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WH Smith books ditches ‘pink and fluffy’ women’s section

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Summary of story from The Telegraph, September 3, 2011

Claire Leigh and Julia Gillick, both 29, were amazed to receive a reply from Kate Swann, chief executive of UK chainstore, WH Smiths, after a complaint about the works collected under the ‘women’s fiction’ label at a branch in Tonbridge, Kent.

Ms Gillick, an English teacher, told the Times: “It was very light, lots of pink fluffiness and there were no classic authors.” She wrote to customer complaints, but received no reply.

Ms Leigh, an NGO worker and Labour activist, wrote directly to the chief executive, saying they did not think women were a “minority or niche area”, and were “deeply offended by this condescending practice.”

They both soon received a reply from Jackie Wing, the head of fiction and children’s trading at W H Smith. She said ‘women’s fiction’ was often used as a trade term for “chick-lit- type authors.”

The Times says Ms Wing added: “I accept your feedback that this might not be the most suitable reference for our customers. In future we will make sure we do not use this description on promotional POS [point of sale] and the current POS will be replaced in our stores by the middle of October.”

After their victory, the women may continue. Ms Gillick is allegedly considering suggesting to her pupils that they write to a supermarket that is also supposed to have a ‘women’s fiction’ section.

WVoN comment: Oh, there are so many pink and fluffy targets out there!  Let’s all start writing.

  1. Could they have a go at the ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ comics sections that are appearing in some of the chains now? Makes me grind my teeth, that does. My daughters are never interested in the ‘girls’ section, I always wonder if any modern parent would dare let their sons choose a comic from the ‘girls’ side.

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