British craft beer company BrewDog has released a 'transgender' beer just two months after a petition was launched for the removal of one of its adverts, which was labeled as 'transphobic'.
The 'transgender' beer - named "No Label" - will be the world’s first of its kind. The company claims that it is brewed using hops that have undergone a 'sex change' from female to male prior to harvest.
BrewDog told the Huffington Post UK that the decision to make the beer was made after discovering the 'transgender' hops, and have said that they will donate all of its profits to trans charities.
Since the announcement, BrewDog has faced backlash on Twitter, some claiming that they feel "mocked" by the announcement.
Some drew attention to the fact that their identity should not be a marketing campaign:
Proceeds from the beer will go to LGBTQI+ group Queerest of the Queer and then dispersed to other trans charities.
The group wrote a statement alongside the beers release, which read: "When BrewDog responded to our challenge to talk about their fundraising video and how they could seriously re-engage with and make amends to the LGBTQ+ community they weren’t taking the easy track.
"We met and started to talk about levels of oppression and how Cis, White, Rich, Gay men are not the only voice, even if they are a loud voice. There are other lived experiences. We had long animated discussions, including how charitable money doesn’t often end up going to the grass roots organisations that help LGBTQ+ youth, especially when they are supporting the homeless and refugees."
BrewDog said in its statement that it hopes the transgender beer will generate conversation and dispel myths surrounding gender identity. Its label reads: ‘Just like humans, we believe a beer can be whatever the hell it wants to be, and proud of it.’
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Trans film-maker Jake Graf commented on the issue, telling the Huffington Post UK: "I would have thought that it might if anything be considered somewhat inflammatory.
"The Jester hops that change sex might be perceived as making a mockery of what is a rather sensitive subject for many people too. I would say possibly a rather misguided attempt at waving the white flag, that I can almost guarantee will be met with disdain from the community. Once again it's making light of an all too serious matter."
The new beer comes just months after a protest against the company's 'transphobic' advertising campaign, which was launched on the 1st of September.
During the three-minute advertisement, co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie ask viewers not to force them into any humiliating experiences, including themselves dressed as female sex workers.
The petition stated: "BrewDog beer company claims to be "beer for punks". They claim to be ethical. Yet in their new crowdsourcing video they mock homeless people, trans women and sex workers.
"They say, "don't make us do this" whilst performing as offensive caricatures of people, many of who already suffer discrimination every day.
The Huffington Post UK asked BrewDog to comment on the Twitter reaction to the beer and is awaiting response.