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Original poster

BookThatMatter exclude "terfs"

85 replies

LonelyFlans · 17/08/2023 12:57

BooksThatMatter are a book subscription service that focus on books by female writers. They went on dragons den and ended up refusing funding as they didn't want to compromise this. All good.

They've always been lib fem but you could choose to ignore that if you still wanted to support a female-focused business.

However they've just rebranded as AphraBookClub and in the introductory Instagram post they've clearly stated "no terfs". When some women pointed out that this is offensive, they've stated that "terfs are swiftly being blocked".

How very disappointing.

BookThatMatter exclude "terfs"
BookThatMatter exclude "terfs"
BookThatMatter exclude "terfs"
OP posts:
Random789 · 17/08/2023 18:32

But also, why are we even talking about this? The posts make this 'business' look as if it is in a death spiral.

Random789 · 17/08/2023 18:28

How strange to have a 'female focus' and to talk about the "pale and stale book industry". Isn't the expression "pale, male and stale"? Someone obvs has a residual reluctance when it comes to positioning males as the fundamental problem.

spannasaurus · 17/08/2023 18:27

The compulsory strike off would have been due to the confirmation statement ( not the annual accounts)not being filed. Its quite common and you shouldn't read too much into it (I am an accountant)

Boiledbeetle · 17/08/2023 18:20

Yeah date wise it seems the gazette notice gave them a kick up the arse to submit whatever they hadn't, but I'm presuming they were already in a severe financial mess by that point.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 17/08/2023 18:18

They managed to get the compulsory strike off discontinued, but I'm assuming all was not well at that point

Looks like (and I am not an accountant so may be wrong) they are not submitting end of financial year accounts on time. Hence the strike-off.

Boiledbeetle · 17/08/2023 18:15

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 17/08/2023 18:08

Compulsory strike off action. I wonder if that's why the name changed?

https://www.aabrs.com/compulsory-strike-off/

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They managed to get the compulsory strike off discontinued, but I'm assuming all was not well at that point.

I only know one person personally who has had compulsory strike offs and these days he's currently playing hide and seek with the official receivers and seems destined to be a bankrupt for ever.

Boiledbeetle · 17/08/2023 18:08

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 17/08/2023 18:04

It's known as the Wickes strategy.

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Will they've definitely painted themselves into a corner.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 17/08/2023 18:08

Chersfrozenface · 17/08/2023 15:56

Companies House filing history here
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11389084/filing-history

Don't have time to go through their docs now but in case anyone does...

Compulsory strike off action. I wonder if that's why the name changed?

https://www.aabrs.com/compulsory-strike-off/

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 17/08/2023 18:04

Saltysamphire · 17/08/2023 14:24

What a great business strategy, alienating a significant proportion of your target market from the offset. Their investors, if they have any, must be thrilled!

It's known as the Wickes strategy.

Menopausehaver · 17/08/2023 17:40

Well fuck me, I didn’t realise feminism was supposed to have cute packaging.

cornflakesandtea · 17/08/2023 17:38

Uhh... why would they use this book? As we all know, Elliot Page has mens feels 🤷🏼‍♀️

BookThatMatter exclude "terfs"
Saltysamphire · 17/08/2023 17:27

Reading the comments on some of their other Insta posts - you’d have to be mad to subscribe to this scam after reading the experiences of their customers! Comment after comment of people not receiving their boxes and sending four or five emails only to be ignored. Appalling!

ApocalipstickNow · 17/08/2023 17:22

I’m picturing book club meets being

girls talking GIF by South Park
TheirEminence · 17/08/2023 17:17

Based in Brighton … might explain the obsession with ‘terfs’?

The accounts do make for interesting reading, not much of a profit and the owner/director is indeed just about to turn 27. I don’t want to be gleeful about a young entrepreneur in trouble but ripping off your customers and then pointing fingers at nefarious forces smacks of desperation. Not sure this culture war stuff is actually good for business.

MavisMcMinty · 17/08/2023 17:02

Perhaps they think it’s just terfs’ impossibly high standards, you know, expecting the things you’ve paid for to be delivered, or thinking a company should be easily contactable if things go wrong. Ban the complainy old hags, problem solved! Rainbow people are always so happy and forgiving, after all.

Boiledbeetle · 17/08/2023 16:51

NotTerfNorCis · 17/08/2023 14:45

Wow the Trustpilot reviews!

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.booksthatmatter.co.uk

Odd blip in there of positive reviews all done on 16th June with look incredibly suspect in amongst all the awful reviews!

RebelliousCow · 17/08/2023 16:30

" Stanning" women is something gay men do - not women.

SidewaysOtter · 17/08/2023 16:29

Well, apparently they're "queer owned" so that tells us everything we needed to know.

ArabeIIaKarenScott · 17/08/2023 16:19

ReeseWitherfork · 17/08/2023 15:55

I am a woman, I love women, and I find myself gravitating towards female-only enterprises such as book clubs. So this isn’t me shitting on the idea of a female-only book club. Hurrah for that. BUT…. Female authors aren’t underrepresented at all. There are more books published by female authors than male authors. And on average, books by female authors sell more copies. So I do wonder if these people are just throwing around “inclusivity” and “equality” drama for the sake of it. Outrage for the sake of outrage.

You may find the VIDA count interesting.

Yes, women are well represented in publishing, but in certain areas. Some fields are less open to them, and they tend to get fewer reviews. Some of the most prestigious journals don't reflect the numbers of women in publishing. NYRB and the LRB, for example.

https://www.vidaweb.org/the-count/

VIDA Count • VIDA: Women in Literary Arts

https://www.vidaweb.org/the-count

ApocalipstickNow · 17/08/2023 16:07

I’m looking at my copy of The Female Eunuch- it is not cutely packaged AFing all!!!!!

ApocalipstickNow · 17/08/2023 16:06

Oh no! But I need my feminism packaged as cutely AFing possible! What will I do?

(wink wink)

Heurgh · 17/08/2023 15:59

NotTerfNorCis · 17/08/2023 14:45

Wow the Trustpilot reviews!

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.booksthatmatter.co.uk

Love the way the CEO graciously offers to refund pissed-off Trustpilot customers 'as a gesture of goodwill' - for books they paid for and never got.

ReeseWitherfork · 17/08/2023 15:55

I am a woman, I love women, and I find myself gravitating towards female-only enterprises such as book clubs. So this isn’t me shitting on the idea of a female-only book club. Hurrah for that. BUT…. Female authors aren’t underrepresented at all. There are more books published by female authors than male authors. And on average, books by female authors sell more copies. So I do wonder if these people are just throwing around “inclusivity” and “equality” drama for the sake of it. Outrage for the sake of outrage.

Catsanfan · 17/08/2023 15:48

How are they claiming to be feminists and exclude us 'terfs'? The 2 completely oppose each other 🤦‍♀️