An Australian bikini brand has come under fire for using a male model to promote its women's swimwear.
Moana Bikini, a brand owned by an alleged body-positive influencer named Karina Irby, shared a video of a man modeling one of its one-piece swimsuits, which are clearly designed for women's bodies. did.
Noting that the man was wearing a size small, the account wrote in all caps, “I'm obsessed with this look.”
The post was flooded with comments from shocked viewers who believed it was meant to promote the brand. body positivity for womenused men in its advertisements.
A spokesperson for the brand issued a lengthy statement supporting the decision to use men in the promotion.
“We think it's very stupid that people would take this individual post out of our 12 years of business to make wild statements about how we're not empowering women. ” said the spokesperson.
“Moana Bikini was and remains one of the most inclusive and empowering brands in existence, not only in terms of our range of sizes and styles for women, but most importantly in our , that we love and embrace people of all races and ethnicities, no matter their shape or size, gender or sexual orientation. This is and will never change,” the representative said. daily mail.
The $130 swimsuit was worn by a man named Jake Young. He directly expressed his thoughts on the controversy in a post on the brand.
“There are different types of women. Women have different anatomies than what you consider 'normal'. I am not a woman and have never claimed to be a woman. No,” Young wrote.
“This post is simply empowering a minority, and for that I am forever grateful. Your hate is a reflection of your own insecurities, not mine.”
The bikini brand also responded to criticism for the post after one viewer asked: “Is that a man? I thought you were trying to empower women?” gave a cynical response.
The account replied, “I'm sorry you felt that way. If Jake in our bikini upsets you that much, I feel like this might be your problem.” .
A spokesperson for the brand blamed the backlash on viewers being “homophobic” and using the idea that the post was “demeaning to women” as an “excuse”. .
Although the brand said it was “pleased to receive” both positive and negative feedback, it also insisted that consumers were the problem.
“If you're not happy with this individual post of a proud gay man wearing his clothes with confidence, just keep scrolling or unfollow, right?”
“Imagine choosing to be angry about something and living your life only to stay there, comment, and engage, only to make yourself more and more angry. Let's be honest. And it sounds like this is their problem, not ours,” they concluded.
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