Calvin Klein Ad Taps Foursome Sex

Calvin Klein Genius

That remark, said Ashara Love, a 51-year-old who belongs to Loving More, a Colorado-based organization that promotes polyamory, reflects society's disapproval of more sexually free attitudes.

A Calvin Klein advertisement is displayed on a city bus in this August 1995 file photo in New York...

A Calvin Klein advertisement is displayed on a city bus in this August 1995 file photo in New York City. The advertising campaign, which included print ads and television spots, incited nationwide controversy because of its similarity to child pornography.

(Evan Agostini/Liaison)

Polyamory is a "gender identity" not a lifestyle choice, according to Love, who said she does not use her birth name to protect her parents, who do not know she is "out."

"With cultural imperatives, the mainstream media frequently reinforces what you should think," said Love, who is happily married but engages in threesomes. "Hey guys, it's over there, pay no attention, it's just an orgy."

What critics are upset about, according to Love, is the unusual combination of one girl and three young men.

"Everything about our arts and culture is homoeroticism and denial," she told ABCNews.com. "What men are really afraid of is having sex with another guy. That's what's scaring people."

But Love and others, say the brilliance of Calvin Klein is his ability to tap into the next wave of shifting attitudes -- especially among those who buy their products.

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"He reaches young kids at a place where they are and opens them up even more," she said. "Everyone is really comfortable. They are having a good time, no wink, wink, nod, aren't we naughty for doing this. Everyone is completely in the moment and it's extremely confronting for people. It pushes the cultural input button."

But media observers say the issue is less about censorship and more about "media sanity" and what is age-appropriate.

"I can guarantee everyone below Houston Street [in Soho] is having a conversation with their children right now," said Liz Perle, editor-in-chief of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that provides ratings for parents.

"It's just not age appropriate for kids who haven't even kissed a boy to be introduced to sophisticated, mature behavior," Perle told ABCNews.com. "They are not emotionally ready to deal with that yet."

Common Sense Media works with Time Warner, Best Buys and Netflix to help families "make better decisions."

"We are not negative Nellies," she said.

That Calvin Klein billboard -- towering over a community that is now more child-friendly -- is a reminder that the age of the Internet has changed a child's perception of the world and "normalizes" highly sexualized content.

"Childhood used to be about a system of revealed secrets that are learned when they are ready to handle them," said Perle. "Our society is so desensitized that we have in-your-face violence and in-your-face sexuality."

"Here [in the billboard ad] are these beautiful people engaged in activities that are not age-appropriate for kids."