I went to M&S today to get Dd1 PE items and bras, and dd2 socks. I got the jogging bottoms off the rail and remembered dd2 needed new PE tops too so grabbed those. One the side facing me as I approached the rail it said "Girls' Sportswear" so I figured both sides was for girls. Mum pointed out in mild horror and confusion that I'd picked up boys' jogging bottoms. I didn't see any other displays so figured they were unisex and gave her the "we don't subscribe to sexist stereotypes and gender roles" talk (again). Then I noticed the rail said "Boys' Sportswear" above where I'd got the bottoms and T-shirts.
As we were chatting one of the staff came over and asked if we needed any help (yes, please an alternative place to shop that doesn't throw women's safety out of the window) and I checked that the items were unisex.
She explained that the staff have been told that things must not be "segregated by gender" now and must be all mixed together. Staff have been covertly watching customers and have found them baffled. Her example being a mum looking for trainers for her son. She was faced with multiple rows of all sorts from the flowery to the plain black and it took her a while to locate what she wanted and was quite exasperated by this and approached staff for help. Mum braced for me launching into a feminist rant but was relieved disappointed that I didn't.
So off I went to look for the socks dd had picked out. Spotted the socks but couldn't find the pack she wanted. All the socks were not together but separately, displayed rails apart into stereotypical themes of flowers and unicorns vs football and dinosaurs 🙄 Hmm so obviously not mixing everything around, just the shoes.
I noticed that this philosophy of being gender neutral (oh how I hate that phrase) did not extend to the rest of the store. Boxer shorts and y fronts (or whatever) are on the far side of the store; bras and thongs etc. on the other. Now, surely it should just be one big section for underwear if M&S policy is not to segregate? Maybe it's early days and they are starting with the kids and are playing it safe by starting with footwear?
Oh and things are to have nice neutral yellow tags now, not blue or pink.
I'm wondering how sales would be affected if they did just lump items together by garment type? I imagine it would be a nightmare trying to find what you're looking for and trousers designed for the female body would not be right for the male and vice versa. They'd have to decide which side shirts and coats button up too.
Maybe kids stuff works because puberty has not yet struck and given different shaped hips and waists and chests etc?
I'm thinking out loud I know (it's the painkillers, sorry) but where are shops going with all this? I'm all for wear what you want (ds has long hair and likes his toe nails painted in the summer to match his sandals-he's 5) but surely there needs to be a system of some kind to allow shoppers to find what they are looking for?
Sorry for rambling
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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions
M&S gender and staff/customer confusion
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DtPeabodysLoosePants · 14/02/2020 21:49
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