Why is Adidas being called out over their new Pride swimsuit? Learn all there is to know about the sports manufacturing giants being hit with anti-trans backlash.
The Let Love Be Your Legacy collection for Pride 2023 has been produced in collaboration between the athletic apparel brand and South African, queer designer Rich Mnisi and went on sale Monday (15 May). The Adidas x RICH MNISI range of clothes and footwear includes colourful offerings for both lifestyle and performance, across Adidas Originals, football, cycling, sportswear and swimwear. One item, in particular, has outraged anti-trans bigots who have accused the global sports brand of “erasing women” and “gaslighting”.
The Pride Swimsuit, marketed for $70, is modelled by what appears to be a male model – although their gender identity is unknown – which has set Twitter transphobes ablaze with rage. However, most anti-trans activists fail to note the exact same swimsuit is also worn by another model on the brand’s website in the plus size section, who appears to be female.
Anti-trans poster boy, and former ‘trans-racial’ serial-tweeter Oli London and former Team GB Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, who has campaigned against trans inclusion in sport, were 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”. Other Twitter users said the brand had gone “woke” so should go “broke”.
Has any other company faced a similar backlash recently?
The backlash from gender-critical activists comes amid a wave of boycotts and negative reaction to companies including trans people in their marketing.
In April, trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney partnered with Nike, where she wore Nike Women’s leggings and a sports bra in just one paid partnership Instagram post. Both the TikToker and brand faced vile backlash for the collaboration, with Davies describing Mulvaney’s partnership as a “kick in the teeth” in a GB News interview.
Nike, however, doubled down in the face of the fallout and backed the LGBTQ+ community.
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