MS are handing out pronoun badges to their staff

[PostingForTheFirstTime]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10173649/M-S-diversity-managers-staff-pronoun-badges-customers-know-address-them.html

I will be emailing the appropriate departments advising them that gender ideology is still a hot political topic; its decision to allow men to use women's changing rooms made me so uncomfortable that I will not shop for clothes in their stores any more, but its decision to push a political stance with which I fundamentally disagree means I won't be using them at all from now on.

So sad, because I love their trousers and their Christmas party foods.

Yes there is the offer no there is no pressure no there isn't a slew of staff members wanting them, it is a non issue.

I am listening. I accept that few people will want these badges, but why are they being offered?

If you are close enough to read a name badge you are close enough to refer to somebody by name.

I would also be concerned if staff members declared their religion on a name badge.

I cannot understand how it is literally violence to misgender someone when they can’t hear you.

Why do you care what people call you when you’re not around to hear it?!

Do these pronoun people have spies or phone taps?! Why care so much?

[quote Ohmygodyesthatsit]@SuperDup3r for some reason no one is listening to the two people (you and me) who have direct knowledge of this, telling them this isnt happening as its being portrayed. Yes there is the offer no there is no pressure no there isn't a slew of staff members wanting them, it is a non issue.[/quote]
This isn't about individuals.

It's about creating a mechanism by which negative things can happen.

It's not about how many people put pronouns on their badges. It's about the fact that the policy is stating a political position which directly harms women, and is offering it to their staff under the erroneous impression that they are being progressive.

That is completely unacceptable.

It's not a neutral position. And it's creating a situation where, eventually, you could easily have to choose in order to not stand out.

@merrymouse why are they being offered? Because we have staff who want the damn things. Same as in all organisations now .. some people insist on being 'heard' and 'recognised' and whereas most of us couldn't care less that Dave on produce wants to be known as 'she/her/pansexual', Dave feels it necessary that we all know.

So to keep the Dave's happy, companies have to oblige in some way

I am the first person to be against this sort of woke shit btw. I saw a young girl wearing a 'they/them please!' badge in Argos - that's exactly what it said. And I inwardly eye rolled

Why inwardly?

You are already policing your own behaviour on the basis of an ideology that you don't agree with.

@Datun then you really must address almost every single company out there. Because this isn't unique to M&S.

And the reality is, you're not going to be falling over staff with it emblazoned on them. That is a fact!

[quote SuperDup3r]@RufustheBadgeringReindeer nah, no one is listening. It's all about how the world has gone mad etc etc. How the OP will be emailing in etc etc (she should, it would give people a bit of a laugh)

I am the first person to be against this sort of woke shit btw. I saw a young girl wearing a 'they/them please!' badge in Argos - that's exactly what it said. And I inwardly eye rolled

But this thread is specific to M&S and you won't be seeing this in there - UNLESS a member of staff specifically wants it. [/quote]
There are posters on here not saying things like that

Its a mistake to believe that because some posters dont agree with you that they aren’t listening

True datun

@Datun this was a young girl aged about 17. In quite capable of not being rude to her. What did you want me to do? Have a word with her? Shown my disdain as I picked up my Dyson? Don't be silly now

So to keep the Dave's happy, companies have to oblige in some way

Exactly. How come you get to keep Dave happy and not the women who disagree with it?

@Datun come back to the thread when you see more than 1 M&S staff member wearing this badge.

I'd love to debate this all day but, for the 3rd time, it's really not happening as this thread would have you believe

Plus its fucking irritating to be told that no one is listening when I actually am 😒

@RufustheBadgeringReindeer excellent! Hopefully you'll now understand it's not really happening. As you've listened

[quote SuperDup3r]@Datun this was a young girl aged about 17. In quite capable of not being rude to her. What did you want me to do? Have a word with her? Shown my disdain as I picked up my Dyson? Don't be silly now [/quote]
And there we have it!

It's silly to object. She's young. Be kind.

Of course I expect people to object. That's why we are all writing to Marks & Spencer's.

And that's why we will notice when that gets called 'frothing'. Or silly.

[quote SuperDup3r]@Datun come back to the thread when you see more than 1 M&S staff member wearing this badge.

I'd love to debate this all day but, for the 3rd time, it's really not happening as this thread would have you believe [/quote]
Again, it's not about the individuals. It's about the policy.

It's about people on this very thread being called transphobic if they don't adhere to it. Or, in your case, calling them rude and, er, silly.

@Datun for the 4th time, there is no policy. M&S don't have a policy for their staff to wear these badges. Are you particularly hard of understanding?

[quote SuperDup3r]@RufustheBadgeringReindeer excellent! Hopefully you'll now understand it's not really happening. As you've listened [/quote]
Condescending much 😀

[quote SuperDup3r]@Datun for the 4th time, there is no policy. M&S don't have a policy for their staff to wear these badges. Are you particularly hard of understanding? [/quote]
The policy is to offer the badges.

A badge with pronouns on is making a political statement. Therefore their policy is to offer their staff badges to make political statements that harm women.

You sure don't seem very informed for someone who is 'against all this shit'.

@Datun for the 4th time, there is no policy.

So there is no company-wide encouragement to offer name badges with pronouns to staff in all M&S stores? Despite what this David guy in the article in the OP said?

@Ereshkigalangcleg absolutely spot on.

We introduced these new badges a few months ago (a brilliant idea from a colleague that was then implemented by Cleo and our LGBTQ+ Network).'

This is a quote from M&S. There is also a quote from Stonewall.

If you WANT a badge proclaiming you're woke and must be referred to as 'they/them' then you can have one. Will you be offered one? No

@Ereshkigalangcleg

We introduced these new badges a few months ago (a brilliant idea from a colleague that was then implemented by Cleo and our LGBTQ+ Network).'

This is a quote from M&S. There is also a quote from Stonewall.

Also, and of course I could be completely wrong here, but I'm assuming that 'Dave on produce' is a spot of misgendering all by itself.

Because we have staff who want the damn things. Same as in all organisations now .. some people insist on being 'heard' and 'recognised' and whereas most of us couldn't care less that Dave on produce wants to be known as 'she/her/pansexual', Dave feels it necessary that we all know.

So to keep the Dave's happy, companies have to oblige in some way

No, they don't. There is no legislation requiring that anyone's identity be affirmed or recognised.

I know that M&S aren't the only large company doing this, which is part of the problem.

@SuperDup3r

If you WANT a badge proclaiming you're woke and must be referred to as 'they/them' then you can have one. Will you be offered one? No

It's a distinction without a difference, in my opinion. Can I get a badge that says I'm anti-abortion? Or pro Brexit?