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Conservatives called for a boycott of Hershey's candy after the American chocolate manufacturerer featured a transgender woman as part of Canada's campaign to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8.
The Hershey Company featured five limited edition “HER for SHE” candy bars–one of which featured feminist and transgender activist Fae Johnstone.
Johnstone is a co-owner and executive director of Wisdom2Action–a Canadian social enterprise and consulting firm specializing in community engagement, creative facilitation, research and evaluation, knowledge mobilization and equity, diversity and inclusion.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old enthusiastically tweeted:
"The chocolate's out of the wrapper!"
"Honoured to be featured in this campaign by @Hersheys Canada for #InternationalWomensDay alongside 4 brilliant sisters and change-makers."
\u201cThe chocolate's out of the wrapper! \n\nHonoured to be featured in this campaign by @Hersheys Canada for #InternationalWomensDay alongside 4 brilliant sisters and change-makers. \n\nhttps://t.co/0s9uh8MvHv\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
In a voiceover accompanying the clip, the LGBTQ+ advocate narrated:
"We can create a world where everyone is able to live in a public space as their honest and authentic self."
The brief video showed them presenting the candy bar packaged with an image bearing their likeness and playfully engaging with a number of other young women.
It ended with them encouraging people to:
"See the women changing how we see the future at Hershey's Canada."
The overall response was positive with many social media users congratulating Johnstone's announcment.
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys Congrats to you!! Thank you for representing us so beautifully \u2665\ufe0f\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys This is SO good Fae!!!!!!\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys I love this!!! Congrats! Totally well deserved.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys Fae, I love this so much for you and for Hershey's! Also, you have some seriously amazing hair. <3 Keep on keeping on, Fae!\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys This gives me hope and lifts my heart right when I need it the most! Than you to you both!\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
Unfortunately transphobes weren't on board with the campaign.
The loudest of the bunch were right-wing conservatives, who collectively pushed the hashtag #BoycottHershey to trend online and sparked heated debates about gender identity and transgender rights.
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys I will never buy another Hershey product ever.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys The best reason for quitting chocolate. @Hersheys\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
\u201c@FaeJohnstone @Hersheys I wouldn't buy it if it were the last, and greatest, chocolate on earth.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677686343
Hershey's responded to the uproar with a statement obtained by MarketWatch.
“We value togetherness and recognize the strength created by diversity," said a Hershey's spokesperson.
"Over the past three years, our Women’s History Month programming has been an inclusive celebration of women and their impact."
"We appreciate the countless people and meaningful partnerships behind these efforts.”
Johnstone also weighed in on conservatives raising a fuss and indicated there was still a long way to go in the fight for inclusion and equality for the LGBTQ+ community.
"The reaction to my inclusion as a trans woman in Hershey's Canada’s IWD campaign shows just how far we still have to go in the fight for feminist liberation and trans rights," tweeted Johnstone.
Their string of posts continued with Johnstone reiterating:
"I’m not going anywhere. I’m not shutting up. I will always stand up for women and girls, cis and trans."
\u201cIt also demonstrates exactly how much the far right is zeroing in on trans people and trans women in particular. \n\nThey\u2019re coming for us. We need our allies now more than ever.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677780750
\u201cThank you to everyone who has reached out to check in. Thank you to everyone who has come to my defence. Thank you for speaking up \u2764\ufe0f \n\nYour solidarity means the world to me, and shows trans people we aren\u2019t alone in this struggle.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677780750
\u201cI\u2019m just a small business owner who sometimes gets media traction for my queer and trans advocacy. \n\nSpurring an international campaign to boycott a chocolate company definitely wasn\u2019t on my list of predictions for 2023.\u201d— Fae Johnstone, MSW (@Fae Johnstone, MSW) 1677780750
Hershey's campaign featuring Johnstone came as South Dakota's GOP Governor, Kristi Noem, signed a new law banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth—doctor monitored and parent approved healthcare.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and ACLU South Dakota said in a joint statement the signing of the misnomered "Help Not Harm” bill was:
"a heartbreaking and tragic day for thousands of South Dakotans and their families."
However, the non-profit organization–which was founded on a mission to defend and preserve the individual rights of all Americans–maintained the fight for trans youth to receive the love, care and support they need was far from over.
They added:
"As much as Governor Noem wants to force these young people to live a lie, we know they are strong enough to live their truth, and we will always fight for communities and policies that protect their freedom to do so.”
The signing of the anti-trans law followed a similar ban passed in Utah last month and other Christian nationalist sponsored bills across the United States.