FKA twigs has responded after a Calvin Klein advert was banned for presenting her as a “stereotypical sexual object”.
A UK regulator found the poster – featuring the singer just wearing a denim shirt – was likely to cause serious offence by objectifying women.
Writing on Instagram, she suggested the ban – which came after a campaign starring actor Jeremy Allen White went viral – showed “double standards”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said its ruling was clear. In the advert, FKA was wearing a denim shirt drawn halfway around her body, showing the side of her buttocks and half of one breast.
Above her, text read: “Calvins or nothing”. The ASA found the image “placed viewers' focus on the model's body rather than on the clothing being advertised”.
By focusing on her “physical features”, it continued, it felt the advert had “presented her as a stereotypical sexual object”. In her response, FKA twigs wrote: “I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object' that they have labelled me.
“I see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine.” She went on to apparently reference the Calvin Klein campaign featuring Jeremy Allen White that grabbed headlines last week, with the actor later being asked about it at the Golden Globes.
In her post, FKA Twigs said: “In light of reviewing other campaigns past and current of this nature, I can't help but feel there are some double standards here. And despite the ban, she said she was “proud” of the photos, thanking Calvin Klein and fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot.
The ASA told BBC Newsbeat it had received three complaints about adverts featuring Jeremy Allen White – one relating to a magazine and two about a TV version. It said it was currently reviewing, but not yet investigating, claims that the ads “sexually objectify the model”.
The regulator can launch a full investigation after just a single complaint if it believes an advert breaks its rules, but says about 80% of cases do not progress to this stage. Defending its advert, Calvin Klein said it had been similar to those it had been releasing in the UK for many years.
In response to FKA's post, an ASA spokesperson said: “Our published ruling sets out why, on this occasion, the ad broke the rules by irresponsibly objectifying a woman and being targeted inappropriately.”
— CutC by bbc.com
