A Waterstones Bookseller Was Fired for Speaking Out Against a TERF

Waterstones is a big UK book retailer and generally the first port of call for British book lovers when they want to pick up a new novel. However, their reputation has taken something of a knock recently. One of their booksellers, influencer Tilly Fitzgerald, was fired after she made a negative comment about a “gender critical” author.

Author Christina Dalcher posted a message in support of SEEN Publishing, which is for people “concerned about the impact of gender ideology on our sector and wider society.” Fitzgerald wrote in response, “Ooh I’ll enjoy tearing up your books and popping them in the bin today. Thanks for the heads up.”

This comment was seemingly enough to get Waterstones to cut ties with Fitzgerald. After Dalcher messaged the company with a screenshot and asked “You okay with this?” Fitzgerald was fired shortly afterward.

“[Dalcher] tagged Waterstones and they have decided to fire me for my social media usage,” Fitzgerald said in a video posted to her social media. “It’s the first mistake I’ve ever made, I’ve been nothing but an exemplary employee.”

She later told The Guardian, “My intention responding to Dalcher was only to let her know that I would no longer be supporting her books in my personal capacity as a reviewer.” Waterstones also spoke to The Guardian, saying that Fitzgerald had been fired for “contravening Waterstones policies” and that it had “nothing to do with transgender rights.”

But they have nonetheless essentially sided with Dalcher. And this is worrying, as her timeline is packed with anti-LGBTQ+ reposts. Newspaper The Metro notes that she recently “published posts praising a Holocaust denier and doubting the French National Rally’s far-right credentials.” It’s downright shocking that a person like that exerts influence, and other people think so too, because they’ve signed an open letter condemning Waterstones’ decision.

People are furious at Waterstones

The letter was published by comedy writer Sara Gibbs, and it reads, “We feel it is an egregious error to terminate the employment of a dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable bookseller for expressing a personal opinion about an author and their work on their social media page… Neither Tilly’s personal opinion nor what she chooses to do with her own private property, should have been grounds for her losing her work and livelihood.” It’s picked up more than 500 signatures so far.

People on X, formerly known as Twitter, are also expressing support for Fitzgerald.

This whole incident has been another sobering reminder that Britain isn’t nicknamed “TERF Island” for nothing.