The 'immoral' brands pushing body mutilation on girls: How Costa Coffee, Oxfam, Dr Martens and Penguin Books have used cartoon images to 'trivialise' life-changing trans 'top surgery'
- Brands have come under fire for 'glorifying' the 'dangerous' surgery for girls
Popular brands have been slammed as 'utterly immoral' for 'trivalising' life-changing mastectomy surgery by using cartoons of people who have had their breasts removed in advertising campaigns.
Costa Coffee, Oxfam, Dr Martens and LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall all recently displayed or promoted the designs which have shown androgynous-looking characters with scars below each nipple after undergoing top surgery.
Women's rights campaigner Maya Forstater, who is on the board of human-rights group that campaigns for clarity on sex in law and policy Sex Matters, shamed the four organisations over the artwork.
She tweeted: 'Utterly immoral. Cartoons trivializing cutting girls' breasts off.'
The issue has come to the fore after a former Childline volunteer exposed the cartoon image of a transgender person with mastectomy on a Costa Coffee van.
The image, depicting an androgynous-looking character wearing long shorts with scars below each nipple, is taken from a mural designed by the chain for Brighton and Hove Pride last year
Dr Martens is facing criticism after offering a pair of boots that show a transgender individual with mastectomy scars
It depicts an androgynous-looking character wearing long shorts with scars below each nipple, is taken from a mural designed by the chain for Brighton and Hove Pride last year.
Costa defended its use of the image to promote 'inclusivity and diversity' but was branded 'crass and irresponsible' and 'absolutely bonkers' amid a flood of calls to boycott the company on social media.
Meanwhile, Dr Martens — once the footwear of choice for skinheads and punks — became the latest company to be engulfed in a woke storm after promoting boots that appear to endorse transgender surgery.
The shoemaker gave away a pair of custom rainbow-colored boots that features a topless cartoon person with scars under their breasts — a hallmark of breast removal surgery — as part of a promotional stunt.
The LGBTQ+ friendly boots — designed by a self-described 'queer illustrator' — were advertised on the company's Instagram account and website last week, sparking a furious debate among its customers and social media users.
Some accused Dr Martens of 'cashing in on the mutilation' of women and urged a boycott of the company, while others praised the firm for standing up for minorities.
The controversy has echoes of the fallout from Bud Light's decision to partner with controversial transgender TikToker influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Dr Martens showcases boots custom-made by fans on its website as part of its 'DIY Docs' collection.
Women's rights campaigner Maya Forstater called the groups' cartoons 'utterly immoral'
The shoes were posted on their Instagram account and have also been shared by artist Jess Voss, who designed the shoes
Pictured above are the controversial pair of boots on the Dr Martens website
The new design causing controversy was put onto the 1460 boot, the original Dr Martens that was popular among skinheads, scooter riders and punk rockers in the 1970s.
They were designed by Colorado-based artist Jess Vosseteig, who said she wanted to 'represent queer joy!' with her design.
Vosseteig's previous work includes a painting titled 'periods have no gender', which aims to remind people 'to be more inclusive of other genders when we talk about menstruation'.
The boots were given away as part of a seven-day Instagram competition, in which users were required to like the post and tag a friend to enter.
Earlier this year Stonewall were criticised for selling Christmas cards that critics slammed for 'glorifying double mastectomies to young people'.
The festive card that read 'Happy Holidays' showed three androgynous-looking people, one who has scars from a mastectomy.
Former barrister James Esses Tweeted at the time: 'Stonewall are selling Christmas cards, including this one glorifying double mastectomies to young people.'
Earlier this year Stonewall were criticised for selling Christmas cards that critics slammed for 'glorifying double mastectomies to young people'
The front cover of the picture book by Tyler Feder that celebrates 'all kinds of bodies' shows different people in all shapes and sizes, including a man who appears to have undergone the surgery
In a separate Tweet today, Ms Forstater also shared the front cover and pages from inside Harry Woodgate's book Grandad's Pride - a Stonewall book award honoree
In a separate Tweet today, Ms Forstater also shared the front cover and pages from inside Harry Woodgate's book Grandad's Pride - a Stonewall book award honoree.
The illustrated children's book which 'celebrates the power of community and the importance of LGBTQIA+ history' shows cartoon drawings people marching in a Pride rally - including one individual who has scars from a double mastectomy.
The campaigner goes on to highlight an illustrated book published by Penguin called Bodies Are Cool.
The front cover of the picture book by Tyler Feder that celebrates 'all kinds of bodies' shows different people in all shapes and sizes, including a man who appears to have undergone the surgery.
Supporters of Ms Forstrater rallied around her comments, with one writing 'I don't see how everyone doesn't see this as immoral'.
Another added: 'What possible justification is there for brands normalising this?'
MailOnline has contacted Costa, Penguin, Oxfam, Stonewall and Dr Martens.
A Dr Martens spokesperson said: 'This one-off pair is part of a long-standing US social media competition, 'DIY Docs', where artists design a single pair to be given away to the community. This pair reflects the artist's style expression as an illustrator and member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
'We have always embraced diversity in the Dr. Martens community. We're proud to support our team and our wearers, and to continue to support creativity and freedom of expression.'
