Belgian Fashion Designer Kristof Buntix has designed a line of men's underwear in protest of Russia's anti-gay laws.
A protest with men's underwear?
The designer felt personally sickened and disgusted at the homophobic acts coming out of Russia.
He decided to take action in his own way.
Kristof Buntinx said of his campaign:
I am often on Facebook, as are virtually all young people and I was struck by the short films on the Internet of pestered and hassled young gays in Russia. At first I did not find it so serious that Putin is against homosexuals. That is everyone's choice. I too do not want to love everyone. I decide for myself what my preferences are and with whom I want to hang around. But on seeing these films I felt sickened and I was disgusted. It is too much. If you do not like the fact that I am homosexual, I can learn to live with it. But to humiliate, attack and torture people is really going too far. I myself was always pestered and hit as a child at school. First as the young son of the teacher and after that because I was the queer of the class, I was the stereotype of a soft gay teenager. I had a barren youth as a result. There were however some people who sided with me and I still know who those people were and I am thankful for it.
Hence this campaign.
I myself have set to work with my graphic designer and I have made 17 patterns of Russian symbols and motifs for the creation of a collection of boxer shorts.
The boxer shorts come in several patterns, all displaying well-known Russian symbols:
His intention is to create a Russian gay calendar featuring the underwear.
After reaching out on Facebook, he easily found models willing to work for free in the campaign.
Although this project, which the designer refers to as a "quiet revolution," is an admirable campaign — no word on whether any of the proceeds will go to helping the LGBT community in Russia.
