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Tell Taco Bell: End Transphobic Advertisements
  1. Signatures
    98 out of 100
    Petitioning
    1. Spokesperson, Taco Bell (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Spokesperson, Taco Bell (Rob Poetsch)
      • Spokesperson, Taco Bell (Brittany Hunsaker)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter
How We Won

Jan 26, 2010

Thank you for putting the pressure on Taco Bell regarding the issue of transphobia in their radio advertisements! Taco Bell's corporate headquarters issued a statement apologizing for the advertisements, owning up to some mistakes in their communication with radio stations who aired the spot. Thanks to all the members who signed this petition, as well as organizations like GLAAD that continued to push Taco Bell on this situation.

Why This Is Important

Taco Bell has run a series of anti-transgender advertisements in recent weeks, suggesting that transgender people are something to be disgusted about. The script for their ads? It follows a storyline like this:

Some male tells a female (presumably his wife or girlfriend) that it's a surprise that there is nacho cheese in a layer of the Taco Bell burrito. The woman responds with "Well, I have a surprise for you. I was born male, my name was Claudio" and her voice is lowered several octaves. After which, the male says "Ew."

Not funny. This advertisement reinforces damaging stereotypes that put forward a message that transgender people are "gross," or abnormal. To make matters worse? Taco Bell had already apologized for running the ad, and pledged to pull it from the airwaves. That was two weeks ago, yet over this past weekend a version of the advertisement ran again, in at least one state (and maybe more).

It's time to tell Taco Bell to pull these ads from the air waves (again), to apologize to the LGBT population for reinforcing dangerous stereotypes (again), and to institute some corporate policies to make sure anti-trans advertisements like this never make their way out of Taco Bell's marketing department again.

Recent Signatures

End transphobic radio advertisements from Taco Bell

Dear Mr. Poetsch and Ms. Hunsaker

Two weeks ago, Taco Bell had to apologize for a radio advertisement that suggested that transgender individuals were "gross." At the time, Mr. Poetsch, you offered an apology that said "We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it."

But as numerous outlets are reporting, including The Advocate, a version of this transphobic advertisement ran on the radio this past weekend in California, and possibly many more states. Why is this ad -- which reinforces damaging stereotypes that transgender individuals are abnormal or "sick" -- still running, almost two weeks after the company apologized for it?

I demand that this advertisement be pulled from the radio, and that another apology be issued to folks who were not only offended by hurt by the advertisement. Beyond that, two failures on the part of Taco Bell demand even further action. Please clarify what Taco Bell's corporate policy is, and whether the corporate policy includes protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. It's clear that there's a systemic problem here at Taco Bell that requires immediate attention, lest the company be branded with a transphobic reputation.

Thank you, and I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience.

[Your name]