Bikini Company Hit with Massive Backlash After Using Male Model to Promote Women's Clothing
You’d think that after the Dylan Mulvaney/Bud Light fiasco, brands would pull the brakes on wholeheartedly endorsing the transgender or gender-nonconforming agenda, but for many companies, this seems to be an unlearnable concept.
And now the Moana Bikini company is the latest in a long line of clueless companies engaged in alienating their customer base in favor of scoring woke brownie points, according to a story in the New York Post.
As reported by the Post, the Australian-based swimsuit company has come under fire for sharing a video on their Instagram Saturday of male model Jake Young modeling one of their skimpy one-piece swimsuits.
Sky News host James Macpherson has slammed Australian swimwear brand Moana Bikini after using a male to model a women’s swimsuit.https://t.co/pz6rS33mzc
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) January 23, 2024
While the brand captioned the video with a heart eyes emoji, saying “obsessed with this look” in all caps, their customers, judging from the comments, were much less enthusiastic.
According to the Post, “[many] in the comments section said they would unfollow the company for the video, while others hit out at the brand for using a male to sell women’s swimwear.”
One commenter lamented “[men] seem to be trying to take over everything women hold sacred. Our safe spaces, our identity and now our fashion.” Another pointed out that “a man wearing a piece designed for women … not going to make most women want to buy it.”
Clearly, people were not happy to see a man strutting around in this skimp suit designed for woman, many agreeing with one user’s sentiment that “Sorry but Moana, this is not how you empower women. This is once again giving men the power over us and saying they do it better.”
That said, there were still a few users praising the brand for its “inclusivity” (and, seeing as the company is owned by a “body positivity” influencer, Australian Karina Irby, those praises are not surprising).
Overall though, most users were not amused.
Now, Moana Bikini could have backpedaled, apologized, removed the video, or something to show they appreciated and respected their customers’ point of view.
But why would they do that when they see their critics as a mass of small-minded bigots?
Instead, Moana released one of the worst statements on the controversy this side of Will Smith’s Oscar-slap stunt, telling their unhappy customers through the Daily Mail that “[if] Jake in our bikini upsets you that much we feel as though this may be a ‘you’ problem,” and “many commenters are using the excuse that they believe it is ‘insulting to women’ when in reality, it’s quite clear they are homophobic and have an issue with someone expressing their sexuality proudly and confidently.”
It’s difficult to run a business when you insult all your customers, but maybe Moana Bikini has a different business model the unwashed masses wouldn’t understand.
Model Young concurred with this condescending statement: “I am not a woman nor have I ever claimed to be. This post is simply empowering a minority and I’m forever grateful for that. Your hate is a reflection of your own insecurities, not mine.”
Sure, dude.
While perhaps most wouldn’t expect the brand to completely backpedal, the sheer condescension dripping from Moana Bikini’s statement is both nauseating and insulting.
People have a problem with it because there is a problem with it. These customers are right to be offended by Moana Bikini’s stunt.
This trans nonsense hurts and disrespects women, telling them, essentially, that they are unnecessary, since men can just do women’s unique jobs as well as their own.
The infiltration of men into women’s sports under the guise of “transgender rights” and “inclusivity” is exhausting enough. Do we really need to push it in fashion now?
Clearly, as demonstrated by Moana Bikini’s comment section, most people are not on board with this agenda.
By doubling down, these virtue-signaling companies are only pushing people further toward embracing conservative values, essentially achieving the opposite of what they intend.
People are tired of having their values disregarded and disrespected and, as this little controversy shows, more of them are no longer afraid to say so.
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