Hershey's faces backlash over putting trans woman on candy bar wrapper for International Women’s Day

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Hershey's faces backlash over putting trans woman on candy bar wrapper for International Women’s Day

Social media users trashed candy company Hershey’s after it debuted a pro-transgender ad for its chocolate bars in honor of International Women’s Day.

Social media users slammed candy company Hershey’s after it debuted a pro-transgender ad for its chocolate bars in honor of International Women’s Day.

Disturbed Twitter users hammered the new ad for presenting a transgender woman as Hershey’s representation of the pro-female celebration.

The ad debuted Wednesday as part of Hershey’s Canada’s "Her for She" campaign in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8. The short spot featured trans woman Fae Johnstone – who it noted is a "2SLGBTQUIA+ Advocate" – promoting Hershey’s new female-themed wrapper. 

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Fae Johnstone, the LGBTQ advocate, trans woman, and face of Hershey's "International Women's Day" ad campaign. (Screenshot/Twitter)

In the clip, Johnstone was shown posing with the limited-edition candy bar while providing a voiceover explaining the inclusivity initiative. The trans woman claimed, "My name is Fae Johnstone, I’m the executive director of ‘Wisdom to Action.’ We can create a world where everyone is able to live in public space as their honest and authentic selves."

As the short ad ended, it depicted Johnstone posing and laughing alongside several biological women. The voiceover concluded with an invitation for viewers to view Hershey’s Canada’s International Women’s Day campaign on its website.

"See the women changing how we see the future at Hershey’s Canada," Johnstone said.

This is reportedly the third time the company has rolled out these uniquely wrapped chocolate bars. Each of them will feature the faces of five women selected by the candy company to represent the campaign.

A press release from Hershey’s Canada named the five women, among them Johnstone. It said, "This year's HER for SHE initiative spotlights five Canadian women … Autumn Peltier, Indigenous Rights and Water Activist; Fae Johnstone, 2SLGBTQIA+ Advocate; Rita Audi, Gender and Education Equality Activist; Naila Moloo, Climate Tech Researcher; and Kélicia Massala, founder of Girl Up Québec."

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FILE PHOTO: A Hershey's chocolate bar is shown in this photo illustration in Encinitas, California January 29, 2015.  (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo)

Some Twitter users couldn’t get past the fact that a transgender woman was representing Hershey’s Canada’s women’s day campaign. 

Anti-Woke Twitter account @LeftismForU tweeted, "@Hersheys is putting the face of a trans-‘woman’ on chocolate bar wrappers with ‘HerShe’ highlighted in honor of International Women's Day. Hershey's is erasing women."

Pro-Trump account "Catturd" tweeted, "Why does @Hersheys hate women?"

The Federalist Editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway blasted the candy maker with a scathing response, saying, "So @Hersheys is featuring a male in costume as a woman for its international women’s day ad campaign."

Conservative author and transgender movement critic Oli London slammed Johnstone and the ad, tweeting, "This is a tweet from the new face of HERSHEYS International Women’s Day Campaign - a man who identifies as a woman! The whole ad campaign is designed to uplift women on women’s day- but instead is a complete disrespect to REAL Women!"

The Federalist co-founder and CEO Sean Davis wrote, "Hershey’s is ‘honoring’ women by featuring delusional, disfigured men on its candy bars. Feel empowered yet, ladies?"

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton commented, "@Hersheys embraces misogyny."

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Conservative pundit John Cardillo wrote, "This to me is the biggest problem. Women remain silent as they’re reduced to a costume theme."

Fox News Digital reached out to Hershey’s Canada for a response on the backlash to the ad, though the company has yet to respond.

Hershey Co. chocolate candies are displayed for sale at the Hershey's Chocolate World store in New York City.  (Photographer: Timothy Fadek/Bloomberg via Getty Images)