A mother upset about T-shirts she believed to be "indecent" on display in a PacSun store inside a Utah Mall bought them all in in an effort to remove them from the store, according to the Associated Press.
Judy Cox and her 18-year-old son were shopping Saturday at the University Mall in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City, when she saw shirts in the window of a PacSun store with pictures of barely dressed models in provocative poses, the AP reported.
Cox said she complained about the window display to a store manager and was told the T-shirts couldn't be taken down without approval from the corporate office, so she bought all 19 T-shirts in stock, for a total of $567 or $28 each, according to the AP. Cox plans to return them later toward the end of the chain store's 60-day return period.
"These shirts clearly cross a boundary that is continually being pushed on our children in images on the Internet, television and when our families shop in the mall," Cox said in an email to The Associated Press.
She said she plans to meet with Orem's city attorney Tuesday to discuss whether the images on the T-shirts violate city code, the AP reported.
PacSun CEO Gary Schoenfeld said in an emailed statement the company takes pride in the clothes and products it sells, which are inspired by music, art, fashion and action sports, according to the AP.
"While customer feedback is important to us, we remain committed to the selection of brands and apparel available in our stores," Schoenfeld said in the statement, the AP reported.
Orem is a city of about 90,000 in ultra conservative Utah County that uses the motto "Family City USA," according to the AP. Most residents belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which frowns on pornography and encourages its youth to dress and act modestly.
City code prohibits anyone from putting "explicit sexual material" on public display, the AP reported. The city defines that as "any material that appeals to a prurient interest in sex and depicts nudity, actual or simulated sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse."
Cox said she wants her actions to make clear that these types of images are not acceptable for public display, according to the AP.
"I hope my efforts will inspire others to speak up within their communities," Cox said in an email to the AP. "You don't have to purchase $600 worth of T-shirts, but you can express your concerns to businesses and corporations who promote the display of pornography to children."
