"backlash" news and stories

Go ahead and add another word to your arsenal of Starbucks lingo. Along with no-whip, half-caf, and venti, say hello to skinny. In this case, "skinny" means nonfat milk and sugar-free syrup, so you're getting fewer calories and sugar than in, say, your average latte. They call it "The Skinny Platform."

But not everyone is on board. The Starbucks Gossip blog featured a letter from a barista sharing her concerns about the new drink title. Among her complaints? A new drink type will cause confusion among customers, and use of the the word "skinny" to describe a beverage is politically incorrect, and could hurt customers' or workers' self-esteem. "Should we start calling drinks with 2% or whole milk and regular syrups "Fat" or "Obese?" she stated. "In today's society, the term "skinny" often refers to a person who is considered TOO thin or unhealthy looking. People will not want to order a drink with a name that they associate with an unhealthy appearance."

The letter set off a barrage of reader comments, many of them attacking the letter writer's assumed weight or appearance, and suggesting that if she not like it, she get a new job.

What do you think? Is the new platform offensive? Would you feel embarrassed (or proud) to order a "skinny" latte? Should Starbucks be more sensitive to their customers' needs? And furthermore, should they be required to take individual workers' opinions into consideration? Or should the workers just adhere to whatever new rules are dictated to them by upper management?

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