This is a Man. It is androgynous model Andrej Pejic was chosen by Dutch lingerie company Hema to model Mega Push-Up Bras in their latest campaign. Now let me say I think that he is amazing, absolutely gorgeous. You would even suspect that he in fact was a male, and the question is should it matter? I think that pushing the envelope, questioning, deconstructing or even destroying gender concepts is necessary and where we ought to be as a society. When we challenge the standing boundaries we as society are forced to self examine, grow and change. When we ask what is Gender really, what role does it play? It is the portal to change through re-definition.
That’s all cool, I have no problem with androgyny when is comes to the way a person chooses to live, art, or a fashion shoot. But I WILL be DAMNED if a man dressed as a woman is going to sell me a PUSH UP BRA! You have to draw the line somewhere! Come on now! You don’t even have breasts to lift! Personally this for me has gone to far, especially when we bring in the discussion about body image, and the Media created aesthetic of the female body and beauty.
As a woman looking at this, what is it that I am supposed to feel? Are we that replaceable? What am I supposed to infer from a man that looks like a woman (and better then a lot of actual women) selling me a personal undergarment that he in fact does not need to wear. What would men think or feel if they had a woman passing as a man selling jock straps?
What does it say about the brand that hires a man to sell women’s lingerie, what are they saying to their customers?
I think he looks beautiful, and if I was a woman I would want to look just like him (wait, I AM a woman) ok.. but stay out of my panty drawer. Then next thing you know he’s going to be encouraging me to go get a mammogram and ensuring me that it doesn’t hurt a bit. All I can say is Hum.umm,umm SMH!
Please tell me what you think!!!
Hello Ms. Howard. It’s Robert 🙂 I just read this article. I became familiar with this model this week after reading an interview with him. You ask how men would feel if a woman was modelling jockstraps. Well my example isn’t exactly that, but alot of imagery is fake nowadays. Most guys modelling underwear have a built in “penis compartment”, or “fake penis” in the underwear to make it seem like the men are more endowed than they actually are. So, basically, yes, we are all that replaceable with the devices and such that they have out now. They don’t even need models really, they could just copy and paste a bunch of different images together and make it look like a person, because that’s how easy it is. Images are easy to alter because they have no substance, they are just images.
Great point. It is really out of control all the way all the way around!!!madness
Not to be disrespectful, but referring to him so incredibly masculinely is a little rude. While being androgynous is not a gender identity, it is still a preferred way of life that he’s chosen. Would you get mad if someone who identified as MtF trans* were to take part in such an ad? And does it really matter to you so much who’s modelling the clothing you’re considering buying? Does the model in any way, shape or form impact you or the garment itself? Again, i don’t mean to sound like I’m attacking, but it hits a little close to home for me.
No I don’t take it that way this is a forum for just such discussions. First of all I am not really “Mad” I am remarking more at the irony of the situation. He does not have breast but he is selling a push up bra. I am not really commenting the model or his personal gender choices, I take issue with the company for casting him. Look take the heated topic of gender out of it for a sec and maybe I can make my point and feeling clearer. Let’s use hair! I can make the same statement there “I will be damned if a straight haired white woman in going to sell me an Afro Pick!”one of the ways advertising works is that the consumer can relate to the campaign it speaks to them because they see themselves, or it creates the possibility of being or becoming that thing (if you buy the product). The images in advertising then permeate our world shaping not only our desires for products but for everything from what we want to look like, where we want to live, and the type of lifestyle we want to lead. I created this site because the images in the media (fashion, music, film, TV) have made most women (and men) feel inadequate and hence we have body image. In all honestly don’t care who is selling the bra Seriously ( have no boobs, I don’t even own one!) what I care about is that we as women (people) should learn to critically analyze the images and ideas (of ourselves and others) placed before us that define and categorize us, and make thoughtful decisions about we stand in relationship to them. not hating just cerebrating!!!!
http://www.anneofcarversville.com/style-photos/2011/12/29/haley-by-remi-rebillard-in-la-dolce-vita-the-creatives.html
Quoted you in this article. Your thoughts added good texture to this complicated conversation that I’m involved in quite a lot.