Adidas slammed for using ‘conventionally attractive’ models in body diversity campaign

Adidas have faced backlash after a new photoshoot, featuring “conventionally attractive” models, was used for their positivity campaign

The new Adidas new campaign, ‘My Body My Swim’, was released earlier this week alongside a brand new swim range modelled by a range of supposedly ‘body-diverse’ women.

The campaign, which was a call out for women to “embrace and befriend your body”, has faced huge backlash, with many people taking to Twitter to express their disappointment with the use of already “stereotypically amazing” bodies.

maya jama is amazing and great and funny, I am just tired of being told by conventionally attractive people with stereotypically amazing bodies that I should love myself

— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) June 26, 2020

The photoshoot included a range of well-known female icons, including presenter Maya Jama, Instagram influencer Chessie King, activist Nadya Okamato and model Jada Sezer.

🙆🏽‍♀️New campaign for @adidas 💦
Celebrating body confidence whilst swimming 🏊‍♀️ It’s important to love and accept our bodies no matter the shape or size our bodies are powerful & WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL 💙 pic.twitter.com/3FPZe2S22U

— Maya Jama (@MayaJama) June 25, 2020

After Maya Jama tweeted a link to the campaign’s photo’s, many people responded with their frustration.

I like Maya Jama and dont blame her for taking the Adidas job because work is work and we are all trying to get our bags.

But this new collaboration under the pretence/guise of ‘body positivity’ is the very reason why body positivity is trash and benefits acceptable bodies.

— Steph (@StephanieYeboah) June 26, 2020

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Journalist Moya Lothian-McLean also responded, writing, “Maya Jama’s body type is literally held up as the ‘ideal’ of the late 2010s/early 2020s. I know she definitely means well but Adidas should have thought twice before making her front the campaign, rather than just being a part of it.”

. @adidasUK had an opportunity to use someone whose body falls outside the realms of what society considers beautiful, in the name of the movement but no.

The BoPo movement continues to marginalise bigger bodies in favour of whose sexy body can sell.

Hate to see it.

— Steph (@StephanieYeboah) June 26, 2020

While the models themselves were not blamed for taking part in the campaign, many feel as though Adidas should have used a wider range of body diverse models for their shoot.

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