On Twitter, some people highlighted that Nike had not explicitly mentioned the use of the symbol and its role in the Holocaust, which has been criticised as ‘inaccurate.’ / Twitter)
The use of the symbol has received mixed reviews and criticism. Nike continued, stating: “originally used to identify LGBTQ individuals during WWII, the triangle was reclaimed in the 1970s by pro-gay activists and was later adopted by the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in their memorable 1980s-era ‘Silence=Death’ campaign.” In a release, Nike described the pink triangle as “a shape that has a complex past in LGBTQ culture.” The collection was announced on Twitter with the caption: “reclaiming the past to empower the future.” (Nike) Most notably, several of the shoes feature a pink triangle which was famously used to mark gay men in the Holocaust.
