Clearly having not learned any lessons from the recent Bud Light trans disaster, German sportswear brand Adidas is the latest brand to dip its toe into the murky world of trans marketing.
The brand has just launched its ‘Pride 2023’ swimwear collection ahead of Pride month in June, advertising a swimming costume on its website under the ‘women’s’ section using a model that appears to be male who sports a noticeable bulge in the crotch department.
It is unclear if the model identifies as a male or is transgender.
The new Pride range was designed by South African designer Rich Mnisi and is called “Let Love Be Your Legacy”. The campaign also features high-profile gay advocate, the British Olympic gold medal diver, Tom Daley, and American trans activist, Jari Jones.
Adidas said the campaign is “a celebration of self-expression, imagination and the unwavering belief that love unites”.
Interestingly, a report in yesterday’s New York Post (read it HERE) said trans activists were finding it harder to get deals following the Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney fiasco.
Olympian Tom Daley for Adidas
The Adidas campaign soon attracted a lot of attention – and not necessarily positive – posting over a million hits on just the first day with many people belittling the work as just more “woke”.
American swim star and women’s rights advocate, Riley Gaines, led the backlash. “Women’s swimsuits aren’t accessorised with a bulge,” she tweeted.
“I don’t understand why companies are voluntarily doing this to themselves. They could have at least said the suit is ‘unisex,’ but they didn’t because it’s about erasing women. Ever wondered why we hardly see this go the other way?”
Another non-fan tweeted: “I have breasts, hips and no need for an extra pouch of fabric around my labia. I guess that means this bathing suit isn’t for me … or most women. In which other instance do companies advertise to a demographic of ~1 per cent? Women make up ~50 per cent and we’re struggling lol! Make it make sense.”
Anti-trans campaigner Oli London and former Team GB Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who has campaigned against trans inclusion in sport, were also quick to jump on the topic.
Davies used the hashtag #AdidasHatesWomen and said trans inclusion is “moving towards an absolute assault on being female” and “what that means to women”.
However, the campaign also found its supporters too.
As one person rightly noted, “They’re only clothes.”
Another said, “It’s not that serious.”
“Who. The. Hell. Cares. Don’t want to see it, don’t look, it’s really simple,” a third penned.
One fan of the swimsuit wrote: “Who cares about the models, I love the look of the swimsuit.”
