Abercrombie and Fitch

As a young adult, I believe that the pressure to conform to a certain type and appearance is ever more increasing.  From the media to our own parents and mentors, someone is always advising us of what to do in order to get the farthest in life.  Whether those suggestions are to study hard and attend college or to dress and act a certaing way so as to be accepted by our peers, we always experience influence from the people who surround us.  Some of these influences can definitely benefit us; however some take it too far.

Abercrombie and Fitch is one of the nation's leadeing apparel retailers among teens and young adults.  Abercrombie and Fitch is known for its very provocative marketing campaigns which typically flaunt a half naked 'ideal' male or female on bags, billboards, commercials, etc.  The 'ideal' model for Abercrombie tends to be either a caucasian male with rippling muscles and minimal body fat or a caucasian female with a very lean figure and accentuated bust.  To emphasize this marketing strategy, Abercrombie hires floor representatives that fit the ideal image they try to make for themselves. 

Because Abercrombie and Fitch has a very specific image, applicants tend to be weeded out for not having the required appearance.  This means hispanic, asian, and african american men and women were often turned down or else offered a position in the stock room out of sight.  As it turns out, Abercrombie was found to have gone one step further by recruiting specifically to sororities and fraternities in order to find the most socially appealing young adults possible. 

It didn't take long for one Hispanic male, Gonzalez, to realize he was being treated unfairly when Abercrombie suggested to him that he apply for a position in the staff room rather than on the sales floor.  His case encouraged some 10,000 others to step up and join the fight against Abercrombie's discrimination.  Abercrombie and Fitch lost a large class action lawsuit and was forced to put several affirmative action plans into place.

We all most likely see and are influenced by the image that society has created today.  The pressure to fit in sometimes makes it hard to focus on just being ourselves.  But when an employer targets that image and makes it unacceptable to be different, the consequences are large, on both an employer as well as the people affected by the company's behaviors.

Posted by Meghan

Introduction

Group five, consisting of Josh Throop, Alec Holmes, Brian Gubriel, Jordan Carlton, and Meghan Johnston, will spend the semester discussing the many various aspects of diversity and how it affects the workplace.