The non-binary activist who caused a scandal for women’s swimwear brand Seafolly has revealed they were abused on the streets of Melbourne while wearing a Trans Lifes Matter T-shirt.
Deni Todorovič, 34, who was assigned male at birth but uses they/them pronouns and identifies as non-binary, recalled the incident on ABC’s Q&A on Monday during a discussion about transphobia and gender diversity.
The podcaster recently launched a Trans Lives Matter movement in Melbourne, and said they were left feeling ‘unsafe’ in Brunswick after being ‘verbally attacked’ six times on a single day, despite the area being ‘super queer’.
Deni began by explaining that they recently moved from Baron Heads, Geelong, to the inner-city suburb of Brunswick.
‘I’ve been a Geelong boy born and bred my whole life and I’m so proud of Geelong, but it’s a really bloody difficult place to live when you’re a trans person,’ they said.
Deni Todorovič, the non-binary activist who caused a scandal for women’s swimwear brand Seafolly, (pictured) has revealed they were abused on the streets of Melbourne while wearing a Trans Lifes Matter T-shirt.
The author recalled how one person ran down the window of their car to call Deni a ‘f*g’, while another person confronted them in the street.
‘I was asked by a man, because I was wearing a Trans Lives Matter T-shirt, ‘What’s between your legs?’ I was like, really taken aback. And then his girlfriend started filming me,’ Deni lamented.
‘And this is one micro aggression. It’s actually not very micro at all. And then you compartmentalise, ‘Who am I? Why am I here? I don’t feel safe’,’ they added.
Deni, who was assigned male at birth but uses they/them pronouns and identifies as non-binary, recalled the incident on ABC’s Q&A on Monday during a discussion about transphobia and gender diversity
It comes after Deni sparked backlash after claiming they were an ‘ambassador’ for Seafolly, which is known for its advertisements featuring the world’s most famous female models including Miranda Kerr and Gigi Hadid.
Deni’s role at Seafolly was celebrated by a number of celebrities, including former brand ambassador Jesinta Franklin.
Many shoppers also left positive comments on Seafolly’s official Instagram account to celebrate the label’s commitment to diversity.
‘I was asked by a man, because I was wearing a Trans Lives Matter T-shirt, ‘What’s between your legs?’ I was like, really taken aback. And then his girlfriend started filming me,’ Deni lamented
‘As some one who hasn’t shopped at Seafolly for years I’ll be back now! Love seeing brands be inclusive and that is where I want my money to go,’ one woman wrote.
‘So amazing to see this, Seafolly. I love to see brands pioneering the celebration of pride and inclusion,’ another added.
However, some consumers were less than impressed by Deni’s role with the brand.
‘And this is one micro aggression. It’s actually not very micro at all. And then you compartmentalise, ‘Who am I? Why am I here? I don’t feel safe’,’ they added
‘This is a joke. We support diversity and individuals’ decisions, but we don’t want to see women’s clothing that we want to purchase on a male body…’ commented one.
‘There are other ways to support pride and individuals’ choices, but not this way. Sincerely, one of your long-time loyal customers.’
Another wrote: ‘As a woman, this is not what I want to look like in a bikini.
Deni recently starred in a campaign for Seafolly which is known for its advertisements featuring the world’s most famous female models including Miranda Kerr, Gigi Hadid, Shanina Shaik, Lara Worthington, Samantha Harris and Jesinta Franklin
‘I won’t be buying this product. People need to get back to reality. Stop making our world into a circus.’
Due to the negative comments, Seafolly was forced to put out a statement condemning the ‘hateful language’.
‘We are here to celebrate the Australian beach lifestyle and inspire one another to feel confident at the beach,’ the brand said.
While many praised the brand’s effort in presenting a diverse campaign, others said they will boycott the brand due to the shoot
‘In this community, we do not tolerate abusive, offensive, hateful language, trolling, deliberate disruption of discussion, or spam. Please be respectful of each other’s differences and remember to always be kind.’
In 2021, Deni was criticised for turning Melbourne Fashion Week into a ‘pride parade’ while working on the event as a stylist and curator.
While Deni was hired to work backstage at the event, they shocked onlookers by storming the runway with a pride flag and a T-shirt with ‘they/them’ on the front, which overshadowed the models in the fashion show.
Seafolly issued a statement in regards to their latest campaign, saying they continue to support and uplift women. The statement also noted that Todorovič was not the brand’s new ambassador, but rather a ‘special guest’ to their World Pride event in Sydney
