Dove, a brand long associated with promoting “real beauty” and inclusivity, has found itself at the center of a heated controversy following the release of its latest haircare advertisement.

The ad, part of the “The Dove You Love. Reimagined” campaign, features a transgender woman celebrating her hair, which has sparked significant backlash from conservative groups and social media users.

The hashtag #BoycottDove has trended on platforms like X, with critics accusing the brand of pushing a “woke agenda” and undermining women by featuring a trans model in a campaign targeted at female consumers.

Meanwhile, supporters of the ad have countered with #BuyDove, praising Dove’s commitment to inclusive representation.

The advertisement, which debuted on TikTok and Instagram in early May 2025, showcases a trans woman discussing how Dove’s haircare products help her achieve “hair that feels like me.”

The campaign emphasizes themes of self-expression and freedom from hair-related insecurities, aligning with Dove’s decades-long mission to redefine beauty standards.

However, the inclusion of a trans model in a women’s haircare ad quickly drew ire from conservative commentators, who labeled the move as “another woke fail” and called for a boycott of Dove products.

Posts on X, such as one from @DietCokeMomma stating, “Idiots. Never buying their products again,” reflect the intensity of the backlash, with some users vowing to boycott not only Dove but all Unilever products, Dove’s parent company.

Critics argue that featuring a trans woman in a women’s ad “replaces” or “squeezes out” cisgender women from beauty marketing.

For instance, a post by @Admiral_Levine on X claimed, “Put an ugly trans dude in the dove commercial…great way to kill your sales,” suggesting that Dove’s decision alienates its core female customer base.

Others, like @lovemycountry47, expressed frustration that Dove’s social media accounts restricted comments on the ad, interpreting this as an attempt to silence dissent.

The backlash against Dove is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of conservative-led boycotts targeting brands that embrace LGBTQ+ representation.

Similar controversies have engulfed companies like Bud Light, Adidas, Hershey’s, and Target in recent years.

For example, Bud Light faced significant sales declines in 2023 after partnering with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, with conservatives rallying behind #BoycottBudLight.

Likewise, Adidas drew criticism for featuring models perceived as male in its women’s swimsuit campaign, and Hershey’s faced boycott calls for including a trans woman in its International Women’s Day promotion.

These boycotts often frame inclusive marketing as a betrayal of traditional gender norms or an attack on women’s spaces.

Charisma News, a Christian media outlet, reported on the Dove controversy, emphasizing that the ad “reignites criticism over the brand’s approach to gender identity in marketing.”

The outlet has previously covered similar issues, such as an elderly woman’s protest against a trans person in a YMCA women’s locker room, framing such incidents as clashes between biblical values and progressive ideologies.