Androgynous Model Andrej Pejic Censored In US Bookstores

Barnes and Noble and Borders in the US have reportedly censored a magazine cover featuring an image of androgynous model Andrej Pejic topless because he "looks too female".

According to media reports, the bookstores have requested that the latest issue of Dossier magazine be wrapped in opaque paper in order not to "offend" customers.

Although Barnes and Noble and Borders have been quick to defend their decision, stating that Pejiclooked "too much like a woman", other media outlets are outraged over what they say is "blatant discrimination".

Andre Pejic pictured on the Jean Paul Gaultier Paris catwalk.

"Pejic is a man -and pictures of shirtless men, in Western culture, are not considered 'obscene,' said jezebel.com. "So why is Pejic's cover getting the same treatment as a porno mag?"

The creative director of Dossier, Skye Parrott, admitted he was surprised by the decision to censor the image of Pejic, saying, "it seems that it probably made people uncomfortable. But that's part of what's interesting about the cover, I think, is that it's playing with those ideas of gender roles. He's topless, you can see that he's a man, but if you look at his face, he looks like a woman and he's so beautiful..."

Although there's been no comment from Pejic yet, the Melbourne model said just last month that he was "enjoying the ride", which so far has seen him take to the catwalks of Paris and represent Australian department store Myer.

"Andrej represents the 'universal,'" Myer CEO Bernie Brookes explained at the time. "The way we tolerate and are patient with all kinds of differences now."
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