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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Posie Parker statement: Not Overheard At Waitrose

178 replies

SwearyG · 19/10/2018 21:27

At 2.30 this afternoon the incredible Hannah Clarke and Julia Long headed over to Waitrose, Cromwell Road, London to photograph my billboards. A lovely twin set either side of Waitrose, a perfect placement if ever there was one! But no photographs emerged. I called Media Agency Group to find out where my billboards were. One of their staff told me the billboards had gone up and then been taken down by the landlord so they could look into the campaign. A treacherous campaign it is too, the definition of woman is practically an invitation to warfare. I'm sure the landlord scrutinises all adverts, just like Primesight and Exterion.

So I called the building management. They told me to call Waitrose as this was nothing to do with them, they insisted it was not their decision. I've called Waitrose press office and they told me it wasn't them, and Hannah and Julia asked the branch and they said it wasn't them!! My conclusion is that it's most likely to be Waitrose as the building management company implied it was.

At no point has anyone from Waitrose or MAG called me to tell me the billboards have been removed, and as they're digital someone must have had at least a conversation before interfering with the software.

I remain determined to continue to place in the public sphere that woman is an adult human female, until every woman understands what is at stake.

OP posts:
chewingpencils · 20/10/2018 09:10

I am totally supportive of the billboards, but it does sound from the OP that Waitrose were singled out to look as if they support the message, and that's not fair. I switched from Ocado because of their stupid posturing, but can't see this as the same thing at all.

rosablue · 20/10/2018 09:15

Definitely think an email to all of them saying that you have spoken to everybody responsible for the poster being there - or not - and got the same response from everybody - that they were not responsible for the poster being pulled. So as everybody is happy, please can you reinstate it.

And then sit back and see what happens...

If the email is sent to all 3 of them - then it makes it difficult for them to say they are ok with it but it’s somebody else that has told them (which they might have thought was a cunning plan to put the poster up and take it down without getting any other grief having seen what happened to Ocado last time)...

finnmcool · 20/10/2018 09:18

paffuto that's a good question, but you only need to look at various clothes shops changing room policies to see how wide spread it is.

Also leisure centres. I spent a lot of time in communication with GLL Better Gyms regarding the fact that they allow self identifiers into their women's changing rooms.

It was only after I pointed out that the showers in my local leisure centre are communal, that they agreed to change it, as it's a safeguarding issue.

Ilovemykid · 20/10/2018 09:42

Do we have any answers yet? This adult human female needs to know where to shop!

chewingpencils · 20/10/2018 11:07

Why this? 'A lovely twin set either side of Waitrose, a perfect placement if ever there was one!'
I generally approve of Waitrose and their ethos and can't help feeling they have been set up here. As I said earlier on the thread, I am as pissed off as the next person about Ocado's position and will never shop with them again, but Waitrose seem to have been dragged into this and are now being threatened with boycotts. I am not comfortable with that at all.

SwearyG · 20/10/2018 12:06

I really don't see it that way. The billboards were going up on the outside of a Waitrose as that's where they are. If you see the site they are two matching digital billboards either side of the Waitrose sign at the back of the store, visible on one of the main roads into London. Waitrose dragged themselves in by asking that they be removed according to the management agents for the site. The statement you're taking exception to was written after the removal.

OP posts:
Popchyk · 20/10/2018 12:15

So Waitrose themselves asked for its removal?

Have anyone asked them exactly why, Sweary?

merrymouse · 20/10/2018 12:20

Thinking this through, from a free speech point if view, if somebody took out an Ad in the same place saying “trans women are women”, what should Waitrose and the poster site company do?

2BorNot2Bvocal · 20/10/2018 12:27

MerryM leave it up. I would think it biologically inaccurate and a waste of someone's money but it wouldn't stop me shopping in Waitrose. Nor would I rush to the aisle of wine plasters because I had been literally wounded.

merrymouse · 20/10/2018 12:28

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheist_Bus_Campaign

For comparison, this campaign would have been offensive to some people, but it ran on London Buses.

SwearyG · 20/10/2018 12:32

Popchyk we’re in a situation where that’s what has been said but it has been denied as per the statement. I was trying to explain to pencils that Waitrose involved themselves. It’s a billboard on a building they use.

OP posts:
NeurotrashWarrior · 20/10/2018 12:32

Damm it John Lewis have the best breastfeeding snug in town.

NeurotrashWarrior · 20/10/2018 12:35

I've just placed an order for Christmas, not too late to cancel.

Shop local. Farmers understand what biological sex is.

pennydrew · 20/10/2018 12:35

What authority do Waitrose have to ask for this to be removed, if indeed it is confirmed they did so? I am still confused about who owns the space and who decides what can be placed there and how they decide if something can’t be.

chewingpencils · 20/10/2018 12:36

The statement you're taking exception to was written after the removal.
That's a fair point. It still sounds as if Waitrose would be unintentionally (for them at least) linked with the Fairplay for Women message because any photos of the two boards will have the Waitrose brand in the centre.
I know it would be lovely if all the brands and companies came out and gave us support, in the way that some are doing for the TRAs, but I think to be neutral is fine. I think to boycott Waitrose for this would be heavyhanded.

misscockerspaniel · 20/10/2018 12:39

Did Waitrose ask or did the landlord ask for the message to be removed? I very much doubt that Waitrose owns the site.

SwearyG · 20/10/2018 12:46

The landlord says Waitrose. Waitrose says the Landlord.

OP posts:
pennydrew · 20/10/2018 12:47

chewingpencils

I see what you’re saying, it was hard for me to understand until you made the point their own logo would be seen in the centre. However, is that not true for any message placed there? Are no political messages usually there? While it’s been put there to make a political point, the actual message itself wouldn’t necessarily be taken as a political message by most people who see it- and I would argue it’s not a political message in itself, but used for a political purpose.

pennydrew · 20/10/2018 12:47

So while they’re arguing about who did it, why can’t it go back up?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 20/10/2018 12:57

Perhaps in order to be neutral you could just have Posies original on poster on one of the boards, and then something pro-trans on the other one? Something like "Some women have a penis" ? Wink

SwearyG · 20/10/2018 12:57

Precisely

OP posts:
SwearyG · 20/10/2018 12:58

That was about it going back up.

OP posts:
breastfeedingclownfish · 20/10/2018 13:01

I think a large poster saying 'Some Women Have Penises' would be a rather excellent idea for the purpose of peaktransing

Ilovemykid · 20/10/2018 13:33

I think saying “some people who feel that they are women actually have penises” is more useful, and at a different location

OlennasWimple · 20/10/2018 13:47

I'd pose the Posie question - "does my 11 year old daughter have the right to use a changing room without seeing an adult penis?"