American Apparel Debuts First Transgender Model: Great or Gimmicky?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/06/15 19:00:00

Related Topics: Fashion, American Apparel, Isis King, Transgender, Model, Gay, Rights, Pride, equality, Style, Ads, Apparel, President, New York, Clothing, American, LGBT, News, America

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	Great	603 votes	57%
	Gimmicky	461 votes	43%

June is LGBT Pride Month, making it the perfect time for American Apparel to debut its first transgender model, former "America’s Next Top Model" contestant Isis King. King, 26, appears in a series of new ads for the provocative clothing chain, wearing Pride Month T-shirts.

"American Apparel is showing bold leadership by being among just a few companies to include transgender people in its national ads," GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said in a statement. "The company’s statement that 'Gay is OK' will reach millions and send an important message in support of equality." King, 26, was the first transgender contestant on "Top Model," too. Do you think American Apparel is making a bold move toward equality by using her in their ads? Or is it just a gimmicky way to get attention?

+29

Add a comment above

Nilam 2012/06/15 22:03:12

Great

+36
geez people, when is society gonna grow up. why should anyone care about another persons preference? media has freely exposed sex, drugs, violence, and much much more and noone seems to have a problem with it, why all the fuss over gay? i personal dont enjoy being with someone of the same sex, but if someone else does, how is that even any of my business? i really dont see the big deal.........
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More polls by SodaHead Living

Fred For All 2012/08/29 00:33:12

Gimmicky

disgusting

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West Coast Kitty 2012/07/29 02:00:37
TJ 2012/07/21 13:10:08

Gimmicky

Don't get me wrong, I think this is great! I just also know that it's a gimmick used by American Apparel. The owner of American Apparel is a scumbag and will do anything to sell clothes. But as far as using Isis King for the ads, YOU GO GIRL!

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Larry M 2012/06/25 04:46:27

Gimmicky

I think its alright for these events to take place for the transgenders. I do think that there should be a class for each type of gender type and that everyone knows ahead of time exactly what is going on. Why not? How ever, I believe that any time a transgender goes out to date or have an interaction with a straight that he or she or both has an obligation to tell that person exactly what they are so that person isnt supprised later. It is not fair to pass your self off as a straight female to a straight man or worman. Both should know exactly what they are getting into.

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Sonic 2012/06/22 16:13:51

Great

+1
Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's a gimmick.

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Joey 2012/06/22 10:00:21

Gimmicky

They cannot handle the competition for what they ARE born as physically so they chicken out and try to make new rules that naturally do not and never will exist/

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Tennessee3501 2012/06/21 19:45:07

Gimmicky

Totally unnecessay!

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Isha Dwesar 2012/06/21 18:25:00

Great

+1
why shouldn't she be allowed to be a model? she's just as human as the rest of us, doesn't matter that she looks different on theoutside than what she was born like. That's like saying that Michael Jackson should never have been a singer because he had surgery to make him white.

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Mj PINKYFINGERDOWN 2012/06/21 18:02:05
Dzeeng 2012/06/21 11:08:14

Great

I like it !

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mm61675 2012/06/21 06:15:19

Great

Good for her! I loved seeing Isis on ANTM and was sad to see her sent home. I'm so glad she's moved on to better things!

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flyingseaturtle BN 2012/06/21 03:26:36

Great

Beautiful person but needs better apparel.

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BruceLarson 2012/06/20 13:16:23

Gimmicky

+3
Being gay or lesbian is understandable... But a human cannot change their gender, that would require a change of chromosome... And that is impossible.

To cosmetically make look like ones gender is changed and expect everyone to accept it as changed is nonsense.

That's like saying a facelift changes your age.

Being gay and and believing you can change your sex are not the same thing.

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mee.aly_s@yahoo.com 2012/06/20 01:01:04

Great

I like it !! :)

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xXmardo20Xx 2012/06/19 21:23:22

Gimmicky

SMFH.........

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rudad5 2012/06/19 20:08:34 (edited)

Gimmicky

i like a real woman not something like that yuk.

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Dydy 2012/06/19 20:00:12

Great

+2
It's about time! The LBGT community deserves their rights and honestly, if Isis king didn't state she was transgender would u have noticed? Or even cared? People get all riled up the moment someone says "gay" and honestly that is really tiring. Can't we just be supportive?

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Maiko 2012/06/19 16:26:24

Gimmicky

+1
Another way for them to exploit them and line their pockets. I don't care either way. However, as someone commented below, I too, am a bit tired of this type of indoctrination. We are forced to "accept" anything and everything and if we dare say something to express ourselves about not feeling comfortable with things like this, we are demonized for it. The most prejudiced, intolerant people are the one's screaming about "acceptance."

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Fawad 2012/06/19 11:03:03

Great

Very Nice I Love it(:

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KatherineKnight250 2012/06/19 10:58:56

Great

+2
They have the right to be models like everybody else in the world. Go Isis !

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☠megan_massacre☠ 2012/06/19 05:53:26

Great

I love it :)

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Raphy 2012/06/19 05:19:57

Gimmicky

+1
Great way to make more money.........

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samantha363610 2012/06/19 03:23:55

Great

+2
I think thts a great thing to do. They're proving tht all ppl are equal. No matter if yur lesbian gay bi transgender or straight. No one shuld be treated differently. Its a great statement. Jus cuz they're getn attention from this duznt mean thts wat they set out for. if they didnt believe in legalizing gays they wuldnt have used a transgender model which is a great thing. Thts my opinion.

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FortunaVeritas 2012/06/19 02:52:07

Gimmicky

+1
Well of course it's going to be gimmicky given that context. Hopefully they'll get over themselves and then we'll see how this turns out. I hope that it turns out well, and expect it to.

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Madi 2012/06/19 02:23:32

Great

Pretty gimmicky as well.

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overseanancy 2012/06/19 01:55:42

Great

+4
Why shouldn't a company sell to all kinds of people?

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Ramón 2012/06/19 01:46:27

Gimmicky

+2
American Apparel, like any organization, as a legally recognized person (sham) has the right to advertise to the majority with a model that represents less than 2% of the population. Like a company that sells right handed gloves to one armed left handed customers, LGBT and AA can sell their off brand to any one who will buy. Good luck with that.

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kelly to Ramón 2012/06/19 13:36:16

+2
You understand there are many straight people that will buy this stuff too.

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Ramón to kelly 2012/06/27 02:38:57

If straight people buy it then what's the point? Then its not gay clothing, or trans-gendered clothing, it's just unusual clothing for straights.

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ZB 2012/06/19 01:42:04

Great

+2
About time.

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tywon.smith 2012/06/19 01:37:15

Gimmicky

I don't really care...

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AstroZombie 2012/06/19 01:32:29

Great

She's a model. Why would it not be ok?

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Jennifer Villarreal 2012/06/19 01:32:14

Great

+1
Lesbeonist, shes pretty.

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NickV 2012/06/19 01:15:34

Gimmicky

+3
This is disgusting.

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ladyjane 2012/06/19 00:21:53

Gimmicky

+3
Give me a break ! I'm sick of all of this homosexual indoctrination!

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Kai Tsujimoto 2012/06/19 00:21:17

Great

+3
This is a great step forward for America. I just wish that all of the ignorant people who don't understand the LGBTQ community would not make hateful comments, like the one made recently about how transgender people should be shipped off to some island for being "freaks."

Imagine a world where everyone becomes a different gender than the one that they were physically born as. In that world, that is the normal way of life. But let's say there's a fraction of the population that doesn't change their gender. Then they would be labelled the freaks. Now, all you ignorant, pompous people, imagine YOU were part of that fraction. You wouldn't like being called freaks, would you? I didn't think so.

So, now that you've put yourself in our shoes, I humbly request that you kindly find your HUMANITY, and treat EVERYONE as equals, just as you would want everyone to treat you if you lived in that alternate world.

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JAKACE to Kai Tsu... 2012/06/19 04:28:40
Ramón to Kai Tsu... 2012/07/17 02:39:42

I've never said homsexuals or trannies are freaks, what I disagree with are the inflated statistics about how many exist in the US. The abuse of the stats started with Kinsey and his sloppy methodology, including his prison population, and biased sample. Take all that and get real with the methodology in a study and the numbers fall from the mythical 10% to between 1% and 3% (and I am skewing my own percentage on the high side). That aside, we all have the right to live and do as we please, given that means peacefully coexisting with others. We were made with the right to choose. Some choose wisely, some do not.

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firebird 2012/06/18 23:50:05

Great

IT should be all fine. HOPEFULLY.......................

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KrazyMan 2012/06/18 23:20:58