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A Modesty Battle Unfolds Over a Beyonce Ad

Some in the Lower East Side clamor for Destiny’s Sheitel

by
Adam Chandler
May 13, 2013
(BoogieBowery)
(BoogieBowery)

The good folks over at the Bowery Boogie have a story today about someone who is near and dear the hearts of many: the Houston-born Beyonce. Apparently though, not everyone loves the ubiquity of Bey.

How could one-half of America’s royal couple possibly misstep? Well, it has nothing to do with the national anthem. It’s not even Sasha Fierce so much as it is the image (see above) of a bikini-clad Bey at a bus stop on the Lower East Side’s Grand Street. Notice something strange about this H&M ad? According to the Boogie, something of an ongoing modesty war is taking place with that particular poster, which people continue to find partially covered up when they amble up to the bus stop at Grand Street and Columbia. Each time the covering is torn down, it seems that is taped up just as quickly.

People may argue that Beyonce is a deity, but her sudden centrality to a culture war seemed pretty unexpected. Sadly, Beyonce’s publicist did not respond to a request for comment.

Adam Chandler was previously a staff writer at Tablet. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Slate, Esquire, New York, and elsewhere. He tweets @allmychandler.