The Kenneth Cole Fashion Campaign That Looks Like You
 
 

With all the talk of boycotts, there's one company this holiday season that's an unequivocal friend of the LGBT community.

Somehow the entire gay Internet missed out on (or barely mentioned) designer Kenneth Cole's "We All Walk in Different Shoes" campaign that has been running since August. The ads feature people who "live their lives in unconventional way" and includes married lesbian couple Joanna and Nicoletta Tessler and their daughter, Ruthie, Regan Hofmann, the HIV positive Editor-in-Chief of Poz and Nina Poon, a transgendered graphic designer who immigrated to America from Vietnam when she was four.

Queercents interviewed Poon today and asked her about what its like to be a transgender model, make-up artist, illustrator. She also lets us know that when it comes to shopping, "I spend my coins on mainly bills and food. Occasionally, I will splurge on certain things like a bike I just bought for $800. I also love spending my money on technology. It makes me very happy and nerdy" and that the craziest thing she's ever done for money is "Suck cock and fisting some dude", which is refreshingly honest if a little TMI.

Poon lives in New York with her boyfriend, Robert Jason. He talks about his relationship with Poon in the ad below:

 
Dec 15, 2008 · Link · 13 Responses
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Comments (13)

No. 1 · hardmannyc

Actually a Google search turns up 30,000 references and I've seen it all over the place. But hey, go for it if it makes you feel special!

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 9:35 am
No. 2 · Japhy Grant

@hardmannyc: Well, we missed it, as did most of the usual suspects, so better late than never.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 9:41 am
No. 3 · hardmannyc

Not sure what you mean by "usual suspects," because I saw it on several blogs. Listen, I think it's great when you report things; I'm just objecting to your notion that you "found' it because it didn't appear on your personal radar.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 11:06 am
No. 4 · Alexa

Well, I had never heard of the campaign, so I'm happy to read about it.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 11:09 am
No. 5 · Trenton

I had never seen this, but then I only read this blog for queer issues, I don't watch television, and I don't even pay attention to ads in periodicals. I guess I'm just ill-informed…otherwise I might have the time to research reasons to critique the editor of a free online service which I choose to read. O darn.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 11:57 am
No. 6 · me

She should have picked a different name than nena poon…it sounds too much like need a poon, kinda like a drag name.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 1:03 pm
No. 7 · seitan-on-a-stick

Japhy is really behind the news. Gotta stop that pornsite cruising if you want to be considered current. Queerty needs a better editor.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 2:07 pm
No. 8 · M Shane

What is "current"-prudish. To much like the mainstream religious freaks I'm afraid.

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 2:15 pm
No. 9 · hardmannyc

"I only read this blog for queer issues, I don't watch television, and I don't even pay attention to ads in periodicals."

You're way beyond "ill-informed."

Posted: Dec 15, 2008 at 4:36 pm
No. 10 · Lakas

Ok great–transgendered woman in a Kenneth cole ad, visibility = acceptance. But excuse me to be raining on everyone's parade, this ad, once again, perpetuates that in order to be accepted as a woman, you have to project this hyperfeminine ideal: skinny, soft, big lips, beautiful, long hair, blah blah blah. For once, I'd like to see an MTF that does not adhere to this high standard of beauty. But, sex sells. And fuck Kenneth Cole for exploiting this issue. If he truly was a friend of the LGBT and edgy, he'd put Thomas Beatie and his family on the ad.

Posted: Dec 16, 2008 at 1:02 am
No. 11 · HYHYBT

I don't recall the previous editor mentioning it either, for the nothing that's worth…

Posted: Dec 16, 2008 at 1:18 am
No. 12 · Cory

would you queens shut it and just appreciate the ads? go start your own damn blog and break your own damn news

Posted: Dec 17, 2008 at 9:47 pm
No. 13 · Lakas

What? We're no longer allowed to be critical of the pre-dominantly white images and the high standard of beauty perpetuated in the gay community? Then what would we old, fat, queer people of color complain about, right? Maybe by equalizing these symbols/representations, we won't complain as much? Just a thought.

Posted: Dec 20, 2008 at 6:24 am
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