Mumsnet, Flora and the spread of the corporate culture wars

There is something endearingly British about Mumsnet’s bloodymindedness. A website that, in theory, should be about the extortionate cost of childcare and moaning that Dear Husband forgot to take the bins out again has somehow found itself in the vanguard of the radical feminist movement. That quirk has now cost the site a partnership with Flora, which severed ties over what activists called ‘trans-hostile posts’ on Mumsnet’s forums. A margarine substitute producer might not be the kind of firm you’d expect to have strong political views but women discussing their sex-based rights on the internet seems to scrape their toast the wrong way. I can’t believe it’s not misogyny.

Here’s what happened. Last Thursday, a Twitter user named Helen tweeted:

Oh no! I like @Flora but there’s absolutely NO WAY I’m going to buy it while it’s partnering with Mumsnet, (which platforms nasty, trans-hostile posts on its website) 😞#StopFundingTransphobia pic.twitter.com/SUAmw8A14q

— Helen🏳️‍⚧️✊🏻💕 (@mimmymum) October