From One Form of Depravity to Another: The Illusion of Progress

+JMJ+ Recent changes in American Eagle’s advertising strategy have sparked both celebration from conservatives… and also concern. After failed attempts to promote “inclusive” marketing—featuring transgender models and same-sex couples—the company now seems to be pivoting back toward more “traditional” portrayals of gender. For many Americans weary of the relentless injection of political and sexual ideologies into advertising, this might feel like a welcome return to sanity.

We honor what is sacred.

However, before, we celebrate too quickly and embrace this turn of events, we have to ask: What kind of “traditional” are we actually returning to?

The problem isn’t merely the content of the ads themselves. It’s the culture that continues to shape and consume them.

If a return to “tradition” means more men and women in recognizable gender roles—but still portrayed in hypersexualized, immodest, or suggestive ways—then we really haven’t progressed at all. We’ve simply swapped one form of depravity for another. Instead of being force-fed ideological propaganda, we’re being sold overt sensuality. Neither respects the human person. Neither builds up virtue. Neither serves the good.

Let’s talk about the latest commercial that’s been garnering so much attention. It features a young, attractive woman (an actress) modeling a pair of jeans, and her attitude is… well, let’s just say it doesn’t exactly radiate virtue. The focus isn’t on the quality, cut, or comfort of the jeans. Rather, it’s on her body. Her suggestive movements, flirtatious expressions, and the camera angles all send one unmistakable message: this isn’t just about selling clothing—it’s about selling seduction. There is nothing innocent about it.

And people are falling for it. Not because the jeans are so remarkable, but because the human being in them has been reduced to a visual commodity. Instead of marketing a product, the commercial objectifies a person. It’s not empowering (for the actress or for anyone else). It’s degrading. How sad for that young woman, and how sad for us as a culture that this is what grabs our attention.

Even more disheartening is the reaction from many who should know better. I’ve seen Catholics and conservatives alike—those who claim to stand for virtue—praising the ad or drooling over it in thinly veiled lust. Eyes bulging, smirks barely hidden, memes praising this change in advertising, some act as though this is somehow a victory over “woke” advertising. Let’s be clear: Lust is not the antidote to ideology. Immorality is not made better by being more familiar.

When confronted, some offer the usual dismissive remarks: “Don’t like it? Don’t buy it.” Or “Just look away. It’s not for everyone.” Or “The actress put herself in that position.” That sad kind of indifference only reveals how deeply desensitized we’ve become. What a careless, irresponsible attitude!

If the intent is truly to return to “traditional values,” then let’s do that, not just in name, but in spirit. Why not create commercials that portray the beauty of authentic masculinity and femininity without exploiting the human body? Imagine an ad that highlights a hardworking young man providing for his family, or a joyful mother playing with her children in the backyard—both dressed with dignity, both radiating strength and love.

These portrayals don’t need to be dull or outdated. They can be powerful, inspiring, and even stylish. The key is to reflect the truth of who we are as human beings made in the image of God and to not reduce people to objects or impulses. If a brand wants to truly align with wholesome values, then let them lead the way by showing us what real beauty, virtue, and human connection look like.

This isn’t just about taste. It’s about truth and about what we’re choosing to normalize. It’s  about what we’re teaching the next generation to accept as “good” or “empowering.”

Sex sells, right? Sadly, it’s true and frankly, it’s pathetic. What have we become—animals?

“Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. It encourages patience and moderation in loving relationships; it requires that the conditions for the definitive giving and commitment of man and woman to one another be fulfilled. Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet.” -CCC, ¶ 2522

This is the bitter fruit of the Sexual Revolution. It has blurred the lines between love and lust, between identity and ideology, between personhood and performance. Oftentimes, human beings (especially women) are not seen as souls to be loved, but rather as bodies to be consumed. Even children aren’t spared. Day after day, media and marketing push sexualized imagery that strips away innocence before many young people even understand what’s being sold to them. Just flip through the channels or sit through a few YouTube ads. Many of them are anything but harmless.

We shouldn’t have to choose between propaganda and porn—whether hard or soft.

If we truly want to reclaim a culture that honors the dignity of the human person, we must go deeper than surface-level changes in advertising. We need to recover a vision of the human body not as a product to flaunt, but as something sacred. As Catholics, we believe the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. That belief should shape how we dress, how we carry ourselves, and how we portray others in media and culture.

We cover what is sacred not because it is shameful, but because it is holy. Modesty is not repression—it is reverence.

“More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason…Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much… Woe to women lacking in modesty… Let men avoid greed, lies, envy, blasphemy, impurity.” -Our Lady of Fatima

I recently heard Catholic podcaster, speaker, and author Matt Fradd offer a beautiful comparison: the human body, like the Eucharist, is sacred. The Eucharist is the most precious gift we have on this earth. Do we throw the consecrated Host on the ground? Of course not. We reverence Christ by placing Him in the tabernacle, by handling Him with the utmost care, respect, and love.

Shouldn’t it be the same for the human person—both male and female?

What we need is not a return to cultural nostalgia or shallow gender stereotypes. What we need is a return to virtue: to chastity, modesty, respect, and truth.

Our children deserve better. So do adults.

Ironically, American Eagle reportedly plans to donate proceeds from its latest campaign to the National Crisis Text Line to support victims of domestic violence.

Really?

You’re supporting victims by promoting overt sexuality and reducing people to objects? That’s part of the problem. This type of advertising feeds the same toxic mindset that fosters abuse in the first place. Let’s not kid ourselves into thinking anyone is looking at these ads with pure, innocent thoughts. “What a sweet, wholesome young lady!” is (most likely) not the prevailing reaction. We don’t need to spell out what is.

So while some may want to cheer the decline of overtly “woke” marketing, we should not mistake this shift for moral progress. A step up? Better than before? All I know is that sin is sin. Immodesty is immodesty.

To be clear, this recent shift is not about “white culture” or “Nazism” as some on the radical Left claim. It’s about truth, dignity, and the sacredness of the human person.

Let’s not settle for less.

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Most Holy Mother Mary,

gentle and pure vessel of love,

teach us to see ourselves and others

through the eyes of your Son.

Help us to walk in modesty,

to live with purity of heart,

to love with dignity,

and to honor the sacredness of every person.

Cover us with your mantle,

and guide us always toward truth, virtue, and grace.

Amen.