Woolworths accused of being "too woke" on social media – do you agree or not?
- Replies 42
Supermarket giant Woolworths has recently come under fire from people online after referring to tampon users as "people who menstruate", instead of mentioning the word women.
According to the report, the grocery store chain was announcing a partnership with nonprofit organisation Share the Dignity, a group that provides free tampons in public vending machines.
In a LinkedIn social media post, the caption read: "The 100th Dignity Vending Machine funded by Woolworths has just been installed to help people who menstruate access period care items free of charge."
"Together with Share the Dignity, we’ve helped more than 56,000 people access these essential products so that regardless of their circumstances, they can be afforded dignity, confidence and mobility during their period," the post continued.
"We aim to care for all Australians and are thrilled that the Dignity Vending Machines we've funded will help more people across the country access the products they need."
Woolworths has been accused of being ‘too woke’ in a recent social media post. Credit: AAP.
However, instead of celebrating the amazing milestone the initiative has achieved, several users online raised their pitchforks and torches over the supermarket giant's choice of words – criticising the store for not using "women" to describe tampon users.
"It’s women. Don’t remember men getting a period. The world is going mad," one enraged user wrote.
Another agreed and added: "Women have been managing it just fine for centuries without feeling offended by society’s awareness that natural-born females menstruate. This is silly."
Dr Bella A'Brera, author and director of the Foundations of Western Civilisation Program at the Institute of Public Affairs, also agreed with the backlash, saying that Woolworths' gender-neutral language "undermined" biological facts.
"By caving in to the extreme views of a vocal minority, Woolworths has decided to cancel women," said Dr A'Brera.
"Woolworths needs to remember that it is a supermarket. Its purpose is to sell groceries, not radical gender theory."
Woolworths made the reference in a social media post about the Share The Dignity vending machines. Credit: Facebook / Share the Dignity.
A representative from Woolworths has already made a statement and said that the company was not aiming to be political with its Share the Dignity partnership.
"Our partnership with Share the Dignity has helped provide period care products to tens of thousands of women and other people who need them across Australia," the spokesperson said.
They also highlighted that such products are "available to all women, girls, non-binary, and transgender people" as well as "family members collecting them on someone's behalf."
Many Woolies customers also jumped to the supermarket's defence and agreed with the gender-neutral use of language.
"Well done Woolies. This company has a policy of being inclusive, it’s in their guidelines," one concerned shopper wrote.
"The ignorance in some people astounds me. Kindness has a long way to go," said a second one.
What are your thoughts, folks?
Was Woolworths right for referring to tampon users as "people who menstruate"? Or do you think this is another example of political correctness gone mad?
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