Backlash on Starbucks over transgender acceptance: 'Boycott Starbucks' trends
What's the story
Popular beverage brand Starbucks is facing backlash on its latest advertisement. The advertisement which talks about the rights of the transgender community is being widely shared and talked about across social media. The ad which was a part of Starbucks' new campaign 'It Starts With Your Name'- was slammed by the netizens. Here is more about the controversy.
What is the ad
What is in the ad?
The ad features a transgender woman, Arpit (who now identifies as 'Arpita') meeting her parents at a Starbucks outlet after several years. The ad shows the father struggling to come to terms with his decision of assuming a woman's identity. Arpita looks pleasantly surprised when the barista says, "Three cold coffees for Arpita." It was at this moment the father accepted her transition.
Twitter Post
Check out the video here
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
Intent
'Your name defines who you are'
Starbucks tweeted this ad with the caption, "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." The ad went viral in a span of just 48 hours, garnering over 2.5 million tweet views and 530K views.
Viewpoints
Multiple viewpoints are reflected in the comment section
The ad was tweeted by Starbucks on May 10 and soon got flooded with numerous comments by Twitterati. Some commented on how the ad is promoting a good cause in terms of gender inclusivity. While another section of people questioned the need for introducing such campaigns. In two days, the hashtag #BoycottStarbucks too started to trend on Twitter in India.
Twitter Post
A user praises the ad calling it 'bold'
I understand the Father’s Pain and Dilemma BUT his Son just could no longer live as someone whom he never associated himself with and that is the Harsh Truth .
— Prashant (@sasguy235) May 11, 2023
This is LIFE . Not always what we want it to be.
BOLD Ad by @StarbucksIndia . 👏👏
Woke ad
Netizens categorized the ad as 'woke'
Netizens believe the Starbucks ad to be too woke for its own good. Some internet users find it unnecessary for a brand like Starbucks to preach morality for the sake of it. Many boycott campaigns have surfaced in the past targeting several brands like Tanishq, Surf Excel, Orra Jewellery, and FabIndia owing to their ad campaigns, which mostly had some social message.
Twitter Post
A Twitter user called out Starbucks' 'woke agenda'
Starbucks
— STAR Boy (@Starboy2079) May 11, 2023
Coffee is their other product
Main product of Starbucks is wokeness
Supporting LGBTQ, Trans activism, Same Sex marriage, immigrants is part of corporate philosophy of Starbucks
Now they started their woke agenda in India. #BoycottStarbucks
1/4 pic.twitter.com/XEo8yWL8r4
Twitter Post
One user called the ad 'wokism of the highest order'
Ok... with so many issues in the world, this deserves everyone's unwavering attention. Wokism of the highest order...
— Ranjeeth R (@ranjeeeth) May 11, 2023
Twitter Post
Arpit or Arpita: 'None of your business'
Dear @StarbucksIndia what you have to do with someone's #gender fluidity fr serving them a cup of coffee? This growing tendency of the brands to preach morality and acceptability to the society must be stopped. Arpit or Arpita its surely none of your business.#BoycottStarbucks https://t.co/ND7dgjdvVf
— NCMIndia Council For Men Affairs (@NCMIndiaa) May 12, 2023
Twitter Post
Another user called out Starbucks for choosing a 'vague concept'
When a billion and more mind-blowing concepts can be generated to promote exotic coffees of the world, lame-ducks deliberately choose a vague concept to irritate the heck out of everyone. Bad times strike in many forms! #BoycottStarbucks
— ProfMKay 🇮🇳 (@ProfMKay) May 12, 2023