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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1,064 votes
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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

AkaiKiba18 to rylie_love 2012/06/23 15:23:54

Haha lol that was funny! COOKIE FOR YOU!!! :D

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Bookworm 2012/06/18 17:18:53

Great

I think it is fantastic!

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daveygater 2012/06/18 17:09:31

Gimmicky

i dont care for modeling where gender is subdued or mixed

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MorganRae 2012/06/18 17:05:58

Great

Awesome.

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vinny 2012/06/18 17:02:40

Gimmicky

+8
It's sad that we celebrate their confusion.

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Muriel 2012/06/18 16:59:54

Gimmicky

+1
Discusting. Be true to yourself, but don't flaunt it in our faces Thankyou.

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shayla moore 2012/06/18 16:55:06

Great

+1
n a world where it's hard to be happy because your personal freedom is slowly being taken from you. and everyone has a say on how each other live. I think it's great to not follow the crowd. I'm not gay but i fully support gay marriage.

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bags the Indigenous Guru 2012/06/18 16:46:35

Great

+2
Appropriate for June, it would seem to me. There is a great deal of androgynous modeling going on these days.

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ally 2012/06/18 16:43:58

Great

+2
It's a great ad campain for AA and LGBT. It's the 21st century SHeaders. Stop sounding like you're in the 1950's.

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Eric Ward to ally 2012/06/18 21:29:06

sometimes change is a bad thing

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ally to Eric Ward 2012/06/18 22:19:45

+2
I take it you'd enjoy living when the only opinions that counted were male and straight.

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hera.hyseni 2012/06/18 16:27:18

Great

+1
It's tot. great!
Someone finally finds the courage to do it!

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Chip 2012/06/18 16:23:10

Great

+2
I mean it is *is* gimmicky, but I like the choice any way. Way to go American Apparel.

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Donald Eric Kesler 2012/06/18 16:13:51

Great

+5
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people should be treated with tolerance and respect. Life is altogether too short to waste on hating your fellow passengers on spaceship Earth.

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SOUL4REAL 2012/06/18 16:08:07

Great

+2
What's the big fuss about? She is only modelling clothes, she's not trying to date anyone! She look better then some real women,live and let live!

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joe 2012/06/18 15:55:46

Great

+1
It is a great idea, but it is being used as a gimmick in this case. Life progress is like salami slicing. The LGBT community should take what they can get when they can get it. Consolidate the gains and then go for more.

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Infored 2012/06/18 15:26:08

Great

+3
I think it's great, because it isn't that all gays have an agenda to say hey I'm gay! It's hard to say and be gay because people have an one track about gays, but we are people that work, take care of our family, talk, laugh, cry, have feelings, and guess what! We love and respect people even all who don't understand us.

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Rebecca Louise 2012/06/18 15:23:54

Great

keep rockin isis!

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LaDiieRedRuM187 2012/06/18 15:22:45

Great

+2
As some have said before me, IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT BIG A DEAL! She's a beautiful person no matter what her gender, sexual preference or whatever! Everyone should have the same rights & treated as equals! The sooner people can get that the better this jizzed up world will be! He who is without sin can cast the first stone!

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Dawn 2012/06/18 15:18:59

Gimmicky

+5
Does it really matter if the model's transgendered? I know you all you said great have good intentions but even thinking about what the model is whether it be a natural woman or a transgendered woman you're perpetuating a stereotype. It's like congratulating your doctor's office for hiring a black doctor.

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Merrick 2012/06/18 15:13:54

Great

+1
There are some places in the US where being transgender is accepted, even celebrated. Let her follow her dream, I have no problems with it.

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Amelia 2012/06/18 15:05:50

Great

I <3 you ISIS!

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KoH. 2012/06/18 15:03:56

Great

+1
just a normal human being being modelling clothes for somebody

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Duffy3rd 2012/06/18 14:54:28

Gimmicky

+1
it should not happen !!!!

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Donald ... to Duffy3rd 2012/06/18 16:10:00

+2
What should not happen? American Apparel should not advertise? Seriously, what aspect of this marketing campaign do you find objectionable?

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Joe.Engebretsen 2012/06/18 14:49:00

Great

+1
It's great, and it's a gimmick, but that's what ALL advertising is. She's beautiful, btw. I'd also call the company's photo style and minimal/no makeup gimmicky. It's shock value. They're saying plain and understated can be sexy, too. You can't have good, attention grabbing advertising without some kind of "gimmick." She's a perfect spokesmodel for LGBT Pride Month. I hope they include more LGBT community, too. (I'm sure they already do and just don't announce it)

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laura coronilla 2012/06/18 14:39:44

Great

Some people need to chill out if there gay, transgender, or lesbian it dosent matter they want to be who they want to be and if they feel confterbule

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kerri 2012/06/18 14:33:35

Gimmicky

+5
This is all bs so sick of it all

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kelly to kerri 2012/06/19 00:18:21

In what way is it bs?

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Christy 2012/06/18 14:32:27

Gimmicky

+3
Gimmy is the key word. If Obama gets his way we will live under Sharia Law, do you know what Sharia believers do to homosexuals? I am sure Sharia lovers are keeping a file on all these faces like the one below, are u at risk? Like Satan the one below is trying to fool you, if u believe this is ok you are being fooled

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NorikoS... to Christy 2012/06/18 16:07:49

+4
Calm down, Saddam.

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Ewaen 2012/06/18 14:32:09

Gimmicky

+3
I believe everyone's born wit a purpose and with the exact makings and environment to fufil it. When a man becomes a woman or vice versa, where does he or she fit in this already confused world? Where would Oprah be as a man? Even the abuse she suffered helped bring her to where she is today. Instead of finding ur niche in d world, u start trying to create one. That's a lot of work and it includes a lot of hacking and sawing. Instead of wishing for another life, we shld learn to make good our lives bcs guess what? The grass is not alwaus green on d other side

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Lina Blub 2012/06/18 14:30:36

Great

+1
as long as they feel like themselves and love it, why not ? dont judge them, we are all different and special o:

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Duffy3rd to Lina Blub 2012/06/18 14:57:04

they become a freak of nature

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kelly to Duffy3rd 2012/06/19 00:20:35 (edited)

That's rude to say about another person. They're are still human beings just like you and I.

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Lina Blub to Duffy3rd 2012/06/23 07:18:25

1st: this website asks for opinions not discrimination 2nd: if u want to judge, do it at least in a right grammar

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Wulfdane 2012/06/18 14:15:58 (edited)

Gimmicky

+2
I won't be buying the garbage, so I could careless.

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boltfox20 2012/06/18 14:13:13 (edited)

Great

+5
Again, SodaHead, why can't it be both?

Sure, it's a gimmick, but it's a GREAT gimmick. The idea of equality needs to be spread as much as possible.

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livvy101 2012/06/18 14:06:34

Great

+2
I think if more of the "big" brands accept transgendered people and homosexual people then more people will atleast look into it and want to learn more

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HendricksMathew 2012/06/18 12:56:39