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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

I made a mistake of going into Lush and trying to buy...

193 replies

Underthestairsbears · 14/10/2021 14:18

Something for a guy...!!!

I just popped into my local Lush, they used to have a 'bloke section' so I kept wandering around looking for it...
Of course one of the helpful assistants came over and asked if she could help.
I said "oh I can't find your bloke section "

Poor young woman looked rather pale and launched into her "oh we don't have a men's section. It's all inclusive "
Lovely, so I asked where I might find something that might appeal to a teenage boy.

The only thing she could point me towards was a "beard cream" and I explained he didn't have a beard!

She then dragged another more senior young lady over... who then started on and on about being inclusive and how everything in LUSH us for everyone....it as I tried to escape....!

I tried to see if they had gift sets that might appeal to him....

Ok, it didn't need to be masculine per se but honestly it's like they've eradicated men from LUSH...

I'm not sure if that's the look they were going for...and also isn't it usually the other way round 🙄

Couldn't make head nor tail of it but I didn't escape easily.... literally had to hot foot it out of there quickly to avoid another encounter!

Does anyone else find it's getting harder to shop efficiently for what you want because things have to be so woke...

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 14/10/2021 16:27

I went out with a chap who liked their stuff. He didn't have a beard.

lazylinguist · 14/10/2021 16:28

I won't enter or buy from Lush. Multiple reasons:

- harassment of everyone but in particular neuroatypical people
*- plastering their crap on people without asking, including a child with eczema whose mother had explicitly told them not to slap the cream on her child's arm

  • misogyny central - just look at their advertising*
- coercive treatment of staff, many of whom are uncomfortable with the heavy duty sales pitches and being told to strip off in the shop but can't afford to walk out of a job

^This. And they can fuck right off with their politicising and anti-jkr stuff. I like their products, but I refuse to be preached at by wokerati soap-sellers, so I don't shop there any more.

Original poster
Underthestairsbears · 14/10/2021 16:31

...think I might just buy him a book now...

Thank you for all your thoughts. It wasn't essential for me to buy something from Lush for him, I just was passing and teenage boys are notoriously hard to buy for so popped in. Again it wasn't about the products it was more about the behaviour of the staff.

OP posts:
NotMyCat · 14/10/2021 16:32

I used to work for lush. I would have pointed you to dirty shower gel or avo bath bath bomb or one of the citrus soaps or a million other things that men might prefer. Or I would ask if any particular scent they liked or prefer bath or shower

SinisterBumFacedCat · 14/10/2021 16:39

I only have to look at their bath bombs to get a uti. Inclusive, except if you have sensitive skin, it’s a fucking joke of a shop.

NCBlossom · 14/10/2021 16:41

Teenage boys - I would actually just ask him what he wants. They have their own very clear notions!

PaleGreenGhost · 14/10/2021 16:41

Also boycotting Lush since anti JKR comments. And since they apologised for donating money to a feminist charity, iirc.

The major Lush lover in my house is my son. The staff have always been delightful with him when we used to visit to spend birthday money. They probably thought he was a transgirl mind you and I'm surprised they didn't slip him the number for childline when they heard me "deadname" him.

Peanutsandchilli · 14/10/2021 16:45

@WomaninBoots

Last time I was in a Lush I ended up getting getting my arm washed and I wasnt sure how I had got there... so I haven't been back since.
Sorry but I can't stop laughing at that!
C8H10N4O2 · 14/10/2021 16:47

@MedusasBadHairDay

even clarks wont say girl or boy shoes

Clarks have traditionally been godawful for pushing utterly impractical footwear on girls, so this sounds like an improvement to me.

I'm pretty certain we used to have regular conversations in FWR about how this change was needed. I am still in FWR right?

Agree on the impractical footwear they often have for girls but mean and women have different shaped feet and shoes made on different lasts.

"Gender neutral" shoes are, astonishingly, made for a male default foot.

Lovemusic33 · 14/10/2021 16:47

To be fair a lot of their products can appeal to men, obviously not snow fairy or the more floral smelling stuff but I can imagine men liking quite a lot of it 🤔.

MedusasBadHairDay · 14/10/2021 16:51

Agree on the impractical footwear they often have for girls but mean and women have different shaped feet and shoes made on different lasts.

Is this still the case pre-puberty? I always used to put DD in "boys" shoes as it was the only way to make sure her feet were warm, dry and comfortable.

SecretKeeper1 · 14/10/2021 16:53

Well, beard cream isn’t very bloody inclusive, is it? What about those of us who can’t grow a beard? Huh?

I feel a complaint coming on… Grin

Diaryofamadwoman · 14/10/2021 16:54

My very "manly" son bloody loved the bathbomb with the sugar flowers on top that released heart shaped confetti. He'd love one as a stocking filler this year but unfortunately hell will freeze over before I spend another penny in Lush

DialSquare · 14/10/2021 16:58

@SecretKeeper1

Well, beard cream isn’t very bloody inclusive, is it? What about those of us who can’t grow a beard? Huh?

I feel a complaint coming on… Grin

Unfortunately, as a menopausal women, I'm not excluded from this category!
Lookjaz · 14/10/2021 16:58

Angel2702
The scents in lush appeal to anyone.

Lush scents do not appeal to every one. Just walking past makes me want to 🤮

BlackForestCake · 14/10/2021 17:01

try being inclusive of people who want to browse in peace

YES. I'm just trying to look at stuff, leave me the fuck alone.

ItsSunnyOutside · 14/10/2021 17:08

@WomaninBoots

Last time I was in a Lush I ended up getting getting my arm washed and I wasnt sure how I had got there... so I haven't been back since.
This made me laugh.

I really like Lush products but get it online now...last time I was in there, I ended up getting my arm washed too , plus a hand massage, it went on for about 10 minutes. It was actually abit weird {my dh and his dad were just stood outside laughing at me the whole time} I was too polite to say anything at first, then she was about to do the other arm, so I quickly declined, said thank you and told her I had left my dh waiting outside long enough!

Couchbettato · 14/10/2021 17:16

@NecessaryScene

The scents in lush appeal to anyone.

Um. Hmm

😁

Would you like Freesia with your Sandalwood

PurgatoryOfPotholes · 14/10/2021 17:20

I went off Lush after this.

extract

I was part of Lush’s ‘Cruelty Free Kisses’ campaign this Saturday and I want to write up what I saw and experienced on that day, because I want the public to understand just how dangerous and unethical the entire day was.

The concept is simple. Promote the use of cosmetics not tested on animals in a ‘fun’ and ‘quirky’ way whilst simultaneously pushing sales on all lip related products (there’s a competition for the winning store to have an all expenses paid trip to Poole to make lip products as a reward for whoever sells the most). So far, so good. The problem occurs when staff members are required to wear t-shirts that serve not only to promote the day, but also to act as evidence for the Guinness World Record attempt. What this meant was that the customers would be kissing our bodies for the entirety of the day. I could have opted out, but I would have been the only one to refuse and would have stuck out like a sore thumb on top of not participating in the store’s effort to win. Interestingly, the stores were only sent medium and large size t-shirts, so larger members of staff (they do exist, Lush) were spared the ordeal.

It was a busy Saturday and we had many people willing to help out. The majority were lovely. Unfortunately, as time went on, the mood changed. Large groups of drunken men were passing through the city centre on their way to the local bars and were drawn in by our display. From then on, they donned lipstick and kissed the most inappropriate places they could find – our breasts, our buttocks and our crotches (the t-shirts were quite long). I was asked for my mobile phone number, what time I finished work, if I had a boyfriend, if I was sexually excited by all of this, if I would give one of them a blow job… I plastered my fake grin on to my face, as I was one step away from either telling them all to fuck off, or bursting into tears and going home. I was very conscious of the fact that I was representing Lush, and I felt like I couldn’t defend myself to the same extent that I would if I weren’t in store. There were some points were I was definitely fearful, especially when some groups wouldn’t leave the store and stood waiting outside. I tried to swallow down my feelings of disgust as men pawed at me, forcefully grabbing parts of me to kiss and touch as if they’d been given carte blanche by Lush.

I felt helpless and exploited, and that’s because I was. Lush know that their staff are mostly young women, and they knew exactly how this type of campaign would play out amongst the general public. I’ve lost count of how many campaigns they’ve had that’ve sexualised and dehumanised women, and all of my complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I want everyone to know exactly what happened at Lush stores across the globe on Saturday. Animal testing isn’t acceptable, but the sexual exploitation of their workforce is actively encouraged.

Continues: mitheringsfrommorningside.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/the-smell-of-bullshit-part-22-sexual-harassment-is-part-of-the-job/

Glad to hear others think that they're inclusive though.

KittenKong · 14/10/2021 17:25

Wasn’t there a campaign where they asked staff to don an apron and nothing else?

KimikosNightmare · 14/10/2021 17:40

@MedusasBadHairDay

even clarks wont say girl or boy shoes

Clarks have traditionally been godawful for pushing utterly impractical footwear on girls, so this sounds like an improvement to me.

I'm pretty certain we used to have regular conversations in FWR about how this change was needed. I am still in FWR right?

The tyranny of boys and girls shoes was a hardy perennial on here so I'm somewhat surprised to see this complaint.
sleeponeday · 14/10/2021 17:51

I don't see a problem with this. Sexist stereotyping doesn't help anyone, surely?

I think Lush products are overscented and their HR policies sound worrying, but less rigidly demarcated gender provision around products and services is good, no? Why can't boys and girls use creams, lotions and potions by choice, and not sex?

We need single sex provision for things where sex matters, absolutely. Girls are physically vulnerable to boys, as an avalanche of data amply demonstrates, and for some things, women and girls require separate spaces. But I see no issue with gender neutral skincare. It's good that they aren't assuming anything gendered and stereotyped about a focus on appearance, no?

KittenKong · 14/10/2021 17:52

Last time I went to get glasses they had boys and girls sections (as well as men and women’s). Mine came from the ladies and teen boys sections respectively.

NCBlossom · 14/10/2021 17:59

@PurgatoryOfPotholes That’s terrible!

C8H10N4O2 · 14/10/2021 18:19

@MedusasBadHairDay

Agree on the impractical footwear they often have for girls but mean and women have different shaped feet and shoes made on different lasts.

Is this still the case pre-puberty? I always used to put DD in "boys" shoes as it was the only way to make sure her feet were warm, dry and comfortable.

Yes IME but it may be bigger issue for some feet than others.

I'm tall as are all the DC. We all have narrow feet which I believe magnifies the difference. Not such a problem for the boys but the girls and I have always had the combo of narrow feet at the upper end of the prevailing women's sizes.

Its especially noticeable in shoes such as trainers where once you get to a certain size the only stock is men shoes. cue futile hours trying on men's trainers which slip off the heels because many shops just point women at the men's section rather than keep stocks of small volume sizes. They were in adult sizes long before puberty (and VAT, don't start me on VAT for kids shoes and suitable shoes for children with big feet!).