Yahoo Finance Moana Bikini draws internet's ire after male model wears women's one-piece in social post
An Australian owned swimwear company continues to face online scrutiny after a video of a male model wearing a one-piece went viral over the weekend, drawing intense criticism from customers.
The goal of Moana Bikini, a brand owned by influencer Karina Irby is to be “at the forefront of a positive movement of empowerment and inclusivity, centered around the utilization of Social Media as a positive force for change,” according to the website.
A video of Jake Young, a male “Moana Babe” modeling a “sugar slinky one-piece” posted on Instagram Friday had many customers in the comments questioning, “Why a man named Jake is modeling a swimsuit for women??”
Others threatened to unfollow the brand, which has been making “Swimwear designed for every BODY!” since 2011.
“This is bad advertising if the target audience is women. A man wearing a piece designed for women....not going to make most women want to buy it,” one comment reads.
Here’s what we know.
Moana Bikini CEO chimes in on the situation in the comments
Young, who was in the video, said he “was not a woman or has ever claimed to be.”
“There are many different types of women. Women with different anatomy to what you consider This post is simply empowering a minority & I’m forever grateful for that. Your hate is a reflection of your own insecurities, not mine,” he wrote in the comments, thanking the company for the opportunity.
Irby continued to comment on the post Friday, saying that it “is the best thing on the internet,” showering Young with compliments.
“Moana has been empowering ALL bodies since 2011. This video really should shock you at all. If you have to announce your 'anger' I strongly urge you to listen too - YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN by Taylor Swift, as I believe it was written for you. See you are special,” Irby first posted.
Others applauded the company for their inclusion efforts, one user named Bailey Nichole Kinard wrote “Obsessed! Thank you for always being inclusive in your sizing and models! #1 reason I will always support your brand.”
The company has kept the original picture of Young, adding a new photograph Monday with a caption that reads, “Moana Babe @jakeytho is a vibe in our SLOP RUNCH BTM!”
Customers alleged that Moana Bikini was adding fuel to the fire, calling the move a “publicity stunt.”
Moana Bikini issues statement on alleged controversy
The company found it “quite absurd that people would cherry-pick this one post” after 12 years of business “to make a wild statement about us not being empowering to women," according to a statement obtained by Fox News.
"Many commenters are using the excuse that they believe it is ‘insulting to women,' when in reality, it’s quite clear they are homophobic and have an issue with someone expressing their sexuality proudly and confidently,” the statement says.
Moana Bikini said the company was “happy to receive and hear people’s feedback both negative and positive,” but acknowledged that it was not going to be able to please everyone.
“If people aren’t happy with this individual post of a proud, gay man wearing a piece of clothing he feels confident in… they can just keep scrolling or unfollow, can’t they?”
All of the negativity Moana Bikini received in their comment section over the last couple of days did not seem to faze the company one bit, saying “this sounds like a them problem, not an us problem, to be honest."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Male model wearing Moana Bikini prompts CEO to clap back at critics
