Flora ends partnership with Mumsnet over transphobia concerns
Butter brand Flora has ended its partnership with parenting website Mumsnet. Flora’s parent company Upfield has said the decision was made due to concerns over brand safety.
Mumsnet reportedly has 10 million users who engage in discussions and debates on a variety of issues on its forums. An article published by Vice in December 2018 described Mumsnet as a “toxic hotbed of transphobia”.
Upfield’s commitment to inclusion and human rights
Flora was alerted by a Twitter user to Mumsnet hosting transphobic discussions. The user expressed concern over how this conflicts with Upfield’s diversity, inclusion, and human rights commitments.
Regarding its decision to end Flora’s brand partnership with Mumsnet, Upfield said:
We’ve investigated. We are wholly committed to our values, which include treating everyone equally, so have made the decision to no longer work with Mumsnet.
We've investigated. We are wholly committed to our values, which include treating everyone equally, so have made the decision to no longer work with Mumsnet. #DiversityMatters @Flora
— Upfield (@upfieldglobal) October 11, 2019
Free speech or hate speech?
In its response, Mumsnet has defended the “free speech” of its users and called the issue of gender identity “contentious”:
Mumsnet will always stand in solidarity with minority communities. We don’t tolerate transphobic comments and will delete any when they are flagged to us. But we do also believe strongly in free speech.
The discussion of gender self-id and what that might mean for very hard-won women’s rights, as well as the rapidly growing number of children exploring gender identity issues, is contentious.
We know some people would like us to simply censor this entire debate but a similar number think we censor too much. We’re committed to allowing respectful discussion of an issue that is of particular interest to parents.
Vocal support for trans people
The Canary contacted LGBT rights organisation Stonewall for comment. A Stonewall spokesperson said:
Trans people in the UK are experiencing high levels of abuse in discrimination across all areas of their life. So now, more than ever, we need more individuals, groups and organisations to be vocal in their support for trans people.
In April, frozen food brand Birds Eye reportedly stopped their association with Mumsnet citing similar reasons.
Featured image via YouTube/ Flora
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Mumsnet displays great sense by having a phobia relating to trans-fats. Phobias generally have sound basis even if not applicable to the lives of particular ‘phobics’.
I wasn’t aware of ‘butter’ brand Flora endorsing those terrible chemicals but better safe than sorry so far as Mumsnet is concerned.
‘Phobias’ increase in number almost by the day.
People unhappy over big hairy spiders dancing with eight legs on their exposed flesh and, possibly, giving a playful bite along the way, have every right to their ‘phobia’. I don’t personally subscribe to arachnophobia but respect the choice of those who do; that is, so long as they avoid spiders rather than physically harming spiders.
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The Western world has arrived at an odd place where objection to some particular life-style or ideological stance is dismissed as ‘phobia’ i.e. written-off as irrational. ‘Phobias’ along with ‘-ists’ and some ‘-isms’ are life-blood for proponents of various modern lunacies. Simple-minded recipients of this kind of allegation buckle-under without demur; they seek to ‘belong’ with greater fervour than asserting individuality.
Abuse of language in order to silence opposition is particularly strong among tiny minorities encumbered by immense senses of entitlement. There is a counter-culture of ‘woke’ minorities supporting each other by endorsing ‘phobias’ and ‘-isms’ regardless of from whence they arise. Collectively they have arrogated power to direct discourse among the impressionable ignorant. Hence traction of belief in existence of 90+ so-called ‘genders’. As soon as ‘genders’ outnumber sexes (of which there are two) some weird inane logic leads to the notion of fluidity among ‘genders’. Woe betide anyone daring question this descent into madness.
I’m have a phobia against Mumsnet. Some years ago I joined the online group only to be immediately and horribly sworn at by fellow contributors who didn’t like my views on a topic. I complained to Mumsnet who replied ‘we believe in free speech’. I ditched my membership forthwith having barely been a member for two or three days. Now – every time Mumsnet pops up in whatever form I feel a distinct disgust- an existential nausea.