The name Fae Johnstone wasn’t known to many until Hershey’s Canada featured her on one of its five limited editions “HER for SHE” chocolate bars to celebrate women’s day 2023. Unfortunately, the internet didn’t quite consider the Canadian transgender activist as a “woman” and started the #BoycottHersheys trend.
This Fae Johnstone Bio explores more of the trans activist’s life.
Meet Fae Johnstone, Activist Featured On Hershey’s Women’s Day Campaign
To mark International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, Hershey Canada launched a campaign featuring five young Canadian women — whose faces with put on the brand’s chocolate bar wrappers. Each “HER for SHE” chocolate bar was meant to “shine a light on women and girls who inspire us every day.” But sadly, the chocolate bar with Fae Johnstone’s face on it sparked transphobic vitriol on Twitter with Coco @CoClarified even tweeting, “Weird how @Hersheys couldn’t find real women to sell their herSHE product on #InternationalWomensDay.”
This campaign was meant to celebrate women and note the ongoing fight for equity. Hershey’s was even donating up to $40,000 to Girl Up to support the cause. But it seems the campaign indeed was a “woke fail,” as termed by the New York Post.
Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, also stood in support of the campaign applauding the chocolate company for including transgender representation.
Likewise, Michelle Fortin (executive director of Options for Sexual Health), and Julia Levy (Canada’s first trans queer woman to receive a Rhodes Scholarship) also condemned the transphobic backlash.
As for Fae, she shared that she was honored to be featured in the campaign. “I hope this campaign shows trans girls they can dream big and change the world, too,” she added before stating, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not shutting up. I will always stand up for women and girls, cis and trans.”
“Spurring an international campaign to boycott a chocolate company definitely wasn’t on my list of predictions for 2023,” she quipped.
After the controversy, Hershey Company also issued a statement, “We value togetherness and recognize the strength created by diversity. Over the past three years, our Women’s History Month programming has been an inclusive celebration of women and their impact.”
Fae Johnstone Career Details
Fae Johnstone is a transgender activist who co-owned Wisdom2Action. Also, she was a member of both the Champlain Regional Planning Table for Trans and Gender Diverse Health and the Ontario Youth Suicide Prevention Leadership Committee, at the time.
Previously, she has worked for the LGBT Youth Line, the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health’s Strategic Advisory Council.
Overall, Fae has been an independent consultant focused on 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, sexual health and rights, trans inclusion, and gender-based violence. She has also trained thousands of educators and service providers in Canada and around the world.
Thanks to her effort, she became the recipient of the LGBT Youth Line Trans Activism award in 2019.
Fae Johnstone At Wisdom2Action
Besides owning Wisdom2Action, Fae Johnstone also works as its executive director.
Over the past years working with W2A, Fae has led local, provincial, and national initiatives focused on 2SLGBTQ+ community health and wellness, youth mental health, meaningful community engagement, and gender-based violence.
Fae Johnstone Age
Fae Johnstone was born on July 31, 1995. That made her 27 years of age in 2023.
As per her birthday, Fae is of the Leo zodiac.
Fae Johnstone Family
Fae Johnstone comes from a family of five.
Her father, Michael Johnstone is an Ottawa, Ontario native who attended Colonel By Secondary School and later studied Engineering management at the Royal Military College of Canada. He then went on to work at the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery.
As per Fae, her dad is one of her best friends who’ve always supported her and her work.
Sadly, we don’t know much bout Fae’s mother Karen Edwards Johnstone.
Talking about her siblings, she has two brothers — Nic and Ben.
Her little brother, Benjamin Johnstone turned 24 in Feb 2023. He is a UBC Faculty of Arts graduate who went on to work as an ESL Tutor at AllSet Learning and Cultural Assistant at the University of British Columbia, English Language Institute.
Fae Johnstone Before
Before the transition, Fae Johnstone looked as lovely as she does now, but with shorter hair.
Also, she used to have darker hair.
Sadly, we don’t have any pictures of her before the transition.
Fae Johnstone Partner
Fae Johnstone married her partner Faelan @discowormparty (a.k.a ferret king) on September 25, 2022 — a month and a year after their engagement. But though it’s been less than a year, Fae felt like she’s been married to her boo for eternity (in a good way).
You can check their wedding pics on Fae’s FB and Twitter as she often likes reposting them.
Fun Fact: Fae and Faelan introduced their parents to each other in July 2020
Related FAQs
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Where Is Fae Johnstone From?
Fae hails from Ottawa, Ontario.
But since she grew up in a military family, they moved around every 3-4 years.
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Where Did Fae Johnstone Receive Her Education?
Fae kept the names of her school and college a secret.
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Is Fae Johnstone On Instagram And Facebook?
We couldn’t find her on Instagram. But here’s her Facebook.
Also, find her on Twitter @FaeJohnstone.
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How tall is Fae Johnstone?
Fae stands tall at a height of under 6 feet (183 cm).
She finds herself too tall and also she hates her shoulder width.
