Starbucks’ new inclusivity ad stirs controversy, 'boycott Starbucks' trends
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Mumbai: Popular coffee chain Starbucks recently released an ad that focuses on the transgender community and their rights to be accepted for who they are. However, it has not been accepted by many in India who took to Twitter with transphobic comments.
The ad titled 'It Starts With Your Name' shows a parent duo waiting at the coffee shop for their daughter. It is revealed that their child was assigned a male at birth and was named Arpit. His decision to transition and embrace the female identity caused tension in the familial relationships. It is indicated that the father has been angry over the matter before and hasn't met the daughter for a long time.
The mother implores him to not be angry this time and it is shown that the father nods with some reluctance. When the daughter, who now goes by the name Arpita, arrives at Starbucks, there is some awkwardness among the family members. The father goes to order coffee and gives the barista the name 'Arpita'.
This showed that the father is finally accepting his daughter's true gender identity.
The ad was tweeted 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." In two days, it has already received 742.9K views.
While some appreciated the inclusivity efforts and championed the good cause, others criticised the view they deemed "Western" and argued the coffee brand should not have spoken in favour of transgenders. They also resorted to the hashtag 'boycott Starbucks".
One Twitter user said that he fails to understand why the MNC had to speak about "sensitive topics" in a country of "hypersensitive sentimental people". Another said that India does not need a Western MNC "preaching" this ideology and that Starbucks should stick to serving coffee. Another called the ad "wokism of the highest order" and hinted that the issues of transgenders do not "deserve everyone's unwavering attention". Someone also said that the coffee brand should "stop advising" customers because the store is "just selling coffee".