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Original poster

Why Justine Roberts should not give in to demanding celebrities

158 replies

IwantToRetire · 11/01/2026 20:36

Please note this post is NOT about the politics of the letter itself but about the ill advised attempt by celebrities to put one woman on the spot in public, and misunderstanding what the power of mumsnet is.

Irrespective of whether anyone does or does not support the letter written by self regarding luvvies https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XJv6qEHsa8XAQHfc_wjzUvNTqI2uCrvU0k45uk8H-UM/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 they have no right to put one woman in the public spotlight by demanding Justine Roberts works with them.

So this was my first reaction to this situation. It is about as rude and unsisterly as demanding that Starmer's wife joins their campaign. Or like those immature tv presenters who long for a gotcha moment and go on and on asking the same question to try and get some celebrity or politician to make a public statement.

Secondly, with all due respect to Justine Roberts in her skill and willingness to create such an important forum for "mums", what makes mumsnet important is the wide range of contributors who do not look to JR like hive bees do to their queen!

So if these self publicists want mumsnet to get behind them, have the decency to sign up to mumsnet or request a guest post and then be prepared to respond to what will be a wide ranging and no doubt intense debate.

So not only should they not have put JR on the spot in the public domain, if they suceed in getting a "mumsnet" response via MNHQ then it leaves mumsnet open to any number of no doubt sincere campaigners demanding that they to get MN recognition.

So stop the public bullying of JR.

It is not a very nice thing to have done.

(for those who want to discuss the campaign itself there are a number of threads, one on AIBU and one on FWR)

Open letter: Mothers Appeal To Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts

Dear Justine, While sharing the magic of Christmas with our children, it was heartbreaking to see images of little boys and girls just like ours in flooded tents and without food or warmth or medical support in Gaza, after everything they’ve already be...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XJv6qEHsa8XAQHfc_wjzUvNTqI2uCrvU0k45uk8H-UM/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 11/01/2026 21:55

I fully support the people who have signed the letter.

SharonEllis · 11/01/2026 21:51

Completely agree.

TicklishReader · 11/01/2026 21:49

Bullying? Where?

peacefulpeach · 11/01/2026 21:46

IwantToRetire · 11/01/2026 21:42

There are many older women doing really valuable work for their communities. Who work hard and do complex tasks. But we don't know their names.

Yet the luvvie enamoured MSM unfairly and unjustifiably gives those who happen to be in the establishment approved arts a voice, by comparison these women are erased and ignored.

So please got off your self interested soap box and deal with the issue.

Which is that these women could have done instead of pimping their fame to get the media to amplify their voices to publicly put pressure on another woman, and instead engaged directly with other women as their equals.

Not some silent, nameless extras, playing homage to the "great and the good".

Edited

Classic celebrity behaviour - when they risk nothing, they can champion anything and earn their status points.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 11/01/2026 21:42

There are many older women doing really valuable work for their communities. Who work hard and do complex tasks. But we don't know their names.

Yet the luvvie enamoured MSM unfairly and unjustifiably gives those who happen to be in the establishment approved arts a voice, by comparison these women are erased and ignored.

So please got off your self interested soap box and deal with the issue.

Which is that these women could have done instead of pimping their fame to get the media to amplify their voices to publicly put pressure on another woman, and instead engaged directly with other women as their equals.

Not some silent, nameless extras, playing homage to the "great and the good".

OP posts:
peacefulpeach · 11/01/2026 20:54

@IwantToRetire Totally agree with you. How dare they do that, who do they think they are to demand that another woman does what they want. Ironic.

HewasH2O · 11/01/2026 20:54

I agree with TheatreTheatre. These are professionals, not "self regarding luvvies" or "celebrities", who are trying to raise awareness of a humanitarian crisis. No bullying at all.

TheatreTheatre · 11/01/2026 20:48

I thoroughly object to the description of such people as Dame Judi Dench as ‘self regarding luvvies’.

You try learning 100 pages of Shakespearean text and putting yourself up for general criticism from the serious to the idiotic bitchy. Bringing intellect and intelligence to complex scripts. And working really hard into your late 80s.

In general I do not approve of press ganging and guilt tripping people into supporting causes. It is the flip side of cancel culture.

But I see this as a call to the mothers of MN, via JR. And they recognise the collective power of women on MN.

Personally while I think it is always good when MN makes a space for powerful voices and lobbyists to be heard I don’t think it is MN’s role to make official affiliations with causes.

I don’t see this as bullying JR.

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