Viewers on social media noticed that an advertisement for the shaving razor company Braun featured a transgender male model with double mastectomy scars as they were shaving their beard. The model was also seen shaving his beard. Because of this, the advertising was received with fury from people. Naysayers, notably conservative detractors, have accused the label of “celebrating the mutilation cult of gender.” This is one of the criticisms that has been leveled against it. Some users on social media have even campaigned for a boycott, using as an example the “Bud Light treatment,” which was aimed on the beer business because of its affiliation with a transgender influencer. The “Bud Light treatment” was directed on the beer company because of the link between the two parties.
The image in question could be seen on the Braun website, where it formed part of a larger collection of promotional material among other photographs. At first glance, it seemed to depict a male model shaving; however, upon closer scrutiny, it became clear that the figure was really that of a biological woman who had undergone a double mastectomy. The picture depicted a model who had suffered a double mastectomy, which left scars on their breast, as they shaved their facial hair using a Braun Series X Hybrid Trimmer. The scars were visible on the model’s breast.
A spokesperson of Procter & Gamble, which is the parent company of Braun, defended the film and said that it was in the public interest. The employee said that the picture shows real Braun consumers, and that it is just one of countless images that can be seen on the company website that show people using the products that the company sells.
Despite this, a significant number of people have gone to social media in order to express their discontent with the current state of affairs. Some individuals have likened Braun’s marketing strategy to the one that Gillette and Bud Light adopted, which both encountered significant backlash after including transgender persons in their advertising campaigns. Braun’s strategy, on the other hand, does not include transgender people. Others have made the assertion that Braun is trying to make a profit out of a sensitive and controversial subject, and some have compared his conduct to “Mengele level brutality.”
Oli London, a British activist who campaigns against transgender surgery, criticized Braun’s campaign, pointing out that it portrayed a transgender biological female with double mastectomy scars in an advertisement for their men’s shaving range. London was critical of the fact that the image appeared in an advertisement for Braun’s men’s shaving range. The fact that the ad included Braun’s men’s shaving range was something that London found to be problematic.
Maya Forstater, the executive director of the activist group Sex Matters, criticized Braun’s campaign and accused the firm of spreading “social contagion” and maybe causing a major medical catastrophe with their advertising. Forstater made these claims in response to Braun’s marketing campaign.
The controversy that has surrounded the campaign that Braun broadcast is a reflection of the discussions and talks that are now taking place regarding transgender rights, gender identity, and the engagement of firms with these themes in marketing and advertising.
