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A new Care2 petition has gained more than 8,000 signatures after boutique brewers BrewDog posted a video which seems to mock trans people and sex workers.
The #DontMakeUsDoThis ad campaign features the founders of BrewDog in a range of situations trying to earn money. First they pretend to be homeless and beg for change. Then they appear in drag, pretending to be sex workers in a red light district while a neon sign flashes with the #DontMakeUsDoThis hashtag. One of the founders says, ‘I’d do it, but I’d need a bath afterwards.’
The campaign calls on BrewDog to apologise for the video and donate money to charities working for the rights of the marginalised people caricatured by the video: homeless people, trans women and sex workers.
BrewDog, which says it makes ‘beer for punks’, denies that it intended to cause offense. A spokesperson said the video was created ‘in the spirit of fun’ and that ‘no offense was intended’.
Beth Granter, who started the petition, replied: ‘The response from BrewDog is disappointing and misses the point. It shows that they are not listening to the voices of LGBTQ people and sex workers – many of whom have signed the petition against the video – and whom do not feel that the video is “in the spirit of fun”. They are clearly mocking marginalised groups of people and that’s just bad business. By saying “don’t make us do this”, and “I’d need a bath afterwards” BrewDog’s campaign is at the very least feeding into transphobic and anti-sex worker attitudes.
‘Intent is not the point. Plain and simple – BrewDog’s campaign is offensive and insulting to trans women and sex workers – and BrewDog needs to apologise and pull the video now.’
You can check out the petition online.
