The Costa Living
Trans Representation Is Grooming Now, Apparently
Transphobes are ‘boycotting’ Costa Coffee right now, because a Costa van featured an illustration on the side of it, of what appears to be a trans man surfing. They’re supposedly offended because the surfer in question is topless, and has top-surgery scars. Despite this being a clear attempt at trans inclusion by Costa - to market their coffee to a more queer demographic by merely acknowledging the existence of a type of person who happens to exist in British society - transphobes are wilfully misrepresenting it as an act of ‘indoctrination’ and ‘grooming’.
In their warped minds, Costa is trying to confuse children and push onto them a ‘trans ideology’ which encourages young girls to ‘lop their healthy breasts off’. Which of course, makes perfect sense - because if there’s one thing that kids famously love it’s coffee.
And it’s not just foaming-mouthed psychopaths on Twitter who are getting in on this apparent ‘boycott’. The regular shit-stirrers in the mainstream media are also getting involved. But do these people actually believe what they’re saying? I don’t think they do. I think ultimately, what their intention is here, is to put out the message to trans and non-binary people that their very presence is at risk.
Because, if the mere illustration of a trans person existing is enough to warrant ‘indoctrination’ or ‘child grooming’ - then what does that mean for the trans person who isn’t an illustration? Is a topless trans man on the beach, in real life, also a risk to children? Are his exposed chest scars an example of ideological indoctrination? Will mothers across the globe be forced to shield their innocent children’s eyes, in case they get the sudden, onset desire for a surgery?
I don’t care about Costa, really. It’s pretty clear to me when corporations attempt to pander to queer communities - but it’s just as equally clear to me when reactionary transphobes want an excuse to other the trans community, and normalize our continued absence from public life. They know all too well that whatever paltry representation we currently have in society was hard fought for, and they also know that it fits their agenda to have it rolled back. So, as much as I don’t care about Costa Coffee personally, I am glad for the representation. And I of course encourage more of it.
It’s always fascinating to me that trans people are often the ones characterized as ‘snowflakes’ or ‘over sensitive’ - when ultimately, the knee-jerk reactionism always seems to be coming from the transphobes. If you have to bend over backwards so far to make a tiny piece of illustrated inclusion somehow about protecting the children, then you are very much triggered.
Meanwhile, as-per-usual, trans people are just trying to get by. We’re going to work, and having coffee with friends, and attending family events, and going to the beach, and living our lives. Not only do we not particularly care about Costa, we don’t care about transphobes’ opinions on our right to exist publicly - because we will continue to do so regardless.
A lot of us have dealt with more social adversity than you can possibly imagine, and it takes a lot more than a goofy little illustration to push us over the edge.
Chill out, take some deep breaths & have a nice coffee.
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