The everyday sexism at Marks & Spencer

The offer that greeted me when I entered the Marks & Spencer store in Bath yesterday read: “Spend £10 on food, save £10 on womenswear & lingerie”.

I accept that Marks & Spencer can choose, which of their products to promote with special offers but I do not accept that M&S should be allowed to discriminate against one specific group of their customers based on gender.

I know that I can still buy womens’ clothes and lingerie as man; a present for my wife, perhaps, or to wear myself. The problem with this promotion is that most men do not wear women’s clothes most of the time. Had the offer been for £10 off cooking equipment it would be annoying if you do not cook but it would have been an acceptable promotion because whether or not to cook is choice. Gender is not.

It seems that M&S will not allow me to spend the offer on myself, based on a characteristic that I cannot influence, i.e. that I am a man.

Dear Marks & Spencer, you are sexist.

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