Transitioning is Like Rebranding Candy
Some don’t like it, but that’s a them problem, not a candy problem
Australian candy
Here in Australia, we have a subsidiary confectionery company called Allen’s (external link). In 2020, they changed the name of two of their candy varieties to Cheekies and Red Ripper. The reason behind the change was that the original names did not align with the company's values. Bluntly, the names were racial slurs. But what happened when they rebranded was nothing short of true transgender transition analogy awesomeness!
Not MY candy
Now, when they first announced they would change the candy names, there was a huge outcry from some Australian people saying, “No, you can’t change them. That’s what they are called. They’ve always been called that. That’s what we know them as. Offended minorities should just get over it. It’s not our fault. Why should ‘we’ suffer?…” and blah, blah, blah. Onwards and downward. I’ll leave it to you to make your presumptions and assumptions about the identification and presentation of said people.
…what happened when they rebranded was nothing short of true transgender transition analogy awesomeness!
Others (I hazard to say most people and indeed most First Australians, minorities, and allies), stood up and said, “Here is a company that is doing right by PEOPLE! If the candy name further minimizes a minority, diminishes an entire group of people, and hurts any person (whatever their background) directly or indirectly, then just change the damn name! It’s only a name, and it’s only candy. How can it be any more important than a person? A life?”
With full kudos to Allen’s, they didn’t get too much into the political debate. They simply did what they said they would. They respected people, ALL people, and they changed the candy names. They showed integrity in their awareness that they could not possibly have a racially non-discriminatory, all-inclusive, and forward-thinking policy and keep the old candy names. Think about how much a change like this could have potentially cost a company using automated production systems. This could not have been a decision taken lightly and yet, they announced it and did it. They didn’t listen to the backlash and barely commented on it. Full kudos!
Later that lifetime… Because nothing is static
Here we are, a few years later, and there are still two groups of people. One group call these candies Cheekies and Red Rippers, because that’s their names. Maybe they love that the names changed. Maybe they praise it. Maybe they just don’t care, because it’s just a name. And so, they continue to enjoy their favorite candies. The ‘other’ group (see what I did there?), calls these candies by their ̶d̶e̶a̶d̶n̶a̶m̶e̶s original names. Some of them still eat the candies, because they ‘love’ them. But some refuse to eat these candies ever again out of protest, or principle, or some other garbage that only they care about. Why? Because the name changed? Nothing about the candy changed. Sure, the bag looks a little different. Sure, the name is different. But they’re the same price, the same flavor. Nothing else changed. They can still give them the same amount of enjoyment if they don’t get stuck on the name and packaging. If they allow themselves, they might even find the candy has been improved and enhanced. A super candy!
…some refuse to eat these candies ever again… Why? Because the name changed? Nothing about the candy changed.
The future is coming and they’ll be left behind (sorry, NOT sorry)
But as time passes, something interesting is happening. The people that still call these candies by their original names, get corrected, because not only are those original names offensive, but they aren’t even called that anymore. They often use the excuse, “Oh, that’s what I’ve always known them as.” Okay, great, but that’s not what they are called, now. And there’s a reason they’re not called that anymore. By calling them by those original names, they imply that they don’t give a flying fart-in-a-storm about why they changed. And that is a much deeper problem.
And as time goes by, more and more people will correct those that are still calling the candies by their original names and they’ll look old or maybe just stupid. Eventually, no one’s going to even remember the ‘original’ names. So when those people use them, they will get strange looks as if they are completely nuts. Because they kind of are. Like, it’s just candy. Enjoy it or not. What does it really matter about the name and packaging? But they don’t HAVE TO enjoy it, that’s fine. No one is force-feeding them. But why go to the supermarket and yell at the packets or yell at someone else who wants to eat them? Because if your only issue is the branding, that’s a you issue, not a candy issue.
… if your only issue is the branding, that’s a you issue, not a candy issue.
Trick question (because never ask a trans person their deadname!)
So, what were the original names of these candies? Oh, you know, I’m not sharing that. If you know them, you don’t need to share it with anyone, because it’s irrelevant. Get it?
But this was just about candies, right?
Aussie note — we don’t call them candies. We call them lollies. Perhaps they are sugarfluid… Wait, isn’t that glucose?