A simple offer made by a Marks & Spencer employee has ballooned into a controversy in the UK, forcing the retailer to issue an apology to an upset mother.
Even author JK Rowling, who is known for her anti-trans sentiments, involved herself in the controversy.
The incident took place when the unidentified mother and her 14-year-old daughter visited an M&S store to shop for some lingerie.
A simple offer made by a Marks & Spencer employee has ballooned into a controversy
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
When a transgender employee in the store’s bra section offered to help, the mother claimed it was “completely inappropriate.”
The staff member politely offered to help the teenage daughter, but the mother claimed her daughter “recoiled” and “freaked out.”
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
“Imagine her horror, then, when the person to approach us and ask if we needed help was a transgender ‘woman’, ie, a biological male,” the mother told The Telegraph.
Although there was no official confirmation that the employee was transgender, the mother claimed this was “obviously the case” and cited the worker’s height as evidence.
The teenage girl “recoiled” and “freaked out” over the employee’s offer to help, the mother claimed
Image credits: Ron Lach/Pexels
“This is obviously the case: he is at least 6ft 2in tall… My daughter recoiled, so I politely declined the offer and we left immediately,” she continued. “She was visibly upset and said she felt ‘freaked out.’”
The mother received a response from an M&S customer service assistant, who apologized for the “milestone” moment not going as they had hoped.
Image credits: Janaina Lourenço/Pexels
“We deeply regret the distress your daughter felt during her visit to our store,” read the emailed response.
“We understand how important this milestone is for her, and we are truly sorry that it did not go as you had hoped,” the response added.
The email assured the mother that they would receive “assistance from a female colleague during her next visit,” and they promised a “comfortable and positive” experience.
LGBTQ+ supporters were outraged over M&S not standing up for their staff member.
“Well, that’s me not shopping at @marksandspencer then,” one commented online. “And they used to train their staff to be trans *friendly*. It used to be a safe store to shop in for *anyone*. What happened to standing up for your staff? What next, are you going to apologise to racists for coloured staff?”
“The Marks & Spencer thing is so insane to me. a trans woman having a job is too much for these people. i’m very lucky to live in canada because i would be terrified to live in the UK right now,” another said.
M&S assured the mother that they would receive “assistance from a female colleague during her next visit”
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
“This is disgusting from @marksandspencer,” one said. “Throwing a member of staff under the bus to appease a bigot. It sounds like she was polite and professional, and apologies like this only demean someone who is just looking to help a customer.”
Following the response from M&S, the mother was reportedly not satisfied and asked the retailer to introduce a policy that would prevent transgender staff from approaching young women. However, the chain said it wouldn’t be changing its policies, according to Express.
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
“We want our stores to be inclusive and welcoming for our colleagues and customers,” an M&S spokesperson said.
“We have written to this customer and explained that our colleagues typically work across all departments in our stores, and customers can always ask the colleague they feel most comfortable with,” they continued.
The mother asked M&S to introduce a policy that would prevent transgender staff from approaching young women
Image credits: Anna Tarazevich/Pexels
The incident prompted Harry Potter author JK Rowling to call for a boycott of M&S if they “flout the Supreme Court ruling.”
“It’s time for women to vote with their wallets,” the author wrote on X.
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
“If stores like M&S continue to flout the Supreme Court ruling on women-only spaces, prioritising the wishes of men who want to undress near, or help fit bras on teenage girls, a boycott seems appropriate,” Rowling continued.
JK Rowling, who has been extremely vocal about her anti-trans sentiments, got involved in the controversy
Image credits: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Image credits: jk_rowling
Earlier this year, the UK’s Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a “woman” was based on their biological s** and not their self-identified gender, thus serving a huge blow to campaigners for transgender rights.
The ruling meant only biological women could use single-s** spaces like toilets, gyms, changing rooms and more.
Image credits: jk_rowling
The Supreme Court emphasized that transgender people have existing protections against discrimination and harassment under the Equality Act.
“We have always supported the protection of single-s** spaces based on biological s**. Single-s** spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government,” a spokesperson for the UK government said at the time.
Image credits: Marks&Spencer Corporate
Trans rights campaigners were disappointed by the decision.
It “reverses 20 years of understanding of how the law recognises trans men and women with gender recognition certificates,” according to campaign group Scottish Trans.
Rowling called for a “boycott” of M&S if they “continue to flout the Supreme Court ruling”
Image credits: jk_rowling
Image credits: jk_rowling
Jane Fae, one of the directors of the advocacy group TransActual UK, said the transgender community was “absolutely devastated” by the Supreme Court ruling.
“We have been basically stripped of the right to exist within UK society,” Jane added.
“They shouldn’t have apologized, the staff member was doing their job,” one netizen commented online
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