Lesbian Visibility Week 2020

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According the 'Diva Survey' (groundbreaking research into the lives of LGBTQI women), "86% of LGBTQI women are aware of media coverage about the transphobic attitudes of a small group of lesbians". Of course this is accompanied by a quote of "trans women are women".

There are no details on how many people were interviewed or where the research took place.

Further along the Visible Lesbian 100 page there is a lovely bit of explaining that if you define lesbian as a women who is sexually attracted to other women then you are guilty of narrow and prejudiced thinking!

Honestly, I'm not a lesbian but I'm just so pissed off at this!

I am very much looking forward to this reply.

(@ForwomenScot) Tweeted: Excellent letter. Look forward to response from @Tesco* t.co/WNraLnrinG*

... I have to applaud the endlessly patient gaslighting..

It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Tesco have replied... guess what - they don’t seem to like women!🙄

And the LGB Alliance page has been closed by Just Giving. They have started on another platform but yes .... the persecution continues.

But the Fake LGBAlliance twitter account with the link to the you-know-who lobby group is still up I guess?

That Tesco response is shocking - they can’t even be arsed to make sure all the font is the same from where they’ve clearly copied and pasted a generic statement. Not even addressing the extreme porn links (unless they’re implying that Bestiality and CSA falls under the Stonewall umbrella?)

What have Tesco done? Link doesn't work for me.

And the LGB Alliance page has been closed by Just Giving.

They ought to think about taking action under the EA. Sexual orientation and gender reassignment are separate protected characteristics, so it's perfectly ok to advocate for the rights of one or the other. Positive action.

Ereshkigalangcleg this Twitter thread explains what happened and includes Tesco’s reply to the complaint.

mobile.twitter.com/PankhurstEM/status/1255823189722218498

Tesco have definitely been steered wrong by their PRs. I wonder who they use?

[...bit of a ferret around...]

Hmmmm looks inhouse. With a Law grad as consumer head of PR.

Thanks ChickenonaMug

Wow that's a bit of a gaffe.

The refusing to back down as with Pride et al last year, is increasingly giving the message that this sort of belief and 'kink' is a normal, natural part of LGBTWhatever and should be smiled upon.

Fuck off with that, we spent fucking decades escaping the whole LGB = sexual deviant stigma before a bunch of white, straight, hetero blokes stormed in and started using us as a human shield for their desire to protect extreme porn, play with children while dressed as puppies with obvious erections and wank all over the pants in M&S. Oh and female people's and children's consent means bugger all and the prime director of their bodies and boundaries is said males.

There's LGB and there's fucking awful, antisocial behaviour and inflicting ones sexual behaviours and experiences on others. Or using non consenting others in ones sexual experiences. Please don't confuse the two, even if it's really convenient for those males if you do.

They've been told about the former leader of PIE, and specific extreme porn advocacy, and their response is 'we are inclusive' and Stonewall approved??

Bloody hell. Are they actively working against transgender ideology.

This is the reply to my complaint. It obviously a pro forma that they are sending to anyone who complains.

"Good afternoon

Thank you for taking the time to contact our office.

Tesco is committed to creating an inclusive environment, where everyone is welcome to both work and shop. We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and part of the Open for Business Coalition. Our LGBTQ colleague network - Out at Tesco - is one of the largest in Europe and we regularly work with the external LGBTQ community to support a number of initiatives and events, including Pride and the recent Lesbian Visibility Week.

We actively support all genders, regardless of their sexual preference, to feel confident in being themselves. However, we do not condone any unlawful verbal or physical activity, either within our business or from individuals in the wider community, and always support authorities on any Tesco specific enquiries."

Part of my reply (not my original email)

In stating 'However, we do not condone any unlawful verbal or physical activity' is inaccurate. You have inadvertently sponsored a person who does.

Please stop trying to minimise the seriousness of this issue by inferring that bringing this to Tesco's attention is transphobic or homophobic. Supporting violence, even indirectly, is not acceptable. Even in the name of inclusiveness.

How can we make them actually bother to look at the issue - because I bet dollars to doughnuts they haven't bothered to look and just had a handy 'cut n paste' reply given to them for the 'hateful women' who would complain.

its important to keep writing even though you get a generic response. They'll pump those out but get enough complaints and questions and they will start to look behind the scenes. Remember NSPCC - publicly "how very dare you suggest our employee is a rubber wanking festishist you homophobes" but behind the scenes clearly "oh fuck we better look at this...."

And don't forget to tell your family and friends! I certainly do. How dare they. How dare they do this and how dare they dismiss genuine concerns with a mere 'Ctrl C / Ctrl V'

I do wonder if when the Director of Marketing and the CEO meet the board next this will even be discussed. I suspect instead it will 'gate kept' and written off as an 'angry transphobe' blip.

Because that is what it is being framed as.

I can only hope that enough complaints will be received that point out the 'promotion of violence toward women and children' angle that it will be escalated.

Probably not. Too busy patting themselves on their back and looking for the next gold star.

Tesco really can’t afford to piss of their customers. They are foolish if they think they can play that game and not get their fingers burned.

Off not of

I actually made sure that I never referred to sexual preference or gender identity. I simply remained completely focused on the extreme pornography and violence angle. And tied in the eggshell skull tweet.

Stuff ‘sexual preference’ (that’s so 20th century) and ‘gender’ - feh I remember the 70s. It’s the sexual violence, porn and DV apologise that makes my blood boil.

I totally agree Lordfrontpaw.
I was surprised to see sexual preference in the email too. It does smack on 'out of touch' doesn't it.

And to be honest - someone being gay makes not one jot of difference if they are slicing my ham on the deli counter.

It's not an 'inclusive' environment at all when they're implying that these kind of beliefs, actions and behaviours are just a part of being LGBT, and while considered unacceptable when done by anyone else, should be celebrated when carried out by LGBT people. That isn't inclusive to LGBT at all, its damaging, othering and offensive. Homophobic, transphobic, sexist, misogynistic. And definitely not family friendly.

The fact that it's an agenda being furthered by a group of idiots who are LGBT and say 'inclusion' a lot does not mean abandon all critical thought and go for it. In fact it says a great deal for othering and for total ignorance around inclusion and LGBT that a corporate this size has fallen for this.