A Model In A Bra

Has got people riled and we don’t understand why

Gregory Robinson
Published Feb 8, 2024

Mikey, who uses they/them pronouns,
 wears a two-piece bikini
 for the Bonds campaign

Horrific statements about non-binary people and the LGBTQ+ community are swirling once again after underwear brand Bonds unveiled its new campaign.

The Australian retailer launched a well-intentioned limited-edition Pride campaign, featuring gender-free underwear modelled by people who identify as non-binary and use they/them pronouns.

Pictures of a bearded model named Mikey has sparked outrage because they’re sporting a two-piece bikini on the Bonds website — and in typical form, trolls aren’t happy.

It didn’t take long before calls to boycott the brand spread on social media, all because of its inclusive campaign. 

Bonds site has been flooded with negative and transphobic comments from anonymous people.

In a one-star review, with the title ‘insulting towards women’, the writer complained: ‘A once sporty, good quality, underwear brand is going about gender inclusiveness in all the wrong way. By insulting women you are not being inclusive. Rather you are being disrespectful towards women. Good idea, wrong execution. Bonds owes women an apology’. 

Another hateful comment, titled ‘men don’t have breasts’, reads: ‘What happened to Bonds? Completely insane that they think men wearing these bikini tops would be a selling point.’

A third angry person declared: ‘And that’s the end of that! Never buying Bonds again.’

But as customers vow to ditch the brand, chances are they won’t be missed if they follow through with their threats. We’ve heard it all before, customers pledging to ditch brands after they embrace inclusivity. 

Last year Nike came under fire for using trans model Dylan Mulvaney to showcase a sports bra.

The Pride campaign
includes non-binary models
(Picture: bonds.com.au)

Adidas faced similar backlash in 2023 after unveiling a Pride swimsuit, which was designed by queer South African designer Rich Mnisi in collaboration with non-profit Athlete Ally, which works to end homophobia and transphobia in sports.

Both sports brands were accused of being ‘woke’ and ‘erasing women’ with their choice of models, but it seems to be business as usual despite calls for boycotts from a loud but seemingly small community.

Another Australian retailer, lingerie label Honey Birdette, was forced to defend its decision to feature a non-binary model in its campaign following anti-LGBTQ+ backlash. 

The campaign, which featured French model Jake DuPree wearing a three-piece lingerie outfit, attracted a lot of attention on Instagram last year. It was met with similar boycott threats and the company issued a statement, which said: ‘We will continue to use our voice to empower and support the LGBTQ+ community, women and anyone who wants to feel fabulous in our lingerie.

‘While thoughtful and constructive discussions are important to push culture forward, hate speech and bullying will not be tolerated.’