Asda's new pronoun badges for staff

[BessyK]

My BIL who works at our local store has just received this information, he thinks Asda's gone mad. Asda are also funding Diversity Role Models with £100,000 over the next year. Looks as though they're jumping in with both feet.

If they just have the money to charity - that would give them stack of PR opportunities. But no. They felt the need to do this. I wonder who suggested this nonsense?

I din't want a load of politics with my milk and bread, thanks.

It's exclusionary to women, and telling us ASDA don't think we should have rights.

Why on earth would I need to talk about a worker in ASDA? Do they imagine I'm going to be saying how stunning and brave he/she/they are?

I'm not sure what kind of conversation you would be having with someone working at Asda where it would be appropriate for you as a customer to ask them their pronouns. Perhaps these are meant to be aimed more at coworkers, but if people are wearing them then customers might ask, and that could be an awkward conversation. Unless they plan to start banning customers who don't ask in the way the person being asked would have liked I don't see how this is likely to end well.

Like, do you need to know someone's pronouns to ask them what aisle the soup is in or when there might be more fresh bread coming out? And if someone does ask, and the person answers, what's meant to happen then?

I think £100,000 could be better spent. Start with Foodbanks, for instance. I wonder how many staff will even be interested in wearing such a badge? Were they/them/their asked? Hopefully some people who work for Asda might tell us. My daughter has a friend who works for a finance company in London. At the start of meetings each member of staff now has to introduce themselves, also explaining how they "identify". Who actually cares? On the other hand, with Asda staff in those awful black and green uniforms, some staff might feel uncomfortable that they cannot express themselves through the way they dress, wear their hair or use makeup, so might appreciate a badge. It would be interesting to hear from such a person to get their point of view.

@StealthPolarBear

Well the know the brother in law is a man as the op used "he". So that should narrow it right down.

LOL! Thanks for that - I need a laugh today! x