Dr. Martens – once the footwear of choice for skinheads and punks – has become the latest company to go up in a storm after promoting boots that appear to support transgender surgery.
The cobbler offered custom rainbow colored boots decorated with an image of a topless person with scars under their breasts – a hallmark of breast removal surgery – as a promotional giveaway.
The boots — created by a self-described “queer illustrator” — were advertised on the company’s Instagram account and website last week, sparking a furious debate among its customers and social media users.
Some accused Dr. Martens of “cashing money on female mutilation” and pushed for a boycott of the company, while others praised the company for standing up for minorities.
The controversy mirrors the fallout from Bud Light’s decision to partner with controversial transgender TikToker influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Dr. Martens faces criticism after offering a pair of boots showing a transgender man with mastectomy scars
The shoes were posted on their Instagram account and were also shared by artist Jess Voss, who designed the shoes
The custom boots were given away by Dr. Martens through a seven-day competition announced on their Instagram account.
They’re a one-of-a-kind boot created by Colorado-based artist Jess Vosseteig for the company’s “DIY Docs” series – featuring the company’s “favorite” custom boot designs.
The design was put on the 1460 boot, the original Dr Martens popular among skinheads, scooter riders and punk rockers in the 1970s.
The promotional post required users to like the post and tag a friend to enter the contest. The company will personally message the winner via Instagram.
At the end of today’s contest at 9 a.m. PST (12 a.m. ET), the post had nearly 10,000 likes.
The giveaway also appeared on the website, where the artist explained that the inspiration behind it was “representing queer joy!”
In a separate post, she said she was “deeply grateful” to have been given the opportunity by Dr Martens.
“I love that docs support the LGBTQ+ community and small artists and I’m so proud of these shoes!” she said.
“As you all know, I like to express strange joy in my art and I’m very happy with how I was able to translate that into these boots.”
After seeing the boots on social media, one user commented, “What a shame. I’m disgusted,” said a second, “cashing money on the mutilation of young teenage girls and lesbians is so cool and progressive. You should be ashamed!’.
Several people suggested that the person shown was a minor, but there is no evidence to support this. Dr. Martens told DailyMail.com that was not the case and that the post was only aimed at the over 18s.
Others called on people to stop buying shoes, saying: ‘Never again @drmartens’, ‘#boycottdrmartens, what a disaster…’ and ‘Don’t buy your kids from them’.
But there were also a number of supporters of the shoes, some describing the shoes as “fire and rainbows” while others said they would “explode” with joy if they won a pair.
The left shoe depicts a pink person with scars under the nipples – which refer to “top surgery” or when the breasts have been removed. They can also be caused by breast cancer treatment.
Asked by Dr Martens what inspired the boots, Ms Voss said: ‘I wanted to include two stylized people who were part of the gay community.
“I knew I wanted to use a lot of color with rainbows, clouds and sparkles!
“I wrote ‘Queer Joy’ on the back cover to get the message across that queer joy will always exist.”
The boots were designed by self-proclaimed queer illustrator Jess Vosseteig. In a post online, she said she was “very grateful” for the opportunity and was thrilled that the company was supporting the LGBT community
Miss Vosseteig — whom Jess Voss calls art — has previously won awards for her art, including the 2022 Creative Activism Award from the University of Colorado, Boulder, for her piece titled “periods have no gender.”
She previously collaborated with several major brands, including Lush, Facebook, and publisher Harper Collins for artwork on LGBT issues.
In an interview with Shoutout Colorado in 2021, she said, “I am deeply inspired by the uniqueness of individuals, feminism, the LGBTQ+ community, bright color palettes, and fashion.
‘With a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies I combine my knowledge and passion for intersectional feminism, equality and inclusiveness with my love for art.’
She added, “I often get imposter syndrome and wonder if what I’m making matters, but then I’m reminded that my work appeals to so many different people and brings positivity into the world.”
After teaming up with influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light has seen its sales collapse by nearly 30 percent compared to a year ago, according to data for June.
Some slammed the beer for supporting the transgender activist and accused it of not interacting with its customers.
However, those on the other side of the debate have also blasted the beer, saying it failed to stand up for influencer Dylan Mulvaney and LGBT issues.
Right-wing groups today criticized Dr. Martens as promoting a “moral outrage.”
Jay Richards, of conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, told DailyMail.com: ‘It’s hard to know what to say about a private company that clearly celebrates this.
Did the survey by Dr. Martens tested this allusion to “top surgery” with his client base? Or is he making the same silly mistake as Bud Light?”
Dr. Martens was founded by a Nazi soldier after World War II, who needed a shoe to ease the recovery of his broken foot.
In the 1960s and 1970s they became popular in the United Kingdom, especially among postmen, police officers and factory workers.
They were also picked up by skinheads, a right-wing group made up primarily of working-class youth associated with racism and anti-Semitism.
The artist who designed the shoes, Jess Vosseteig, said they wanted to put two people who were part of the gay community on the shoes
The artist also shared a post expressing her gratitude to Dr Martens for including her art in their ‘DIY Docs’ section
Other groups also liked to use the shoes as an anti-fashion statement, including punks, who graffitied them, and goths, who painted the yellow bits black.
In the 1990s, the shoes were popular in the grunge culture, before sales suddenly plummeted, forcing the company to close all but one of its factories.
However, in the 21st century they have made a comeback by appealing to a wider audience after the world’s biggest fashion icons wore them, including more recently Bella Hadid, Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo.
Today, the boots have become popular with many minority groups, including LGBT youth and goths – and the brand is advocating the shift.
Other groups have previously expressed support for companies portraying transgender men with mastectomies, but say it is vital to promote cultural awareness.
Pictured above are the controversial pair of boots on the Dr Martens website
They were shown in a Q&A with the artist about why she chose the specific design
The division in American culture over transgender care focuses on whether it should be offered to those under the age of 18.
Right-wing groups claim that minors are incapable of making decisions about irreversible changes to their bodies, and that surgeries and treatments should be banned.
Their cause was supported by a number of under-18 transgender people who have since transitioned into adulthood.
However, other groups argue that transgender care is needed at this age to prevent a person’s body from turning into one that doesn’t match their gender identity.
More than 20 states have restricted transgender care for minors, banning surgery, puberty blockers and hormone therapy.