Costa Coffee Celebrates Women Having Breasts Removed
The UK’s biggest Coffee chain Costa is facing massive backlash and a new boycott after it used an animated image featuring a figure with mastectomy scars to celebrate “inclusivity and diversity”.
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.
Use of the image on a mobile coffee van used at events around the country was condemned by feminist campaigners and people who had breasts removed due to cancer.
Tanya Carter, spokeswoman for child safeguarding campaign group Safe Schools Alliance, said: “It’s almost unbelievable that Costa would do something so crass and irresponsible as to use this image.
“The executives clearly have no idea what message this conveys, that irreversible surgery on healthy female breasts is to be applauded. Is this really any way to sell coffee?”
Costa, which is owned by Coca Cola, issued a statement defending the use of the image, claiming “At Costa Coffee we celebrate the diversity of our customers, team members and partners. We want everyone that interacts with us to experience the inclusive environment that we create, to encourage people to feel welcomed, free and unashamedly proud to be themselves. The mural, in its entirety, showcases and celebrates inclusivity.”
Feminist writer Julie Bindel said “I remember stories about when a woman was thrown out of a Costa shop (in 2018) because she was discreetly breastfeeding.”
“Are we not allowed to breast feed but you are allowed to celebrate a woman having breasts removed for reasons of social contagion and vanity? It’s absolutely bonkers,” Bindel urged adding “What’s really scary about it is the actual mastectomy scars are seen as a badge of honour, as cool.” “This dangerous ideology that you can mix and match your body by undergoing complex and dangerous surgery is horrific,” Bindel further asserted, adding “I want to see the surgeons, scientists, those who advocate and profiteer from healthy breast removal criminalised.”
