Abercrombie & Fitch stores recently pulled some women's T-shirts from their shelves in response to complaints that the shirts were too sexually suggestive.

The shirts received national attention a few weeks ago when a group of Pennsylvania high school students organized a "girlcott" of the company's products because they felt the "attitude tees" were sending the wrong message to young girls. The move to pull the shirts was a great public relations move for Abercrombie officials, who can sleep better at night thinking they've responded to the demands of the public, but it's a step backward for free speech and self-expression.

It's understandable that some women might be uncomfortable with walking around with sayings like, "All Men Like Tig Old Bitties," or "Who needs brains when you have these," across their chests. But no one is making those women shop at Abercrombie. No one is making them buy the T-shirts. No one stands outside stores in the mall, dragging helpless, unwilling customers to the T-shirt racks and shoving offensive slogans in their bags.

As women's studies lecturer Brian Jara said last week, in a perfect feminist world, there would be no market for shirts that objectify women. But this isn't a perfect feminist world, and the reality, like it or not, is that Abercrombie is a popular women's clothing retailer.

When a woman leaves her house every morning, she's projecting a certain image of herself, an image consisting of whatever she chooses. And that's exactly what a person's rights are all about -- the ability to live life the way they choose.

The T-shirt slogans can be interpreted differently by different people; some women might feel empowered if they walk around wearing the slogan, "Tell me again why I need a boyfriend?" Some might laugh at, "Careful! I had a bowl of bitchy for breakfast," shirts. Others, apparently, feel objectified by, "When the going gets tough, the tough go blonde."

If we want to tell women something as ridiculous as, "Stop wearing a shirt because someone else thinks it makes them look dumb," then why don't we just tell them to stop wearing miniskirts because some say it makes them more prone to unwanted groping and even sexual assault. That probably wouldn't get such positive attention.

If the women participating in the girlcott want to make a statement, that's fine; it's their right to protest whatever they want, and they should, if they feel strongly. But we also must remember Abercrombie has the right to sell shirts their customers want to wear, and a woman can purchase whatever they choose. And that right is just as important.