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Principle 6 Merchandise Is Now On Sale

A couple of months ago I reported that Athlete Ally and All Out were joining to offer gear that promotes Principle Six of the International Olympic Committee, which declares opposition to discrimination based on "race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise." Sales commenced today, reports the New York Times:

Andre Banks, executive director of All Out, said the merchandise “allows us to deliver the Principle 6 message on a scale that would make the campaign incredibly powerful.” American Apparel is to sell the merchandise online, beginning early Monday morning, and in stores around the world, beginning on Jan. 1. The line will include T-shirts, hoodies, hats, bags and underwear. The proceeds from the sales of the merchandise, minus the costs, “will go to benefit Russian L.G.B.T. groups in St. Petersburg and Moscow,” Mr. Banks said. Brian Ellner, a member of the Athlete Ally board, called the merchandise “a safe way for both fans and athletes to be visible and take a stand.” “That’s enormously important,” he added, “but our greatest challenge remains keeping the world focused on the real violence and intimidation the Russian L.G.B.T. community experiences.”

Over four dozen current and former Olympians, gay and straight, will promote the Principle Six gear.

Today In Vulture Capitalism

RELATED: I'm being told that dollar store flashlights are being hawked in Union Square for $30 each. USA! USA!

American Apparel Stock Value Plummets Amidst Talk Of Bankruptcy

American Apparel's stock value is plummeting upon news earlier this week that the company may be forced into bankruptcy over its vanishing credit line with vendors.

After warning this week that there was "substantial doubt that the company will be able to continue as a going concern," the company saw its stock fall 21.3% on Wednesday, ending at an all-time low of 81 cents. That was on the heels of a 26% plunge the day before. In recent months, the troubled company has been beset by sales declines, losses, a crackdown on undocumented workers, problems with its debt, delayed quarterly filings and, most recently, an investigation by the U.S. attorney's office in New York related to the company's abrupt change in accounting firms. Industry experts say the company's problems are so severe that nothing short of a major overhaul in its business practices and management, which could include a possible bankruptcy filing, can pull it out of its free fall.

Some analysts contend that the company could only be saved with the removal of mercurial CEO Dov Charney, who has also faced numerous sexual harassment allegations from staffers.

BUTT Towels

BUTT Magazine has launched a line of beach towels. Slideshow here.

The limited-edition, 31-by-64-inch towels come in the mag's signature pink-and-black palette, and each one features a tasty BUTT model, including artist Brian Kenny and porn star Arpad Miklos. The towels cost $45 each, and a portion of the sales benefits the Ali Forney Center.

The towels are sold exclusively at American Apparel, a place only the Ali Forney Center could get me to patronize.

(Tipped by JMG reader Band)

American Apparel: We Don't Hire Uglies

Yesterday Gawker dug up an internal memo from American Apparel directing managers to send in photos of potential new employees so that anybody not up to their model-pretty standards could be immediately weeded out. One former manager tells Gawker about the kind of black girls she was instructed to hire: "None of the trashy kind that come in, we don't want that. We're not trying to sell our clothes to them. Try to find some of these classy black girls, with nice hair, you know?"

Ass Wednesday

American Apparel is looking for the best bottom in the world. Make your own jokes, this is too easy.

(Tipped by JMG reader Martin)