Bud Light Is Not Alone: Calvin Klein Ad Of Trans Man Wearing Bra Goes Viral
Bud Light is the avatar of the crossover between corporations and gender ideology. But the beer brand is certainly not the extent.
Nor the first.
Wednesday, a 2022 Calvin Klein ad featuring Bappie Kortram, a woman who calls herself a man, in a sports bra resurfaced online to great virality.
Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis tweeted out the image:
Fox News Digital reported on the response to the now-viral ad, finding users asking if this is Calvin Klein's "Bud Light moment."
Of course, users are referencing the Anheuser-Busch fiasco following its association with Dylan Mulvaney in which the beer brand used the latter to celebrate the appropriation of women.
Since, Bud Light has witnessed its market cap decline by some $5 billion following buyer backlash.
Could the Calvin Klein ad prompt a similar reaction? Perhaps.
Already, Target fears a similar fate for its promotion of “tuck-friendly” bathing suits. Last week, the retailer held an "emergency meeting" asking stores in southern locations to move its LGBTQ Pride merchandise away from the front of their stores to "avoid a Bud Light situation."
It might be too late for Target.
See, the consumer still controls the flow of corporate America. And they've spoken: gender appropriation is where they draw the line.
I spoke about this topic on the Fox News podcast From the Kitchen Table Thursday. You can hear that conversation here.
Via Fox News.
WOMANFACE, TRANS MOVEMENT WARRANT A CULTURE WAR: BOBBY BURACK
Overall, corporations pursued status gain in their support of the trans movement. Thereby they underestimated consumer response, as they so often do.
Calvin Klein Defense Falls Flat
And this isn't the first time Calvin Klein made such a statement. Last year, the brand turned to a "pregnant trans man," whatever that is, to model its clothing.
Calvin Klein defended the decision at the time.
"We embrace this platform as an inclusive and respectful environment for individualism and self-expression. At Calvin Klein, we tolerate everything except intolerance — any intolerant commentary will be removed, and any accounts issuing hateful statements may be blocked."
Calvin Klein promoted "pregnant men." Bud Light celebrated a man who cosplays as a "girl." Adidas chose a man with a bulge to model women’s bathing suits.
Amazon, you're up.
Ultimately, there's no battle more consequential, more permanent than the battle over gender appropriation.