Tory MP vows to stop using Dove soap after brand celebrates Laurel Hubbard and trans athletes
Tory MP Jackie Doyle-Price (L) boycotted Dove after it announced its support for trans Olympic weightlifter Laurel Hubbard). (House of Commons/Stanislav KrasilnikovTASS via Getty Images)
British Tory MP Jackie Doyle-Price has vowed to never buy from Dove again the beauty brand came out swinging for trans Olympic trailblazer Laurel Hubbard.
The first openly trans woman to compete in the Olympics, Laurel Hubbard dropped out of Tokyo this week (August 2) after failing to lift 125kg in the +87kg women’s weightlifting.
Her dreams of Olympic glory may have been dashed, but her journey is one of sporting history – and to trans and non-binary weightlifters, her Olympic bid was a “vindicating and monumental” moment, they told PinkNews.
But when Dove tweeted its support for Hubbard and trans athletes, Doyle-Price, who has repeatedly pledged her support for the anti-trans pressure group LGB Alliance, was anything but pleased.
“History in the making,” Dove’s Twitter account tweeted in July. “Congrats to Laurel! Here’s to more trans representation in sports.”
“There will be no more Dove for me,” Doyle-Price, the decade-long MP for Thurrock, tweeted Monday evening (2 August).
Then there will be no more @Dove for me. Which is a shame because I have always associated their products with positive messages for women https://t.co/nquUlnD58B
— Jackie Doyle-Price MP (@JackieDP) August 2, 2021
“Which is a shame because I have always associated their products with positive messages for women.”
It remains unknown, however, if she also plans to boycott the more than 400 brands that global conglomerate Unilever owns alongside Dove, from Ben & Jerry’s to Marmite, PG Tips to Comfort.
LGBT+ Twitter users rush to buy from Dove after Jackie Doyle-Price boycotts
Twitter users also expressed their bemusement at how a “politician paid by the taxpayer” has announced that they, well, no longer use soap. Others, meanwhile, counted themselves among Dove’s new loyal customers.
This is a politician paid by the tax payer saying these things by the way…
If someone worked for a private company said this they would probably lose their job or have their reputation ruined so why should this be allowed?
Politicians HAVE to be held accountable, very simple. https://t.co/bkGdKmVY4z— will.je.suis 🦅 (@7Silva7) August 3, 2021
Excellent I use Dove and knowing it won’t be sharing it with bigots makes me smile. https://t.co/sIEBrlvqz3— Samantha Hay 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ 🍅 tw1tt3r (@Samantha_h_701) August 3, 2021
You know, if a bunch of brands and organizations that you've always associated with supporting women are supporting trans women, maybe that should indicate something to you. Maybe ponder on that for a while? https://t.co/qKFHgohlDV— Faith (@RoseOfWindsong) August 2, 2021
Lmao transphobes are boycotting soap this is me crying on the floor 😭 can you boycott the planet and leave ? We're living on the same earth lmao, more space for us you know ? https://t.co/KJ1hxKEgZk
— Alain Waquebaert 🏳️⚧️ 🇩🇿ⵣ (@AsmonightNDay) August 3, 2021
Says an MP who voted against equal marriage. https://t.co/lZsKTGFav4— 🔺Matt Armstrong 🌕 (@MrMattArmstrong) August 3, 2021
Jackie Doyle-Price’s track record on LGBT+ rights is anything but squeaky-clean.
Last year, she sought to defend voting against marriage equality by saying she “doesn’t support the state interfering with religious sacraments“.
And to mark International Women’s Day that year, the former health minister even called for legislators to “devise a law” to ban trans women out of single-sex spaces.
She has also called the trans rights movement “regressive” and said it was “madness“.
“Dove is committed to supporting LGBTQI+ communities by raising awareness, breaking stereotypes and increasing representation,” a representative for Unilever told PinkNews.
“Working with partners and through our campaigns, such as Project #ShowUs, we are always looking at what more we can do to support and be an ally to the community.”
PinkNews has contacted Jackie Doyle-Price for comment.
