Nike is facing intense public backlash over a photo it posted to its Instagram page that featured a model showing her underarm hair.
The photo is for the brands’ latest campaign ad and features Nigerian-American model Annahstasia Enuke.
Only moments after Nike Women posted the photo online, countless “disgusted” comments came rolling in.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwpOoKrnr7v/?utm_source=ig_embed
While many people said the photo was a step in the “right direction”, others were quick to pin the photo as “disgusting”.
One comment read: “It’s not cute. Stop this feminist bulls**t saying this s**t is OK. It’s not. It’s wrong.”
Another said: “Like please don’t get me wrong I’m delighted that this woman is brave enough to go around like that … but that’s horrible.”
B&T reached out to Nike for comment.
The model is well-known for sporting an all-natural look, with her personal Instagram page featuring plenty of photos with visible underarm hair.
While some people have accused Nike of using the image as a “marketing ploy”, others have praised the sport’s brand for making a positive statement about gender and equality.
One person commented: “Thank you Nike for your support of being natural.”
Another said: “Having body hair isn’t a problem, it’s sad your standards are that high for people who don’t even know you exist.”
Enuke shared the photo to her own Instagram page and praised Nike from leaving her body hair in the campaign.
She wrote: “Props to the amazing @nikewomen team for not editing out my body hair.”
It’s not the first time Nike’s received some bad press as of late. In 2018, the sport’s brand was slammed for featuring NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in a new Just Do It campaign after he’d controversially refused to stand for the US national anthem in protest of racial injustice.
