Wearing a poppy at job interview

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AIBU to wear a poppy on my shirt when I go to a job interview? I have two interviews lined up this week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.

My sis says I shouldn't wear a poppy for an interview and certainly not after the remembrance day e.g. on the Friday.

As PP have noted there are NO ‘rules’ for wearing a poppy according to the BRITISH LEGION. I’m amazed anyone would disapprove of someone wearing it after the 11th. Are people really that petty. 😕

I don’t understand why you are even thinking about this. Just wear it.
@speakout .. what are you like ? Who is it offending to remember people who died in war.

I can question the ideology of war, and recognise war as a political act while also commemorate the lives lost in war, it’s not an either/or. I wear a poppy in recognition of men and women who chose to serve their country and in doing so protected the right I have to live in freedom.

If people are offended by that, I really don’t care.

If you wear it after it might looked like you didn’t wash your clothes, check your appearance?

Surely it’s not beyond the wit of interviewers to think someone might have washed their clothes, checked their appearance and chose to wear a poppy?

Please remember human beings when making your blanket statements about the poppy. I am a good person and was very proud to serve my country. It breaks my heart my deceased friends won't be respected because of something we did 200 years ago.

200 hundred years ago? You might want to crack open a more recent history book. Ever hear of Bloody Sunday?Either of them? I remember my great grandfather telling him about the atrocities he personally witnessed committed b British soldiers. I have friends my age who suffered loss at the hands of British soldiers. As for Afghanistan, is in the state it is, in huge part because of how destabilising the Partition of India was for the region. (And obviously the Soviet, American and Saudi involvement since then.)

I feel huge sympathy for the men conscripted into wars, and even to those who went willingly, not truly knowing what they were signing up to. The same as I do for the civilians who died or had their lives spoiled by war. On all sides. Of all classes. I take no issue with anyone wearing a poppy and respect that they have their reasons. But lets not pretend that it's an utterly benign symbol to everyone and that people with a problem with the red poppy, don't have good reasons to feel how they do.

Surely it’s not beyond the wit of interviewers to think someone might have washed their clothes, checked their appearance and chose to wear a poppy? a few days after remembrance? I think most people would assume it was an oversight.

Would you like to explain to the British Legion why your opinion is more important than theirs? this made me laugh. I honestly think anyone’s opinion on what they wear is more valid than the British Legions! I may have to start a new internal check when putting on my clothes ... “looks good but ....what would the British Legion think?”.

@Yourpartjewishfriend

Well this thread is depressing as a veteran and someone who lost friends in active service. Some people are offended by a poppy, so fuck veterans eh? They only died for us. But heavens above we must not offend people. We wouldn't want that.

I couldn’t agree more. People sicken me. Anyone who criticises the wearing of the Poppy should hang their heads in shame. Nothing bothers me I have friends from all spectrums Labour voters, Tory voters, Brexit or Remain, Trump or Biden, Scottish Independence or Unionism but try and suggest I don’t wear a poppy and that is where we will part company.

Wear it with pride on both days, OP. If anyone interviewing were to take issue, it’s on them, not you and I’d think you had a lucky escape.

@alittleprivacy I just asked for a bit of sympathy on a day I'm emotionally wrecked remembering my friends that died. Much of what you allude to was decided by politicians not the men and women who were sent.

The armed forces of today does a lot of good in this world. My friend that had just helped people after a large earthquake in Nepal. I have other friends who helped get water to civilians after a hurricane in the carribean. Friends that trained up Nigerian forces to fight against boko harram, as part of the UN.

Friends that helped during the genocide in Bosnia. Friends that helped girls get an education in Afghanistan.

I've stepped in when flooding threatened UK homes, or when the NHS was broken.

I have friends who have ensured the Russians leave our airspace.

Please don't fix your one opinion of the poppy on what we did years ago.

There is much good the armed forces does, men and women just like you who are willing to work 20 hours a day, thousands of miles from home, because they want to make the world a bit better. That's why I joined.

@speakout

Don't! Poppies are becoming a bit of a hot potato- for lots of reasons.

Stay neutral.

Only on Mumsnet.

In real life, unless your IQ is particularly low, people understand others choose to wear them... or not... for a myriad of reasons, none of which is the business of you or anyone else.

Personally I wouldn't want to work with people who didn't respect my choice to wear a poppy. Just like they probably wouldn't want to work with me because of those views. So by wearing the poppy it gives them the chance to dismiss you or take you on that premise.

Wear it with pride.

Surely it’s not beyond the wit of interviewers to think someone might have washed their clothes, checked their appearance and chose to wear a poppy?

My poppy pin has been through the washing machine a few times!

??

This is even a thing?! I wouldnt think anything of it? Some people wear them all year round (as PP) plus, you do you, op. If you want go wear poppy, you do so. Its realistic unlikely to stop you getting a job, and if it did, is it really a place you want to work?

And interviewer might not like your hair colour, jewellery, overall style, look, mannerisms- would you change any of those? Wear the poppy, if you so wish.

If someone chooses to judge me for wearing a poppy they can take a great flying fuck to themselves and I wouldn't want to work for them anyway, even if they had the last job going.

I wear a poppy until Armistice Sunday or the 11th, whichever is later. There's no hard and fast rules but that's how I've done it since my teenage years.

If I had a job interview then I'd wear a poppy. I wouldn't even consider not wearing one to be honest. If the recruiter couldn't understand why I'd choose to wear a poppy I doubt I'd last long at the company full stop.

Some people are offended by a poppy, so fuck veterans eh?

Literally no one said that.

And it's always the right on lefties being accused of politicising the poppy when actually it's the EDL/Britain First arseholes who spend the month before the 11th drumming up ridiculous faux patriotism. Making it hard to wear one without feeling like it's a statement about xenophobia rather than remembrance. The same was done to the Union Flag in the 70s and the Saint George Cross. We let the right wing steal symbols and then blame the left for then not wanting to be associated with them.

Maybe don't repost vitriolic fake stories about poppy bans by right wing social media outlets and let everyone just decide themselves. Surely the important thing is donate money and remember, neither requires wearing anything.

Any interviewer that was upset at the sight of me wearing a poppy would not be somebody I would want to work with.

I have no time for the permanently offended, who think only their view is the right view, and anyone who disagrees is racist/ageist/bigoted/classist/genderist/sexist....etc, etc..

the poppy is not a symbol of the glory of war or nationalism - its about loss & remembering those who lost their life in war - I have always felt that it is actually more about the futility of war when you think of the lost generation (s) of people who died
If I remember rightly it is the one thing you are allowed to wear on uniform be it in the NHS (not in clinical settings obviously hygiene - I may be wrong here) or in the services because it is viewed as neither a political statement or a religious one.

(ps am always amused by right wingers & the St Georges Cross - due to the fact he was originally a saint in the Middle East)

@mumwon

(ps am always amused by right wingers & the St Georges Cross - due to the fact he was originally a saint in the Middle East)

These are not people known for their critical thinking or historical analysis!

I wouldn't think anything. It's all personal choice. I've never bothered wearing one however. I think I bought one a few times, but they ended up falling off my coat and getting lost so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Yes on Tuesday, no on Friday.

@mrsterrypratchett I choose not to listen to the likes of the EDL and support the British Legion in remembering the dead, some of whom are dear friends and colleagues. That's why I wear a poppy.

People need to remember that the poppy is not just about Britain and British and Commonwealth military. It was first introduced by the American Legion after WW1, and was then adopted by Canada, Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand.

The poppy is a humanitarian symbol. The remembrance is for military personnel and civilian communities of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds who have lost their lives in conflict. It remembers both military personnel, and members of the emergency services, and civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism. Those trying to hijack and politicise the poppy will only succeed if we let them stop us wearing it.