Starbucks’ annual holiday cups are causing controversy once again, but this time the scandal involves two people holding hands.
The rest of the pair’s bodies aren’t shown on the cup, which features other holiday doodles like a Christmas tree and presents, leading some people to speculate they are the hands of a lesbian couple.
Great new #christmas campaign from @Starbucks featuring #lesbian couple on the Holiday Cup. pic.twitter.com/GJ6YGG0fGQ
— Rufus Dowling (@rufusdowling) November 13, 2017
The theory may have started from Starbucks’ holiday commercial which appears to feature a lesbian couple sharing a cup of coffee and leaning in for a kiss. Social media started to connect the dots and theorized that the hand-holding couple on the cup is the same from the commercial.
Hey social media, are the “Christians” bitching about @Starbucks red cup & inclusive message yet? PS, I’m going w/the hand holders are gay 😁 pic.twitter.com/eDrwEIenHt
— Krista 😸 (@durantigger) November 1, 2017
While some people were excited about the possible inclusion, others weren’t happy that Starbucks may have put a lesbian couple on the cup.
The new Starbucks cup has lesbian couple on it. Rom 1:26 “because of this,God gave them over to shameful lust”…
— Jimmy H Peralez (@h_peralez) November 2, 2017
The speculation increased when the coffee company appeared to confirm the holding hands are a same-sex couple on Twitter. One user tweeted Starbucks calling the cups “great” for including a lesbian couple.
“We’re happy you enjoy the new campaign, Rufus,” Starbucks tweeted back.
We’re happy you enjoy the new campaign, Rufus! 💚
— Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) November 13, 2017
Ultimately, Starbucks is letting customers decide how to interpret the cups.
“This year’s hand-drawn cup features scenes of celebrating with loved ones — whoever they may be,” Sanja Gould, Starbucks’ spokeswoman, said in a statement to the New York Times. “We intentionally designed the cup so our customers can interpret it in their own way, adding their own color and illustrations.”
