Lamb, a member of the American Psychological Assn.’s task force on the sexualization of girls.
Nationwide officials say no decision has been made on how to recognize Abercrombie’s gift but that it will be recognized in some manner.
‘Abercrombie & Fitch is one of many companies which have chosen to support the mission of Nationwide Children’s Hospital to provide the best possible care regardless of a family’s ability to pay,’ said hospital officials in a statement. ‘As a not-for-profit, freestanding children’s hospital, philanthropy is central to our ability to fulfill that mission and we are grateful to all donors that choose to support our work.’
- Shari Roan