Starbucks roasted & faces boycott by Black Lives Matter activists for reminding employees that dress code matters too
Celebrities and activists are calling for a boycott on Starbucks after the company reminded its employees that wearing accessories, even in support of the noble Black Lives Matter cause, is still a violation of its dress code.
According to an internal memo obtained by Buzzfeed, Starbucks doesn’t want employees donning any Black Lives Matter attire – pins, buttons, t-shirts, etc. – part of a sweeping ban on any accessory related to a “political, religious, or personal issue.” For BLM in particular, the company observed that there are people who “misconstrue” the movement and the sight of such items could lead to violence in stores.
That report was all it took for the company to find itself the latest target of social media mobs as #BoycottStarbucks began earning thousands of tweets and trending on the social media site.
“We boycotting Starbucks,” musician SZA tweeted on Thursday, then asking her followers to share the names and locations of black-owned coffee shops to support.
Musician Katie Mowgley joined the call for a protest, as did other celebrities.
Just found out @Starbucks is catering to the comfort of their racist customers by asking their staff not to wear anything in support of @Blklivesmatter so I won’t be visiting them and I’ll be telling EVERYONE I KNOW to boycott them as well. #boycottstarbucks
— Katie Mowgli (@KatieMowgli) June 11, 2020
Remember when they wrote "Let's talk about racism!" on the cups? Remember when they closed for half a day because 2 Black men were arrested for being Black at a @Starbucks?As we always thought, they are only about #BlackLivesMatter when it's convenient. https://t.co/xSepbY0scp
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) June 11, 2020
“Starbucks canceled,” musician Reason said.
Starbucks canceled pic.twitter.com/pCKcEuqDjS
— REASON TDE (@reasonTDE) June 11, 2020
Actress Emmy Rossum made the oh-so-bold move of deleting the Starbucks app on her phone.
*UNinstalls Starbucks app immediately* https://t.co/8YEHFxWxKp
— Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) June 11, 2020
Others went after the company for previously releasing a public statement showing solidarity with the Black Lives movement, as well as allowing employees to wear LGTQ attire.
Despite this post on June 4, Starbucks stated in an internal memo that Black Lives Matter attire was prohibited due to its dress code policy. But Starbucks not only exempts LGBTQ buttons and attire, it hands them out. #BoycottStarbuckshttps://t.co/KTi74mtGnZpic.twitter.com/Zzpa7xwUaw
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 11, 2020
Besides outright boycotting the company, other suggestions included forcing employees to write “black lives matter” on cups – the company writes customers’ requested names on their cups before serving.
If Starbucks is saying #BlackLivesMatter attire is prohibited, and you end up there, Make "Black Lives Matter" your name so they have to write it on the cup and shout it out loud."Black Lives Matter! Your frappacino is ready!"BLACK LIVES MATTER! Order up!"#BoycottStarbuckspic.twitter.com/yYEnIOon61
— Steve Marmel (@Marmel) June 11, 2020
For some, however, yet another call for cancellation in light of the Black Lives Matter protests was more a point of mockery.
This, after they publicly endorsed the movement! hahahahahahaha
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) June 11, 2020
“This is GLORIOUS. Starbucks sent an internal memo banning employees from wearing any Black Lives Matter shirts or pins because it violates their policy against advocating for a ‘political, religious or personal issue’ at work … This, after they publicly endorsed the movement! Haha,” conservative author Mark Dice tweeted.
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