Right-wing Christian group One Million Moms (OMM) has launched a backlash against Dove for a six-second haircare ad that features a trans woman, accusing the brand of “pushing a sinful lifestyle” and igniting a new wave of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment.
The short commercial, which highlights Dove’s hair repair products, drew conservative ire on social media, with the hashtag #boycottdove gaining traction. The anti-LGBTQ+ account Libs of TikTok reposted the ad with a caption accusing Dove of being “another woke company trying to erase women.”
In response, OMM released a statement urging consumers to sign a petition pledging not to support Dove “as long as they honour and glamorise the trans lifestyle and gender dysphoria.” The group, known for its frequent boycotts of inclusive brands, criticised the ad for “glamorising the transgender lifestyle choice,” misgendered the model repeatedly, and claimed the brand was promoting “sexual confusion.”
The ad features the model simply flipping her long hair—a moment OMM described as an “abomination.” The group’s statement concluded, “Yes, we are instructed to love one another, but we also must hold others accountable and speak out against sin.”
According to the petition hosted on OMM’s website, over 13,000 people have pledged to boycott Dove. One signatory wrote, “Dove is offending so many consumers to appease a small percentage of trans customers… I will not purchase any Dove products until your company chooses to remain neutral in the culture war.”
Trans advocate Leigh Turner called the backlash “demoralising,” stating that it’s frustrating to see “yet another boycott campaign built on the idea that people like us shouldn’t even appear in a 6-second ad.” Speaking to Trans Vitae, Turner added, “Dove is not perfect, but they keep coming back with genuine representation instead of retreating.”
OMM, a branch of the American Family Association, has a long history of targeting LGBTQ+ visibility in media. Past targets include same-sex couples in magazines and commercials, LGBTQ+-inclusive children’s books, and queer representation in TV shows and cartoons.
