Adidas Under Fire For Unveiling New ‘Pride 2023’ Women’s Swimsuit Line Modeled By A Man

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Adidas recently launched its “Pride 2023” swimwear collection, which includes a $70 “Pride Swimsuit” for women. However, the brand received backlash on social media after advertising the bathing suits on its website under the “women’s” section with the help of a male model. Many Twitter users criticized Adidas for going “woke” and erasing women’s identity, while others suggested that the suit be marketed in an LGBT category instead of advertising it for women.

The campaign features a man wearing a bathing suit that’s often worn by women, sustaining the current corporate trend where men are modeling clothes for the opposite sex. It should be noted that the male model’s sexual identity is unclear, and the company did not state if the model identified as male or transgender. The range itself has been named “Let Love Be Your Legacy,” and it aims to celebrate self-expression, imagination, and uniting love. However, according to Fox News, the ad has garnered criticism from women’s sports activist Riley Gaines and Congresswoman Nancy Mace, as they consider it an insult to women.

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Adidas is not the first sportswear brand to face backlash over gender inclusivity in its advertising. Nike faced heavy criticism after featuring transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney as a brand ambassador to sell women’s attire. As a result, Nike told customers to “be kind, be inclusive.” However, some customers felt that this was not enough and called for more transparency and representation in the industry.

While the brand aims to celebrate inclusivity and love with its new line, many feel that it is erasing women’s identities and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

As previously mentioned, Nike has been heavily criticized by feminists and conservative social media users after partnering with Mulvaney.

The influencer, who has a large following on TikTok and is known for documenting her gender transition, posed for a series of pictures in leggings as part of Nike’s campaign for women’s workout gear. While Nike has defended the partnership, Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies called for a boycott of the company, labeling it as “a brand that has decided their target market is now the 0.1% who identify as transgender.”

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Similarly, far-right media personalities, Olympic athletes, and recording artists have also attacked Mulvaney’s transgender identity and called for boycotts of both Nike and Bud Light (with whom Mulvaney also has a partnership).

Despite the backlash, both Nike and Bud Light have defended their partnerships with Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch (Bud Light’s parent company) stated that they are “proud to support” Mulvaney and her message of inclusivity. At the same time, Nike issued a statement urging followers to be kind and inclusive and promising to delete comments that include hate speech or bullying.

For her part, Mulvaney has responded to the controversy with messages of gratitude to her supporters and by continuing to share her story and positive messages on social media.

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