A new Starbucks advertisement aimed at promoting transgender inclusivity in India drew significant praise and backlash from consumers over the past week.
The ad shows parents reconnecting with their transgender child at a Starbucks cafe after not having seen them for a long time. The spot ends with the tag #ItStartsWithYourName, referring to how many transgender people change their name during social transitioning.
The ad features popular Indian model Siya, who is a transgender woman.
Starbucks India posted the full advertisement on its Twitter account on May 10 and the video soon went viral.
Your name defines who you are - whether it’s Arpit or Arpita. At Starbucks, we love and accept you for who you are. Because being yourself means everything to us. #ItStartsWithYourName. 💚 pic.twitter.com/DKNGhKZ1Hg
— Starbucks India (@StarbucksIndia) May 10, 2023
While some responded positively to the message of acceptance, many on Twitter responded angrily. Several users called the new spot “woke” and said it was another example of Western encroachment into India.
“What’s wrong with you @StarbucksIndia? Focus on your core business and stay away from all this unnecessary wokeist balderdash you are trying to push here in India,” one user wrote.
Soon after the ad debuted, many anti-trans users created the #BoycottStarbucks tag on Twitter, which trended for some time after.
Other users, who support the message of trans acceptance, slammed the company for trying to garner undeserved praise.
“Starbucks can’t protect their own transgender employees against blatant discrimination, but instead choose to sack them. Repeated incidents showcasing it’s not a safe working environment for them,” one reply reads. “Such advertisements are produced every once in a while to whitewash their image.”
The backlash against the company is similar to the recent outrage against an American beer brand. After Bud Light featured transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in an online ad, conservatives launched a weeks-long attack on the company, including calling for a boycott. Bud Light has since retreated away from Ms. Mulvaney after the significant backlash.
Starbucks India could not be reached for comment.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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