Nike has left some people furious after online social media star Dylan Mulvaney posted a series of paid sponsorships for the sports company’s women’s apparel line.
Mulvaney, 26, posted videos and photos to her Instagram page on Tuesday, modeling a pair of Nike shorts and a sports bra, and tagging Nike Women while linking to the product pages.
Men and women alike took to Twitter to express their outrage that Mulvaney — who was born male but identifies as female — had secured a coveted sponsorship for the group of high-profile women’s brands. Publications indicated that they had paid sponsorship.
It remains unclear how much money Mulvaney paid for the posts, but insiders who handle social media sponsorships previously told DailyMail.com that she could make more than $50,000 per paid post. Neither Mulvaney nor Nike responded to DailyMail.com’s requests for comment.
Mulvaney’s Nike sponsorship comes just days after she stirred controversy by becoming a spokeswoman for Bud Light, a sponsorship that saw her face featured on a special edition can of their beer.
Dylan Mulvaney has appeared in a paid sponsorship ad for Nike Women
Trans woman Dylan Mulvaney modeled a pair of leggings and a sports bra for Nike in a new ad
In her latest Nike post, Mulvaney is posed in black skinny leggings and a white sports bra, and can be seen in a sunny backyard.
A video showed her dancing around the yard barefoot doing mock exercises while an upbeat song plays during the performance.
Many took to social media to express their outrage that Nike had taken the sponsorship and not a biological woman, and puzzled over who the brand was trying to sell its products to through the ads.
“I used to really enjoy Nike as a brand, but I will never wear another pair of shoes now that Dylan Mulvaney has emerged as their new ambassador for womenswear,” one user wrote. “When will these brands understand that women don’t want men to wear their uniforms to advertise their products?”
Another wrote, “Dylan Mulvaney makes fun of women, and I’m officially pissed off after his collaboration.” You chose it over all the hardworking women who regularly workout in your activewear? What a damn shame. Totally disgusting.
And a third wrote: “Nike Women have hired Dylan Mulvaney to be the new face of their Women’s Sports & Bra line.” A brand would probably pay someone like Dylan, who has 1.7M followers + huge media attention around $50,000-$100,000 for this! Why wouldn’t Nike pay a real woman to promote a product just for women?
Others said it appeared that Mulvaney was mocking women by giving a “cool display” of femininity in the video, an accusation she has been leveled at in the past for its content.
However, not all reactions were scathing, with some praising Mulvaney for posts that included compliments such as “How can someone be so beautiful and wonderful??” or “Girl, you have no interest in being god damn perfect.”
Just days ago, Bud Light sparked a conservative backlash for his partnership with Mulvaney on the March Madness show.
People have taken to social media to express their bewilderment at the care, and some have filmed themselves shoveling cases of Bud Lite into the trash or pouring beer cans down drains.
Rock star Kid Rock even posted a video of himself clipping a stack of Bud Light bags with an assault rifle and then saying, “F**k Bud Light and f**k Anheuser-Busch.”
The Bud Light wasn’t Mulvaney’s first eyebrow-raising care. Her appearance on Ulta Beauty in October led to controversy and calls to boycott the cosmetics company. Critics called her “misogynist” because she “appropriated” femininity.
Similarly, a post about Tampax feminine hygiene products left some viewers shocked and confused. Two replied: Is it a joke? She is often bashed for referring to her vagina as a “Barbie bag”.
She’s gained quite a following on TikTok as she documents her transition to a transgender female — she originally identified as “non-binary” but told followers in March that she was a girl.
Mulvaney interviewed Biden in October as part of a panel of six progressive activists for NowThis News. In the interview, the Democrat pledged to protect “gender affirmation care,” saying states should not limit access to transgender therapies.
After Nike’s latest post, viewers are left suspicious.
“I saw that #DylanMulvaney is the face of #Maybelline, the face of #Budlight and now the face of #Nike,” one Twitter user wrote. Women miss out on sports, our makeup, dirty beer, and now clothes. We don’t have rights over our bodies but trans people do? ‘
Dylan Mulvaney sparked new controversy with her paid sponsorship of Nike Women
Dylan Mulvaney could earn up to $100,000 a month paying brands like EOS, CeraVe and Crest, industry insiders tell DailyMail.com.
Transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney has been chosen as a brand ambassador for Bud Light – a decision that has now been criticized
In the past, Mulvaney has been accused of being “woman-faced” by some feminists, who claim she is portraying woman roles that she enjoys, with none of the misogyny that females face on a daily basis.
She became known on TikTok for her ‘Dyeing Days’ series, which has 10.8 million followers, where she can be heard discussing things she believes are ‘available’ for her as a trans woman.
They include finding love, being an artist, having a family and being a mother.
She’s made hundreds of thousands of dollars, won allies in the White House, and is making her way into the realm of Hollywood celebrities.
Mulvaney’s rise among social media influencers was evident last month when Vice President Kamala Harris wrote her an anniversary letter celebrating her “365th day of authentic living.”
She had already met the president, President Joe Biden, at the White House, in October.
The trans poster girl recently revealed how her personal relationships fell apart, that she’s struggling to get a date — and still has to be kissed “like a girl.”
