JC Penny's: I'm voting for EVIL.

[elfs]

JC Penny's ANA Line

While Omaha and I shopped for gifts, we stopped at JC Penny's and I saw something that floored me. Apparently, it got to Omaha too, because right before I spoke she said, "Does that bother you?"

It did. JC Penny has to be out of their fucking minds to put out a "petite" line of clothing called "Ana." The marketing genius who came up with that can't have been unaware that "Ana" is the nickname for the "anorexia as a lifestyle" subculture. Someday, I hope he gets the proper staking out on an anthill he deserves.

It's good to see others have made the same connection. The Consumerist raised the alarm over a year ago, but it seems that ANA got a major rollout in the 2008 holiday season.

They can argue that the name is an acronym for "A New Approach" all they want, it's offensive to market to a population that's wrestling with an obsessive/compulsive disorder by encouraging it. Either Penny's is evil or stupid, and given that the line was launched in 2006, I'm voting for evil.

Comments

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

Except that (while the connection bothers me), "petite" sizes are for us shorty types, whether we're slim or more curvaceous. How big does the line's sizes go?

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

Ah, interesting, it's not just petite sizes, "a.n.a." is a whole clothing line, with regular women's sizes, plus sizes, maternity and petites. Hmm.

[bldrnrpdx.livejournal.com]

Penny's "petite" usually runs to about 16/18. Penny's sizes are usually relatively generous too. I've shopped their petite section as long as they've had one - and I'm not exactly skinny.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

"Always use the word 'petite.' Never, ever ask the nice lady behind the counter at Victoria's Secret, 'Do these come in children's sizes?'"

[woggie.livejournal.com]

Neither I nor whatthehay were aware that "Ana" had anything to do with "anorexia as a lifestyle". In fact, neither of us were aware anyone espoused anorexia as a lifestyle. With our experience in mind, I find ignorance far more likely than the alternative.

Where did you first come in contact with Ana as a term for anorexia as a lifestyle?

[omahas.livejournal.com]

At least four or five years ago, if I remember correctly...probably longer. I don't think you can have experiences with a teenage girl (as we started to have about that time) and not encounter info about the Ana community. It's been around for quite a long time, actually.

[woggie.livejournal.com]

You've got me there. Our only kids are fur-kids. :p

Kinda scary concept on the face of it. Now I have something new to worry about. :(

Sigh...

[elfs.livejournal.com]

I've seen it several times in relation to eating disorders that young girls might adopt as they grow up. The Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-ana) says the term is about seven years old.

[edichka2.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, let's google that. Omitting a couple of duplicates...

1. American Nurses Association
2. All Nippon Airways
3. Association of National Advertisers
4. American Numismatic Association
5. antinuclear antibody (a test for autoimmune disease
6. American Neurological Association
7. ana-systems (an IT Support company)
8. ANA Browser
9. Anacam (Official homepage of Ana Voog)
10. Administration for Native Americans
11. autonomic network architecture
12. Ana (video about anorexia)
13. Ana Bagayan website -- fine art and illustration
14. House Of Thin: Evolution Pro-Ana Web Site Forum Community for anorexic, bulimic, and other eating disorder support
15. anaivanovic.com: The official website of outstanding tennis-player Ana Ivanovic
16. The American Nyckelharpa Association
17. American Nutraceutical Association

I suppose if I either were young and hip or had pre-teen daughters, I would be familiar with the connotation/denotation you mention, but it certainly didn't ring a bell with me.

- E

[shunra.livejournal.com]

It's rather dogwhistlish, isn't it? If you're not part of that culture, you have no idea that it has any other meaning. If you are obsessed with weight loss, though, "petite" + "ana" is very likely to trigger at least an "I want it" response, because it stands for what the anorexic subculture wishes to attain: petiteness.

I ran into the term in a report about the Hebrew blogosphere, probably four-five years ago.

[littleone66.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I have some a.n.a. pieces AND I have heard of ana and did think about it for a moment. As anthologie mentioned, it is a whole line of clothing. The shirt I got was in the petite section, the jacket in missies. Alls I know is I was looking for clothing with the right fit. Petite clothing does refer to height rather than size precisely. You've seen me a few times, I am NOT petite size wise!

At first, I'd say stupid. Once it was brought to their attention, I'd say evil.

[gromm.livejournal.com]

Now, I realize that it's probably (nearly) entirely fiction, but I think you need to go see "The Devil Wears Prada."

It appears that Ana would describe the subculture of *fashion* quite accurately. So when JC Penny's uses it, it's because them's their peeps.

[marketeer]

Petite sizing refers to height, not weight. They are for women 5'4" and shorter, not for a specific weight and under.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[phyxis.livejournal.com]

JC.P was also the company responsible for putting Gay Pride rings on kids for photo shoots (ignorant of meaning) because they looked "trendy".