Ben & Jerry’s is still auditioning to be the wokest company of them all after releasing a TikTok reasserting its political stance and amending a censorship lawsuit against parent company Unilever on Friday, claiming it had suppressed a social media statement that mentioned President Donald Trump.
The Vermont-based ice cream maker said in the complaint that its board intended to release a post mentioning abortion, climate change, minimum wage, and universal healthcare. The revised lawsuit said that Unilever President Peter ter Kulve “unilaterally barred Ben & Jerry’s from issuing the post because it specifically mentioned ‘Donald Trump.’”
“According to Mr. ter Kelve, despite four decades of progressive social activism—and years of challenging the Trump administration’s policies specifically—criticizing Trump was now too taboo for the brand synonymous with ‘Peace, Love, and Ice Cream,’” the lawsuit says.
The initial complaint, which was filed in November, focused on how Unilever had blocked Ben & Jerry’s attempts to show support for Palestinians and end military aid to Israel. The company claims Unilever threatened to “dismantle its independent board,” per Reuters.
The feud followed Ben & Jerry’s decision to stop selling products in the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, and the Judea and Samaria areas in 2021 because it was “inconsistent” with company values.
“We’re a values-led company with a long history of advocating for human rights, and economic and social justice. We believe it is inconsistent with our values for our product to be present within an internationally recognised illegal occupation,” Ben & Jerry’s said on its website.
Now, the ice cream company is going viral all over again after posting a video over the weekend reiterating its commitment to advancing leftist social issues. The TikTok caption says, “We’ve spent 46 years fighting for a more just world for ALL and year 47 will be no different. Your voice matters more now than ever.”
@benandjerrys We’ve spent 46 years fighting for a more just world for ALL and year 47 will be no different. Your voice matters more now than ever. Sign up to join the movement and take action with us and our partners at the link in our bio. ✊🏿✊🏾✊✊🏼 #benandjerrys #justice ♬ original sound – benandjerrys
The video clip features employees stating the company’s values. “‘Stick to ice cream.’ Not gonna lie, we get this one a lot. Yeah we’re in the ice cream business, but we’ve always been about much more than just ice cream,” the employees in the video say. “We use our power, our privilege, our platform, and our relationship with our fans to advocate for progressive social change. So no, we’re not just gonna stick to ice cream.”
“And we’re never going to stop trying to dismantle white supremacy, end the climate crisis, or fight for our democracy,” the video goes on. “And no, we’re not gonna stop fighting laws that restrict trans rights, ban books, and roll back abortion protections. Caring about that stuff, doing something about it, and supporting communities who’ve been directly impacted by it, is part of our DNA …”
The two employees went on to say that their leftist mission was always the intention of the company, which was founded in Burlington, Vermont, by two friends in 1978.
