Why are people boycotting Boots? Are you?

[Deadbeatex]

For full disclosure I haven't seen the advert yet, but I'll probably end up searching for it if I don't come across it naturally during viewing in the next few days.

I've seen the #boycottboots and have worked out it's to do with their new Christmas ad. What's the issue? Are you boycotting Boots or do you think people are overreacting?

Randomly choosing the poll options simply because as stated I've not seen the ad so I don't currently have an opinion either way

YABU I'm boycotting
YANBU it's an overreaction

Not a handmaiden 🙄 just other opinions are available to your own -I don't see it as mocking me (they're not me, are they?) just people, exploring a different side to themselves.
You have a problem with the drag aspect of the advert, ok. I don't.
Boots really knew how to wind everyone up didn't they and get them talking and arguing - a black woman in a main role and drag queens in the same advert?!
Think I heard a "them" pronoun in there too for extra measure 😳

Depends how you feel about men caricaturing as women using outdated stereotypes?

How do you dress up as a woman? Is make up only for women? Or skirts and dresses? Does that make trousers only for men?

Aren’t we past all this gender bullshit? How can it simultaneously be true that we want to dismantle gender stereotypes AND that only certain ways of presenting are for acceptable for each sex?

Saw the ad and I like it - I know many households that wouldn't do anything for christmas unless the woman took the lead and organised everything, so thats what I got from it. (In a lighthearted way)

Of course some men will take offence, because they dont like to hear that.

I don't understand the boycott tbh, people protesting because it is a woman of colour or trans people, but its one ad. Minority groups aren't represented enough in the media.

In summary, it’s a pretty crap advert.

The majority of us will not change our existing shopping habits at Boots because of it.

I didn’t notice this either, the only thing I noticed about the advert was that it had the actress from Bridgeton in, and I noticed that because I like her.

What a bizarre fuss about absolutely nothing. Maybe I’ll spend more time in Boots in future, secure in the knowledge that I am not amongst racists, since they are all staying away now.

There is barely a single ad that trans isn't represented in! They are over-represented and over-exposed. The most visually centred 'minority' in the history of minorities. In reality, it's just about Male Supremacy, as is drag. Even the BBC has at least 4 stories a week on drag queens. You'd never get 4 stories on women of colour or even on crimes against women.

Many families of various ethnicities are predominantly the same ethnicity too.

As has been said the issue is not that she is black. We have had many lovely adverts feature black people, no one cares. It was her 'terribly white' comment/smirk. Why say it? Of course they are white.

just watched it - thought it was good, can't see what the issue is - i'm the one who always does the Christmas shopping in my house, it's generally left to the women - that's all i got from it

We have had many lovely adverts feature black people, no one cares

That's not entirely true though, there was a Christmas advert the other year, think it was Sainsbury's that featured a black family celebrating Christmas.
There was an online uproar about it just like with this one, with people threatening to boycott them too as it "wasn't right".

This! My adult daughter has special needs. She loves panto - she has 3 booked for this Christmas- but she is terrified of drag queens. There is a completely different energy between a panto dame and a drag queen and she can sense this. The last panto dame we saw was Paul Merton as Widow Twankie and he was utterly non sexualised. The pantoxdame and the drag queen are completely different.

Absolutely.

A pantomime dame is quite clearly played for laughs and is non-sexualised.

A drag queen is frequently hyper sexualised with large breasts and lips, and fetishised etc.

Ah, so following your logic, retailers are deliberately being provocative.

That explains a lot.

Interesting, thanks.

Fucking hell. Do you think Africa is one country? It’s embarrassing how poorly educated people are in this country.

Christmas adverts always, rightly, feature people of all ethnicities. It is fine. Not just Christmas adverts but everyday adverts too.

I repeat she smirked about the terribly white rf balcony scene after a diverse Abbey. That is what some people find unpleasant.

CowboyJoanna · Yesterday 19:19

I know quite a few. NONE of them celebrate christmas.

Offhand, my Egyptian neighbours always put a tree and decorations up. My daughter's friend, with Bangladeshi parents, has the same.

Yeah, good point, which African country?
Africa is the continent, there's 54 countries in it altogether I think.
It'd be like saying "The European Royal Family" - erm?!

It's really going to look like a derail, but I have been boycotting Boots foe ages, since it was taken over by private equity, and also started getting money from the NHS by reviewung customer's medication, unnecessarily, reported, probably, in the Guardian and involving a pharmacist whistleblower. It was a long time ago, but that was the gist.
Pity as that, and related shops (Timothy Whites, Mence Smith) were my go-to for a lot of stuff.

I suppose it was more of a rhetorical question, she didn't need to and shouldn't have commented on their race. This country is 87% white so it's not exactly a strange or comment-worthy thing that our royal family are white

KKR sold out of Boots in 2014, so that’s no longer relevant.

I assume your issue with P/E is otherwise related to a decline in the brand (of which I would agree).

🙄 Nope, not at all. Read, then re-read my posts. I’m pointing out the race thing is a red herring. Loads of adverts have people of colour in, and I can’t see that there’s ever been big drama with people boycotting products/companies. No-one cares these days about what nationalities/race/skin colour are on TV fgs (and rightly so). It’s just people looking to be offended, when there really is nothing to be offended about.

Well said.

The PP was simply trying to get a rise, that’s all.

I get your point I just don’t consider using black people in adverts or on tv in general woke.
Clearly some people do

I quite like the ad! The actress in the ad, Adjoa Andoh made some comment about the royal balcony being very white at the kings coronation and now some people have decided she’s the worst person in the world. I think she’s a brilliant actress. Her comment was a bit silly but who hasn’t said silly things?

I have to say I'm quite confused by the whole thing. I thought the right were against cancel culture?