Olympian Sharron Davies leads Nike boycott as trans influencer promotes products
Olympic swimming legend Sharron Davies has called for a boycott on sports clothing giant Nike after they used trans woman Dylan Mulvaney to model their new female range.
The iconic sports brand hired influencer Mulvaney - who identifies as a woman but has not had surgery - in their latest shoot. In the pictures, the 26-year-old comedian and actor is seen posing in a Nike sports bra and leggings.
Mulvaney posted the shots on Instagram to her 1.7 million followers along with the caption: "Home for a moment and leaning into cozy workout wear life with@nikewomen‘s newest Zenvy leggings and Alate bra!
"They’re so comfortable and buttery soft, perfect for workouts and everyday wear!" The post gained plenty of support from Mulvaney's fans, with nearly 400,000 people hitting the like button on the paid partnership post.
Former Team GB swimmer Davies however was less than impressed, after hitting out at Nike and labelling the advert a 'parody of what women are'. She told GB News: "It's so frustrating. We take two steps forward with World Athletics and Swim England protecting women's sport and then Nike does this.
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"The ad feels like a parody of what women are. In the past it was always seen as an insult to say, 'run like a girl' and here we've got someone behaving in a way that's very un-sporty and very un-athletic and it's so frustrating when only 1% of USA sponsorship dollar goes to females in sport.
"That Nike would do this feels like a kick in the teeth." Calling on a protest against the brand, Davies added: "We can protest. It's what is left for us at the moment. No one seems to be listening.
The decision was slammed by the former Olympian (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)"The only way we can make these companies and governments sit up and listen is to boycott with our wallet. It's the only thing they listen to." Hitting out at the decision to use the 26-year-old to advertise a sports bra, the Olympian added: "Dylan is advertising sports bras when there's nothing to put in the sports bra - when actually it's really important women get proper support when they do sport. It just doesn't make sense.
"For a long time, Nike sponsored Allyson Felix, one of the world's most incredible track athletes. Then, when Allyson got pregnant, they reduced her sponsorship by 70% when she had something happen to her that happens only to women. Women are being treated with total disdain at the moment, particularly in the world of sport where physiology makes so much difference."
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