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Dylan Mulvaney has entered her workout era, and she wants the world to know. The actor, comic, content creator, and trans activist made that clear when she shared an Instagram post announcing her latest partnership with Nike. And though we love seeing people find their workout stride, there are plenty of haters who feel quite the opposite.
Clad in Nike leggings and a sports bra, Mulvaney’s slideshow post shows her lounging, showing off the look, and doing a Tree Pose in her backyard. “Home for a moment and leaning into cozy workout wear life with @nikewomen ‘s newest Zenvy leggings and Alate bra!” she captioned the post. “They’re so comfortable and buttery soft, perfect for workouts and everyday wear! #feelyourall #teamnike #nikepartner”. Mulvaney also posted a series of Instagram stories stretching, dancing, and showing off the look.
Plenty of commenters are here for the partnership, sounding off in the comments with quips like, “Dylan’s in her yoga influencer era” and “She’s fit, she’s balanced, she’s athletic, she’s centered, she’s suave, shes healthy, she’s wealthy, she’s everything”.
But many of the supportive comments were also met with hate, as anti-trans users are taking issue with the fact that Mulvaney is modeling a sports bra and leggings from the Nike Women collection as a transgender woman.
Mulvaney — who rose to fame via her “100 Days of Girlhood” series on TikTok which documented her gender transition process — was just in the news for another controversy. A March Madness partnership with Bud Light caused widespread backlash from conservatives who’ve long been haters of Mulvaney and who promptly began boycotting the brand. Now, Mulvaney’s Nike partnership seems to be igniting the same fervor.
“@Nike just came out as HATING actual women. THIS is what TRUE misogyny looks like,” tweeted James Bradley, a Republican political candidate in California. “Nike is the latest mega corporation to make Dylan Mulvaney, a biological man, their female brand ambassador. These companies are spitting in the faces of women every single day. Stop giving them your money,” tweeted another user.
When in reality, people of all different body types and gender identities wear sports bras. That includes nonbinary and trans folks, people in larger bodies and smaller bodies, and those who are disabled — though that’s not often reflected in products, advertisements, marketing, or sponsorship deals. And even though prejudiced portions of the population seem to be taking offense, Nike’s partnership with Mulvaney is a demonstration of the inclusion and representation we desperately need.
The day prior to the Bud Light controversy happened to be Trans Day of Visibility. Mulvaney shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, writing: “I certainly have felt very visible this past year,” and calling for her followers to support the trans community by raising money for trans health care, standing up for trans folks in spaces they don’t exist in, and asking people in power to hire more trans or non-binary folks. “I want to see trans people doing allll the brand deals,” Mulvaney said.
Despite the haters, we hope Mulvaney celebrates the accomplishment of getting a brand deal like Nike (and the start of her workout era!), alongside all the followers who actually have her back. Whatever your gender identity, you should be able to lounge, sweat, or make sponsored content wearing whatever the hell you want, sports bras included.
Image Source: Getty Images / Gilbert Flores