The Real Issue with Adidas’ “Woke” Swimsuit Campaign and the Transphobic Backlash.

Adidas has recently come under fire on social media for featuring gender nonbinary models in its swimsuit campaign for LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Many social media users have criticized the company for erasing women by not having them model the swimsuits, while others perpetuate transphobic views by questioning the gender identity of the models. However, these criticisms are misguided and miss the point of inclusivity and diversity.

The issue at hand is not about the swimsuit itself, but about the representation of gender nonbinary individuals in advertising and marketing. Historically, most apparel companies have chosen cisgender women to model swimsuits, but this does not mean that nonbinary people and men do not wear one-piece garments. Adidas should be applauded for disrupting narrow conceptualizations of gender during Pride Month and promoting inclusivity.

Furthermore, the criticisms that Adidas is erasing women or being too “woke” are unfounded. The company has thousands of clothing items for purchase on its site, and only the Pride Swimsuit is being modeled by gender nonbinary persons. There are dozens of other models on the site who are women, and Adidas‘s decision to represent gender nonbinary individuals with this particular product is a commendable move towards inclusivity in the fashion industry.

It is important to recognize that including and affirming one group of people in advertising doesn’t require the exclusion or erasure of another. The criticism that Adidas is not representing women in its campaign negates the fact that the company has historically represented women in virtually all of its advertising and marketing efforts. The underrepresentation of nonbinary models on the Adidas site highlights the continued need for more diverse representation in fashion and corporate marketing.

In conclusion, Adidas‘s latest marketing campaign for Pride Month is a move towards greater inclusivity that should be applauded, not criticized. The representation of gender nonbinary individuals in advertising and marketing is a positive step towards greater visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community. We must continue to recognize and celebrate diversity in all forms, and work towards creating a more inclusive society.