High-end fashion house Calvin Klein found itself on the receiving end of backlash over a recent Mother’s Day campaign that paid recognition to transgender pregnancies.
Calvin Klein draws ire over trans Mother’s Day promo
As the world rejoiced in celebrating mothers, on Sunday, Calvin Klein chimed in on what could be tagged as an outrage gimmick and launched an ad campaign in honour of trans relationships.
Social media commenters were left gob-smacked by the fashion brand’s valorous Mother’s Day tribute that featured a pregnant trans male model Robert Bete and his girlfriend Erica Feeha.
“In support of women and mothers all over the world, we’re spotlighting the realities of new families,” the high-end fashion brand wrote in its campaign post.
In a post published on Wednesday, Bete revealed that his baby was successfully born after 12 hours of labour.
“After 12 hours of labor, the most intense pain I have ever felt, it came! Noah Fernandes Bête Born May 10th at 1:12 pm, where on that same day 3 years ago I was fulfilling my biggest dream, the mastectomy. I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence but May 10th will be marked for my whole life, the two most important things for me happened on that date,” Bete wrote,
This quote was translated from Portuguese
This inclusive and, admittedly, risky campaign landed Calvin Klein on the wrong side of women, mostly women, who were far from pleased with the controversial display of a pregnant bearded man.
Here are some of the reactions to the Calvin Klein ad campaign:
Anybody got shares in Calvin Klein?🤔……..Think they are about to nosedive! pic.twitter.com/aHiDE0iDSD
— President Elect Jay. 😎 🇬🇧🇺🇲🇬🇧🇺🇲 (@ourcountrysgone) May 12, 2022
As long as you slice off your boobs you can be topless in Calvin Klein’s ad campaign. Good to know the world is completely insane
— leilani dowding 🌸 (@LeilaniDowding) May 12, 2022
‘A pregnant trans man in a Calvin Klein campaign’
— Bella Wallersteiner 🇺🇦 (@BellaWallerstei) May 12, 2022
Calvin Klein probably thinks this is progressive. It’s not. Only women can get pregnant. And because women are biologically different to men, they require unique protections. A denial of biology is a denial of women’s rights. pic.twitter.com/ayh502afWH
Calvin Klein was acquired byPVH Corp in '03.
— "Right wing extremist" (@meister_coin33) May 12, 2022
PVH Corp. is owned by the usual suspects: https://t.co/EIGR5HPPeu
Foreign old money is debauching and altering our culture and family values.
Our politicians are actors hired by the same people and do nothing about it.
WAKE UP. pic.twitter.com/vfb1vrOXGZ
I won’t be spending any more of my money with ‘woke’ company Calvin Klein. What do y’all think? pic.twitter.com/CupyqkBhKC
— Pamela (@45Spammy) May 11, 2022