Hershey's International Women's Day Wrappers Are Getting Torn Apart On Twitter
For the second time in a year, candy and politics have mingled in a way that has left social media users less than impressed. The first controversy began last January, when M&M's launched an inclusivity campaign, notably altering the female spokescandies' looks. Green, who was long known for her feminine style, interchanged her high heels for sneakers, while Brown, who sported tall heels, switched it up for a smaller pair.
The final straw was seemingly when the brand swapped up its packaging to celebrate women. The packs included only green and brown M&M's as well as the new purple color. Now known to be a ploy to gear up for its Super Bowl commercial, M&M's pulled its spokescandies in January, citing the shoe backlash. At the time, the characters were replaced with Maya Rudolph, but they've since made a return.
A year after the woman-only M&M's pack debuted for Women's History Month, Hershey's is in hot water for similarly attempting to celebrate women. The campaign, which has made an effort to spotlight any and all women, has many calling for a boycott of the candy company.
Many are calling for a Hershey's boycott
A week before International Women's Day, Hershey's has announced its "Her for She" promotion, which saw the release of five new candy wrappers featuring Kelcia Massala, Rita Audi, Nalia Moloo, Autumn Peltier, and Fae Johnstone. The internet's issue? Johnstone is transgender, which has caused a consequential social media stir. Some Twitter users have called for the boycott of Hershey's. "The American people are sick and tired of having woke lectures shoved down their throats," wrote one Twitter user. On the other hand, one commenter felt the company is using trans people merely for a sales boost.
The campaign has already caused adverse effects for Johnstone. "The reaction to my inclusion as a trans woman in Hershey Canada's IWD campaign shows just how far we still have to go in the fight for feminist liberation and trans rights," she wrote. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not shutting up. I will always stand up for women and girls, cis and trans."