A sustainable fashion store has found itself at the center of controversy and backlash after featuring a gender-fluid individual wearing dresses in an Instagram post.
The Controversial Post
The post, shared by clothing company Son de Flor and featuring gender-fluid person David Ross Lawn, showcased different versions of the brand’s outfits.
The Store Had Featured Only Cisgender Women
The brand’s Instagram feed predominantly features images of cisgender women, making this particular post stand out.
The Post Faced Backlash
However, the singular inclusion of this gender-fluid representation proved enough to ignite a “gender-critical” backlash, including articles penned by journalists.
The New Bud Light?
Bethany Mandel, in her piece titled “Is my favorite dress company the new Bud Light?” published in The Spectator, drew comparisons between the Son de Flor post and Bud Light’s collaboration with Trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Brand and Influencer Faced Huge Backlash
Mulvaney faced significant abuse and threats of a boycott after partnering with the beer brand for a sponsored Instagram post in April.
The Criticism
Mandel criticized Son de Flor’s marketing department, suggesting that their target market, comprised of “women interested in timeless fashion and modesty,” primarily consists of religious conservative women.
This Would Not Increase Sales
She concluded that the brand’s collaboration with David, whose social media following she referred to as “woke,” would not result in an influx of new gender-fluid customers eager to embrace their long-sleeved, button-up, linen dresses with pockets.
The Journalist Offered Advice
Mandel took to Twitter to offer marketing advice to American companies, stressing the importance of knowing and respecting customers and avoiding alienating them.
Boycott?
Underneath the Instagram video, several commenters expressed their disapproval of the collaboration, with some calling for a boycott.
“Womanhood Is Not a Costume”
Comments such as “Womanhood is not a costume” and “How am I supposed to tell how this will fit my body if a man is modeling it?” reflected the critical sentiments.
Others accused the brand of oppressing women and erasing them from women’s spaces.
There Were Positive Comments Too
Amidst the torrent of negative comments, messages of support for David Ross Lawn and Son de Flor emerged.
Supporters shared their positive experiences with the brand and expressed disbelief at the abundance of negative comments.
Most Models Were Queer Liberals
Some commenters pointed out the irony of accusing the customer base of being conservative traditional women seeking modest clothing when many of the models featured on Son de Flor’s platform are queer liberals.
The Gender-Fluid Model Faced Hate Messages
Following Bethany Mandel’s article, David experienced an influx of homophobic language in comments and direct messages.
They emphasized the inaccuracy and unwelcome nature of the narrative perpetuated by Mandel’s piece.
The Instagram Page Got Many New Followers
David highlighted that while the brand initially lost 1,000 followers due to the backlash, it subsequently gained 3,000 new followers. And the Instagram post featuring David received over 22,000 likes.
Fashion Is For Everyone
David also stressed the importance of making all types of fashion accessible to everyone.
The Model Argued
They argued that attacking someone’s choice of clothing was unfair, emphasizing that personal style is a deeply personal matter.
They further clarified that when Son de Flor features someone like them on their platform, it adds to the gender diversity represented without excluding or taking away from the thousands of other posts featuring women wearing the brand’s clothing.
The Store Is Committed to Inclusivity
A spokesperson for Son de Flor expressed concern for David’s well-being and acknowledged the support they have received.
In response to the backlash, one of the co-owners of Son de Flor addressed the situation in an Instagram video, reaffirming the brand’s commitment to inclusivity and emphasizing that they will remain inclusive moving forward.
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The post first appeared on Wealthy Living
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jacob Lund. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: The Pink News