Photo: Manufacturer
Gender-neutral laundry campaign for more acceptance
Who is who ?, asks the campaign of the first gender-neutral underwear label in the world. What personal story is behind the photos and how these pictures should change the mindset.
Play Out Underwear is the world's first label for gender-neutral underwear - and by doing so already plays with common beauty ideals. "Individual style has a lot to do with feeling comfortable in your own body, " said the design team in an interview with Buzzfeed last year. "Everyone should be able to express their true self."
For their latest campaign, the Lingerie brand has teamed up with FlatTopper Pride, an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender breast cancer patients undergoing bilateral and bilateral mastectomy. FlatTopper Pride takes place "where the expression of one's own sexuality and cancer come together in a meaningful, productive and supportive space, " according to the organization's website.
The result of the campaign: an impressive series of photos showing the androgynous model Rain Dove and breast cancer survivor Melanie Testa, as well as Jodie Jaecks and Emily Jensen, founders of FlatTopper, in the underpants of the label. A successful game with gender and beauty ideals.
"Now I'm showing the image of my chestless figure to the whole world and now you're watching it, " Emily writes on the FlatTopper Pride page. "I do not want to hide this body ... I refuse to cover my scars, I do not want to be ashamed of my body, These scars are a testament to what I've been through, and more importantly, what I'm going to do with this experience . "
The founders want to use this campaign to change the rigid image of the perfect female body and expand our cultural expectations of them. "Before my diagnosis, I never saw a woman with or without breasts, " Melanie writes on the website. "There are many women out there whose feminine bodies are met with hesitation, anger, or even dislike, so why do all women have breasts? That's the wrong picture."
"I do not want to manipulate my body through surgery and silicone, " Melanie continues. "Nor would I have any muscle or fat removed from another part of my body to make the numb breast copy."
"All these bodies are signs of courage and survival, " says Jodie on the FlatTopper page. "They are a testament to the infinite power of the human mind and the diversity of experiences." And they should be respected, in all social classes.
