Is this Calvin Klein’s ‘Bud light moment?’ Ad featuring trans man who’s not had top surgery modelling a bra sparks backlash – as shoppers say it’s a ‘far cry’ from their usual snaps of chiseled models
- Advert from the brand featuring Bappie Kortram caused backlash online
- Read more: Row over ‘man modelling a woman’s swimsuit’ continues
A Calvin Klein advert featuring a trans man posing in a sports bra has sparked backlash after going viral online.
In a promotional snap shared by the brand, who have long been known for their sultry and sexy ads featuring toned topless models, Bappie Kortram can be seen wearing a pair of jeans and a sports bra.
Bappie, who is from the Netherlands, is represented by a number of modelling agencies around the world including British Zebedee Talent, who describe him as ‘a trans man who has not had top surgery yet.’
The advert, which was initially shared as part of the Calvin Klein Pride 2022 Campaign, went viral this week after it was reposted on Twitter by Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis, who posted: ‘Calvin Klein wants to go broke.’
Other users were stunned by the advert, with one writing: ‘Disgusting and I love Calvin Klein jeans. This is not a great ad for his clothes at all. Stop bowing down to all these demands, as this will only hurt your brand in the long run.’
A Calvin Klein advert featuring a trans man posing in a sports bra has sparked backlash after going viral online
The brand have long been known for their sultry and sexy ads featuring toned topless models (pictured, a previous ad)
Another added: ‘The bra/beard thing has me confused. If he’s trying to be more feminine, why keep the beard or is this transwomen having beards a thing?
‘Is he just gay and wearing a bra because he’s overweight and think it’s cute? So many questions. Lol.’
A third wrote: ‘Wow this makes the clothes look ugly. I thought ads worked on making stuff look attractive and aspirational?’
Another commented: ‘Good for them they feel that good about themselves but I don’t believe most people find this physically attractive or want to see it. I sure don’t!
‘No thank Calvin Klein enjoy your time with Bud Light!’
Another wrote: ‘This cannot be legit. Come on. Let me wake up from this nightmare.’
One added: ‘Gross. A far cry from their haute couture ads.’
‘I don’t understand why they want to promote ugly,’ one commented while another wrote: ‘That must appeal to like 10 people.’
‘In their bid to appease a tiny minority, they’re alienating a huge majority!’ another wrote.
However others defended the advert, with one commenting it was the ‘first time they’d ever felt like a Calvin Klein model.’
Bappie shared a post last year when the images were first taken, revealing how happy he was to have been featured by the famous brand.
The snapshot went viral online after one Twitter user shared the snap on the social media platform
He wrote: ‘There aren’t enough words in any language to describe how much I love Jamilla and how much this shoot means for us both.
‘The fact that we were selected for the pride collection of Calvin Klein makes us proud on many intersecting levels
‘1.We were both about to enter new chapters in our life. Jamilla and her gastric sleeve and my upcoming top surgery. These are beautiful memories ( and mammories! lol )
‘2. To showcase unapologetic fat love, fat pride, fat cis bodies, fat trans bodies, fat joy.
‘3. That all trans bodies are good bodies. The team at CK was so kind to let me wear bralettes and a body suit.
‘I think that it is important to show that trans masc bodies with breasts should be celebrated and that masculinity doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy feminine items.’
He continued: ‘I hope that these pictures inspire you all to be happier and more proud of your bodies, of your queerness, of whatever you are doing right now!’
He finished his post by thanking the brand.
Social media users were left stunned by the advert, with some questioning it it was really a promotional photograph for Calvin Klein
The image went viral weeks after Bud Light went into damage control over a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Mulvaney sparked widespread fury in April with a post of her sitting in a bathtub while swigging from a custom Bud Light can sporting her face.
She posted under the hashtag #budlightpartner to coincide with the NCAA March Madness tournament, before joking she didn’t know what sport she was promoting.
The disastrous marketing bid has seen sales for the American flagship beer plummet by as much as 20 percent week-on-week.
And there have also been calls to boycott Adidas in a row over its use of a biologically male model to promote a women’s swimsuit in its ‘Pride 2023’ collection.
The sportswear giant provoked fury from fans who accused it of making a ‘mockery’ of women when it unveiled an advert for the £50 swimsuit which forms part of its campaign to ‘uphold inclusive values’.
But disenfranchised fans continued to slam the ‘woke’ firm, with some encouraging customers to ‘burn’ their Adidas Gazelle trainers in protest.
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