Is anyone else boycotting Tesco's for giving £80,000 to Mermaids?

[loveyouradvice]

Just that really... I was shocked, especially given all the news coverage there has been about the issues recently. I would have expected them to give it to an uncontroversial charity at the very least - and ideally one that most of their customers would like to support

I won't be boycotting no. There are many reasons to boycott Tesco. That is fairly low down the list.

I'm not going to try and convince those of you who are already convinced that your prejudice is justified. This is the internet -- you'll always be able to find a bunch of random articles or opinion pieces that support your view. You won't be swayed from your bigotry, even in the face of science, changing public opinion, and just general human decency towards other human beings who are disproportionately victimized and killed by people who hate them for who they are.

But I guess I'm feeling increasingly ashamed of myself for just ignoring it on this site, which I feel is a community I'm part of.

The whole assumption behind this post is that 'we all' disapprove of a charity that supports trans and non-gender non conforming children and their families. There are a lot of conversations and posts on mumsnet like this that normalize transphobia. I usually ignore them, because who wants to get into an internet fight with a bunch of angry strangers? But I get a guilty uncomfortable feeling that by letting it pass unchallenged, I'm condoning it. When I let it pass unchallenged, when I could say something, I feel complicit in your normalization of transphobia.

So I'm not going to get into a fight with you or try to change your mind. If you were open to reason, you'd do that work yourself. There are plenty of resources out there on the internet, and ways to hear from trans men and women themselves.

But I do want you to know this. The prejudices you have, and the hateful things you say here on this site or in real life about trans men and women, and people who are gender non-conforming: it is not acceptable. It's also not feminism. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

I really don't trust Mermaids. Am I allowed to say that?

Tesco should be doing due diligence.

My own company certainly would.

I think I can live without Tesco.

Trans people should have support, they have enough shite to deal with as it is.

TBH my opinion of Tesco is slightly higher now.

who are disproportionately victimized and killed by people who hate them for who they are

Just to be clear on this one: transgender people worldwide have a LOWER murder rate than every other group. Even lower still if you remove the risk associated with sex work. Even in Brazil which has the highest murder rate for transwomen it is an order of magnitude a LESS than that of other men (and less than for women too). In the UK there are more transwomen murderers than transwomen murdered.

@EllaEllaE

I'm not going to try and convince those of you who are already convinced that your prejudice is justified. This is the internet -- you'll always be able to find a bunch of random articles or opinion pieces that support your view. You won't be swayed from your bigotry, even in the face of science, changing public opinion, and just general human decency towards other human beings who are disproportionately victimized and killed by people who hate them for who they are.

But I guess I'm feeling increasingly ashamed of myself for just ignoring it on this site, which I feel is a community I'm part of.

The whole assumption behind this post is that 'we all' disapprove of a charity that supports trans and non-gender non conforming children and their families. There are a lot of conversations and posts on mumsnet like this that normalize transphobia. I usually ignore them, because who wants to get into an internet fight with a bunch of angry strangers? But I get a guilty uncomfortable feeling that by letting it pass unchallenged, I'm condoning it. When I let it pass unchallenged, when I could say something, I feel complicit in your normalization of transphobia.

So I'm not going to get into a fight with you or try to change your mind. If you were open to reason, you'd do that work yourself. There are plenty of resources out there on the internet, and ways to hear from trans men and women themselves.

But I do want you to know this. The prejudices you have, and the hateful things you say here on this site or in real life about trans men and women, and people who are gender non-conforming: it is not acceptable. It's also not feminism. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Well said. As a black lesbian, it's refreshing to see people on here being normal. This place is so LGBTQ+ phobic and racist to boot but usually it's contained in the cess pit of "feminist cult". I'm raising a trans child, who has been fabulously supported by the trans community, including mermaids. Not bullied into anything, just supported by like minded humans. I have FtM friends, lots of them, all adults and most near full surgery. All supported by mermaids. Just because you don't like it DONT try and strip people from their support. Their support needs funding just as much as yours does.

If you want to boycott something do it, that's fine, you don't need to announce it to anyone clearly as you're so insecure about your choice. Just do it.

Well said @EllaEllaE

I will

@EllaEllaE

I'm not going to try and convince those of you who are already convinced that your prejudice is justified. This is the internet -- you'll always be able to find a bunch of random articles or opinion pieces that support your view. You won't be swayed from your bigotry, even in the face of science, changing public opinion, and just general human decency towards other human beings who are disproportionately victimized and killed by people who hate them for who they are.

But I guess I'm feeling increasingly ashamed of myself for just ignoring it on this site, which I feel is a community I'm part of.

The whole assumption behind this post is that 'we all' disapprove of a charity that supports trans and non-gender non conforming children and their families. There are a lot of conversations and posts on mumsnet like this that normalize transphobia. I usually ignore them, because who wants to get into an internet fight with a bunch of angry strangers? But I get a guilty uncomfortable feeling that by letting it pass unchallenged, I'm condoning it. When I let it pass unchallenged, when I could say something, I feel complicit in your normalization of transphobia.

So I'm not going to get into a fight with you or try to change your mind. If you were open to reason, you'd do that work yourself. There are plenty of resources out there on the internet, and ways to hear from trans men and women themselves.

But I do want you to know this. The prejudices you have, and the hateful things you say here on this site or in real life about trans men and women, and people who are gender non-conforming: it is not acceptable. It's also not feminism. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Is this the new, extra wordy version of #NoDebate?

Mermaids supports people with gender identity issues.
Life Matters supports pregnant women.

Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Until you realise that they have an agenda and they "support" people to follow their agenda. Even though they deal with housing, money issues, etc, very few women would support Life Matters (I've chosen this because it's a mumsnet relevant charity, rather than to chastise them) unless they, themselves, are not pro-choice.

The work that mermaids do seems similarly kind until you find out more about them. It's so easy to not find out more and just think, awww, that's nice, and I suspect that this donation will wash over the heads of so many people for this reason.

@EllaEllaE

I'm not going to try and convince those of you who are already convinced that your prejudice is justified. This is the internet -- you'll always be able to find a bunch of random articles or opinion pieces that support your view. You won't be swayed from your bigotry, even in the face of science, changing public opinion, and just general human decency towards other human beings who are disproportionately victimized and killed by people who hate them for who they are.

But I guess I'm feeling increasingly ashamed of myself for just ignoring it on this site, which I feel is a community I'm part of.

The whole assumption behind this post is that 'we all' disapprove of a charity that supports trans and non-gender non conforming children and their families. There are a lot of conversations and posts on mumsnet like this that normalize transphobia. I usually ignore them, because who wants to get into an internet fight with a bunch of angry strangers? But I get a guilty uncomfortable feeling that by letting it pass unchallenged, I'm condoning it. When I let it pass unchallenged, when I could say something, I feel complicit in your normalization of transphobia.

So I'm not going to get into a fight with you or try to change your mind. If you were open to reason, you'd do that work yourself. There are plenty of resources out there on the internet, and ways to hear from trans men and women themselves.

But I do want you to know this. The prejudices you have, and the hateful things you say here on this site or in real life about trans men and women, and people who are gender non-conforming: it is not acceptable. It's also not feminism. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Thank you!

Have you been to a mermaids meeting?

I'm waiting for someone to come and say what about mermaids is great, anyone with personal experience, but as always there's no debate.

Trans people should have support, they have enough shite to deal with as it is

Of course they do - but that's arguably not what Mermaids provides and the medical whistleblowers are numerous and vocal on this.

Yes I'm boycotting Tesco and I have emailed them to tell them why. This one is going to be hard because they have a branch over the road to me that I usually spend 20-30 pounds in every few days. If everyone only boycotted the places they hardly ever used it wouldn't be much of a boycott though. If only they were all as easy as Flora

👏 Well put Ella. Unfortunately you'll never change some peoples minds that any person with a penis is evil and trying to invade their female space.

@fruitbrewhaha

I'm waiting for someone to come and say what about mermaids is great, anyone with personal experience, but as always there's no debate.

No you're all just ignoring my posts conveniently. Funny that.

People don't agree with some aspects of the work the RSPCA does - this does not equate to them hating animals and wishing for them to all suffer harm and die.

On the same vein people don't agreeing with some aspects (all?) of the work that Mermaids do does not mean that they hate transkids.

Is it seriously that difficult to understand? A more close analogy would be Autism Speaks I guess, someone not agreeing with the core principles of Autism Speaks does not mean that they want those with autism / autistics to be silenced and to suffer abuse and harm.

If you want to boycott something do it, that's fine, you don't need to announce it to anyone clearly as you're so insecure about your choice. Just do it.

You’re clearly not aware of how activism works

I will be shopping at Tesco more often. And I’ll be glad that some transphobes have taken their business elsewhere.

@FamilyOfAliens

If you want to boycott something do it, that's fine, you don't need to announce it to anyone clearly as you're so insecure about your choice. Just do it.

You’re clearly not aware of how activism works

I am, just don't care for homophobes or transphobic pond life.