Braun Razor Ad Depiction of Trans Man Sparks Outrage
The Telegraph, Forstater accused the company of being irresponsible for its depiction of the transgender actor.“Promoting the removal of healthy breast tissue is not only shockingly immoral, but against advertising standards guidance to not glamorize or trivialize cosmetic surgery,” she said.“Braun executives must have been living under a rock if they think that this campaign represents ‘inclusivity,'” Forstater added. “The reality is that Braun has now written itself into history as promoting social contagion and what will become one of the most notorious medical scandals.”According to the Daily Mail, James Esses, the co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, a group of psychologists concerned about the impact of “gender identity ideology” on children and young people, whose members oppose “affirmation-only” policies when it comes to recognizing transgender identity, also slammed the ad as irresponsible.“Once again, we find a private corporation willing to glorify irreversible surgery being performed on the healthy breasts of women, in pure pursuit of profit,” he said.
A similar outcry from anti-transgender campaigners, feminists, and some breast cancer survivors occurred in response to Costa Coffee’s use of a van with a cartoon image of a person with mastectomy scars, prompting some to call for a boycott of the company.That image, featuring an androgynous-looking character wearing long shorts and scars below each nipple, was taken from a mural designed by the coffee chain for Brighton and Hove Pride last year.
But supporters of the campaign and the idea of transgender visibility have argued that those like Forstater and Esses are simply revealing their animus towards transgender people, noting that the person depicted in the commercial is an adult — not a child.Supporters have also noted that transgender men, due to hormone therapy, grow facial hair and are likely to shave, meaning they might be inclined to use the product in question, thereby making Braun justified in.
