Nike Called Out for Appropriating LGBTQ Culture for Profit
Ahead of the release of their , Nike has been called out on Twitter by advocacy group AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) over Nike's use of the pink triangle.
According to magazine: 'The brightly coloured symbol is now often worn proudly, but it was born from a dark period in LGBTQ history and world history. Just as the Nazis forced Jewish people to wear a yellow Star of David, they forced people they labeled as gay to wear inverted pink triangles.'
As mentioned in Nike’s Be True press release: ‘the triangle was reclaimed in the 1970s by pro-gay activists and was later adopted by ACT UP in [its] memorable 1980s-era ‘Silence = Death’ campaign.’
Despite the brand’s acknowledgement, ACT UP have their own opinions regarding Be True’s agenda.
‘Hey [Nike], we love that you’re moved by our work. How about donating the proceeds to current work we continue to do?’ ACT UP Tweeted.
Jason Rosenberg, one of ACT UP’s co-facilitators, also shared his views.
‘This is why the queer community has a murky relationship with corps,’ he tweeted. ‘They appropriate our messaging for profit… We deserve better [than] to have our work be exploited by corporations that profiteer off grassroots resistance imagery.’
Nike responded shortly after, indicating that they’d like to create a dialogue.
The callout comes amid months of controversy surrounding .