Former NCAA swim star turned activist for women's sports fairness and equality, Riley Gaines and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., have expressed their concerns about Adidas' latest campaign
The campaign features a woman's Adidas swimsuit as part of the company's pride collection, created in collaboration with South African designer Rich Mnisi. The "Let Love Be Your Legacy" collection and the campaign aims to "encourage allyship and freedom of expression without bias, in all spaces of sport and culture."
Mnisi said in an Adidas news release that "in creating this collection, I had a strong impulse to speak to my inner-child and express to the world how LGBTQ+ allyship can create a legacy of love." The collection symbolizes self-acceptance and LGBTQ+ advocacy, and Mnisi hopes it will inspire LGBTQ+ allies to speak up more for the queer people they love.
However, one of the models featured on the Adidas website in the woman's bathing suit drew the attention of social media on Wednesday. Gaines and others reacted, expressing their concerns about the campaign.
Adidas said in its news release that it partnered with Athlete Ally, an organization that focuses on ending homophobia and transphobia in sports.
"Together with Adidas, our goal is to drive inclusivity in sport supporting student athletes from the LGBTQI+ and their allies to push for fair access and safe participation in sport," said Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor. "Through our partnership, we've created more affirming athletic spaces to celebrate the community across sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions."
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