Chippy faces heat for post mocking beer campaign with trans influencer

Friday 11 August 2023

A local fish and chip shop has come under heat from islanders and a local politician for sharing a post mocking Bud Light's advertising campaign with a trans influencer.

The advertising campaign – which has now been scrapped – was a partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, who has grown a significant social media following over the past two years after chronicling her transition on TikTok.

It generated significant backlash from conservative and right-wing personalities, who took to social media to vent their anger and call for consumers to boycott the beer.

Among them was US Republican politician Sid Miller, who shared a parody advert stating: "Bud Light: Because you'd have to be drunk to think he's a woman."

That post was then shared on the Facebook page for Prime Fry in St. Helier, leading to scores of comments from infuriated islanders.

Pictured: The original post on the Prime Fry Facebook page, which has since been deleted.

The post was later delated, but one person then shared a screenshot to 45,000-member-strong Facebook community 'Good or Bad Jersey Business' suggesting that LGBTQ+ islanders should avoid the chippy.

Some commenters defended Prime Fry's free speech, with one saying: "...It seems the goal posts continue to just move and one person's free speech is another person's hate speech – it’s becoming quite bizarre, a generation offended by almost everything."

However, many others said that the post was offensive, transphobic and unacceptable.

Among those to respond was Reform Jersey leader Deputy Sam Mézec, who commented: "Solidarity with Jersey's trans and gender non-conforming communities. One day our society will be more enlightened than this."

One islander, who said she had been ridiculed when she challenged Prime Fry, said: "The owners have freedom of speech and can share whatever they want on their business page, but perhaps should understand that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences."

Prime Fry declined to comment.