The Australian underwear company Bonds has sparked a backlash after using a bearded, non-binary person to model a bikini.
The company used two non-binary models with ‘they/them’ pronouns to advertise its $18.99 ‘Retro Rib™ Seamless Tonal Hi Bikini’ as part of its Pride 2024 range.
The bikini is part of a collection to promote its Pride campaign which showcases transgender models, drag queens, and other people who identify as gay, bisexual and pansexual.
The Mail Online reports: But one of the models, ‘Mikey’ – who is 1.99m tall and has a beard and a bulge under his bikini bottoms – has outraged some customers who are now calling for a boycott.
‘Just another company to never buy from again,’ wrote one Twitter user.
‘Go woke go broke come on people!’, another wrote.
The product listing was flooded with one-star reviews from irate customers.
‘I use to buy Bonds (but) I will no longer do so, seeing a man wearing women’s garments is seriously off-putting,’ wrote one reviewer.
The company also showcased photos of the Pride campaign on Instagram, which was flooded with hundreds of critical comments.
‘Never buying from bonds again!’, wrote one.
‘All my previous purchases are going straight in the bin. No one needs this rubbish.’
A third added it was insulting to women by putting the model in women’s garments.
However, others supported the move by the underwear company.
‘Thank you Bonds for showing your support and the diversity of those of us who wear Bonds,’ wrote one under the firm’s Instagram post.
A second added: ‘Thanks for celebrating diversity, Bonds.’
A third declared: ‘The people that are unfollowing and saying they will buy other brands, you’re the same people that are probably racists and homophobes.
‘This is the reason why Australia is divided. People like to live black and WHITE lives…..open your eyes and see the colour for once.’
Others, however, likened it to a Rip Curl or Bud Light situation.
Both brands recently provoked outrage after using male-bodied transgender people to model women’s clothing.