Life

Touching new Starbucks ad is about a trans teen changing his name

James grabs the Starbucks cup with his name on it
James grabs the Starbucks cup with his name on it Photo: YouTube screenshot/Starbucks UK

A new Starbucks ad follows a trans boy as he starts going by his new name.

The ad will air on television in the U.K. and online, and it’s part of a partnership with the U.K. transgender youth organization Mermaids. The chain will sell limited-edition mermaid cookies to raise up to £100,000 ($130,000) for the group.

Related: A coffee ad featuring lesbian teens making out has gone viral

In the ad, which is part of the “What’s your name?” campaign for Starbucks, a trans teen named James keeps on getting called by his deadname – at the doctor’s office, on his student ID card, by family.

At the end of the ad, James goes to Starbucks, where an employee asks him what his name is.

“It’s James,” he responds, and the employee writes it on the cup.

People on Twitter loved the ad. Some transgender people reminisced about the first time they used their name at Starbucks.

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