This Shoe Company’s Instagram Ad With a Frat Is Pissing People Off
This Shoe Company’s Instagram Ad With a Frat Is Pissing People Off
这家鞋履公司的兄弟会 Instagram 广告引发众怒
A popular national footwear brand recently published a collaborative Instagram post with a fraternity, despite two former members being recently accused of disseminating nonconsensual intimate images of a fellow college student. 一家知名的全国性鞋履品牌最近发布了一篇与某兄弟会的 Instagram 合作帖，尽管该兄弟会的两名前成员近期刚被指控散布一名大学女生的非自愿私密影像。
On September 25, HEYDUDE, a viral shoe brand that was acquired by Crocs in 2022, posted a photo on its Instagram account promoting shoes that appeared to be UF versions of the brand’s popular “Wally” loafer, a lightweight slip-on sneaker with a foam insert. 9月25日，2022年被 Crocs 收购的网红鞋履品牌 HEYDUDE 在其 Instagram 账号上发布了一张照片，推广看起来是佛罗里达大学（UF）版本的“Wally”乐福鞋——这是一款带有泡沫内衬的轻便套脚运动鞋。
“@heydude called, @thetachiflorida answered,” the caption read, alongside photos of Theta Chi members clowning around and wearing orange-and-blue sneakers. The brand also posted a video on its TikTok account outside of the Florida fraternity house with the caption “wtf is any shoe besides a HEYDUDE?” “@heydude 发出召唤，@thetachiflorida 做出回应，”配文写道，并附上了 Theta Chi 兄弟会成员穿着橙蓝色运动鞋嬉闹的照片。该品牌还在其 TikTok 账号上发布了一段在佛罗里达该兄弟会会所外拍摄的视频，配文写道：“除了 HEYDUDE，还有什么鞋能穿？”
The post led to backlash in the comments section, with many questioning why the brand would choose to work with the fraternity. “#CancelHeyDude,” one person wrote. Another chimed in: “I would boycott if I wore fucking ugly shoes but I don’t so I can’t.” 这篇帖子在评论区引发了强烈抵制，许多人质疑该品牌为何选择与该兄弟会合作。“#抵制HEYDUDE，”一人写道。另一人附和道：“如果我穿这种丑得要死的鞋，我肯定会抵制，但我没穿，所以没法抵制。”
As WIRED previously reported, two former members of the UF chapter of Theta Chi, Kamran Ahmed and Brendan Pitfield, allegedly used anonymous burner accounts with the handles “Steve ‘SC’ Cumfull” and “Arnie_Grape16” to disseminate a nonconsensual intimate video of Maddie Kowalski, then a 19-year-old UF student. One of the “Steve ‘SC’ Cumfull” posts on X identified Kowalski by her full name and sorority affiliation. 正如《连线》（WIRED）此前报道，佛罗里达大学 Theta Chi 分会的两名前成员 Kamran Ahmed 和 Brendan Pitfield 被指控使用名为“Steve ‘SC’ Cumfull”和“Arnie_Grape16”的匿名小号，散布了当时19岁的佛罗里达大学学生 Maddie Kowalski 的非自愿私密视频。其中一条“Steve ‘SC’ Cumfull”在 X（原推特）上的帖子甚至公开了 Kowalski 的全名及其所属姐妹会。
According to affidavits from the Gainesville Police Department, the posts accumulated thousands of views. Kowalski’s name went viral on X, causing her “widespread public humiliation and significant emotional distress,” according to the affidavit. Ahmed and Pitfield are currently being charged with sexual cyberharassment, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Kowalski is also suing both men for financial damages in Florida Northern District Court. Through their attorneys, Pitfield (who has entered a plea of not guilty) and Ahmed did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 根据盖恩斯维尔警察局的宣誓书，这些帖子获得了数千次浏览。宣誓书称，Kowalski 的名字在 X 上疯传，导致她遭受了“广泛的公开羞辱和严重的精神痛苦”。Ahmed 和 Pitfield 目前被控性网络骚扰，这是一项一级轻罪，最高可判处一年监禁和1000美元罚款。Kowalski 还在佛罗里达北区联邦法院起诉两人要求经济赔偿。通过律师，Pitfield（已提出无罪抗辩）和 Ahmed 未能立即回应置评请求。
Though no other Theta Chi members have been charged, a screengrab of Instagram comments from an account linked to Ahmed appears to show fellow members referencing his alleged burner name. Some comments also appear to reference a cryptocurrency in Kowalski’s name, that the police affidavit alleges Ahmed promoted on X. When reached for comment, Theta Chi CEO Michael Mayer previously told WIRED that the alleged behavior described in the affidavit is “reprehensible” and “completely contrary to Theta Chi’s ideals.” 尽管没有其他 Theta Chi 成员被起诉，但一张与 Ahmed 关联的 Instagram 账号评论截图显示，其他成员似乎提到了他涉嫌使用的小号名称。一些评论似乎还提到了以 Kowalski 名字命名的加密货币，警方宣誓书称 Ahmed 曾在 X 上推广过该货币。在被问及此事时，Theta Chi 首席执行官 Michael Mayer 此前告诉《连线》，宣誓书中描述的涉嫌行为是“应受谴责的”，并且“完全违背了 Theta Chi 的理念”。
The charges against Pitfield and Ahmed, as well as WIRED’s reporting on the case, sparked an outcry on the UF campus. On September 15, a group of students advertised a protest outside the Theta Chi fraternity house, circulating a flier demanding that the chapter be removed from the UF campus. “They need to be held accountable,” the flier reads. 针对 Pitfield 和 Ahmed 的指控以及《连线》对此案的报道，在佛罗里达大学校园内引发了强烈抗议。9月15日，一群学生在 Theta Chi 兄弟会会所外组织抗议，并散发传单要求将该分会逐出佛罗里达大学校园。“他们必须承担责任，”传单上写道。
On YikYak, the anonymous campus forum, there have also been calls to “boycott” or “nuke” Theta Chi, according to screengrabs reviewed by WIRED. Some anonymous YikYak posts appeared to suggest that the September 15 protest was broken up by campus police outside of Theta Chi: “Cops nuked the theta chi protest good job UF,” one reads. “Typical.” Blake Trauschke, the assistant director of public affairs for UF, tells WIRED that while “there were calls and social media posts for a protest,” she was on site and “none emerged.” She clarified that, as standard UF practice, university police were present “to ensure the safety and security of all.” 根据《连线》查阅的截图，在匿名校园论坛 YikYak 上，也出现了“抵制”或“摧毁”Theta Chi 的呼声。一些匿名帖子似乎暗示9月15日的抗议活动被校园警察驱散：“警察摧毁了 Theta Chi 的抗议，干得好，佛罗里达大学，”其中一条写道。“真典型。”佛罗里达大学公共事务助理主任 Blake Trauschke 告诉《连线》，虽然“有抗议的呼声和社交媒体帖子”，但她当时在现场，“并没有发生抗议”。她澄清说，按照佛罗里达大学的标准做法，校警在场是为了“确保所有人的安全”。
Founded in 1856, Theta Chi has established more than 246 chapters at colleges and universities across the country, and it has more than 250,000 initiated members nationwide, according to the organization’s website. At UF specifically, Theta Chi has 190 active members, according to the UF Interfraternity Council. 根据该组织网站，Theta Chi 成立于1856年，在全国各地的学院和大学建立了超过246个分会，在全国拥有超过25万名正式成员。据佛罗里达大学兄弟会理事会统计，Theta Chi 在该校有190名活跃成员。
When asked about the post with HEYDUDE, a representative for Theta Chi tells WIRED Ahmed and Pitfield are no longer members of Theta Chi Fraternity. “If it is determined through the legal process that the defendants are guilty of the alleged behavior described in the complaints, Theta Chi will support the maximum allowable penalty under the law and the permanent expulsion of the student offenders from the University of Florida,” the spokesperson says. 当被问及与 HEYDUDE 的合作帖时，Theta Chi 的代表告诉《连线》，Ahmed 和 Pitfield 已不再是该兄弟会的成员。“如果法律程序认定被告犯有投诉中所述的涉嫌行为，Theta Chi 将支持法律允许的最高处罚，并将这些学生罪犯永久开除出佛罗里达大学，”该发言人表示。
In mid-September, the Cornell Sun published the names of seven Cornell University students who a former student alleged gang-raped her in 2024 at a Chi Phi frat house; In September, the Jane Doe filed civil cases against them. The revelation has sparked widespread criticism of frat culture on social media. The content creator and activist @bluraybeyond, who has also posted about the Kowalski case, made a Reel calling out HEYDUDE for posting with UF Theta Chi, writing in a caption “@heydude what the actual heck is your problem #maddiekowalski.” “HEYDUDE is sending the same message we’re seeing out of Cornell and the DA’s office: Survivor experiences [are] unimportant to us,” she tells WIRED. She believes the company “has chosen to reward sexual [exploitation] with a lack of accountability and free PR swag.” 9月中旬，《康奈尔太阳报》公布了七名康奈尔大学学生的姓名，一名学生指控他们在2024年于 Chi Phi 兄弟会会所轮奸了她；9月，这名受害者（Jane Doe）对他们提起了民事诉讼。这一披露在社交媒体上引发了对兄弟会文化的广泛批评。内容创作者兼活动家 @bluraybeyond 也曾发布过关于 Kowalski 案件的内容，她制作了一段短视频批评 HEYDUDE 与佛罗里达大学 Theta Chi 的合作，并在配文中写道：“@heydude 你们到底有什么毛病 #maddiekowalski。”她告诉《连线》：“HEYDUDE 传递的信息与我们在康奈尔大学和地方检察官办公室看到的一样：受害者的经历对我们来说不重要。”她认为该公司“选择用缺乏问责和免费的公关礼品来奖励性剥削”。
After seeing the collab post with HEYDUDE, Kowalski tells WIRED she and her mother emailed the company to ask why they had decided to work with the UF chapter. She says they did not hear back. 在看到与 HEYDUDE 的合作帖后，Kowalski 告诉《连线》，她和母亲曾发邮件询问该公司为何决定与佛罗里达大学分会合作。她说她们没有收到回复。
In a statement to WIRED, a HEYDUDE spokesperson says the company “has no affiliation, sponsorship, or ongoing partnership” with UF Theta Chi, and that the post was part of a larger “HEYDUDE Tailgate Tour” visiting various locations, including frat and sorority houses, across the country. HEYDUDE 发言人在给《连线》的一份声明中表示，该公司与佛罗里达大学 Theta Chi “没有任何隶属关系、赞助或持续的合作伙伴关系”，该帖子是全国范围内“HEYDUDE 尾门派对巡回活动”的一部分，该活动访问了包括兄弟会和姐妹会会所在内的多个地点。
“We were unaware of the allegations made against” members of the UF Theta Chi chapter “when the tour was planned,” the spokesperson says. “Our company does not support this alleged behavior and takes allegations such as these very seriously. We will re-evaluate future stops for the remainder of the tour.” “在规划巡回活动时，我们并不知晓针对佛罗里达大学 Theta Chi 分会成员的指控，”发言人说。“我们公司不支持这种涉嫌行为，并非常严肃地对待此类指控。我们将重新评估巡回活动剩余行程的后续站点。”