Sainsbury's axes joke Christmas card after caving to trans activist outrage

Sophie Molly, a transgender activist, spotted the item at the supermarket's Berryden branch in Aberdeen and swiftly complained online.

"Transphobic Christmas card in my local Sainsbury's (Berryden). Please do better Sainsbury's," the campaigner wrote on liberal social media platform Bluesky.

Trans activists have described the phrase "identifying as" in such contexts as an anti-trans "dog whistle", complaining about how it implies gender identity is something people simply choose.

The supermarket chain is now expected to remove the card from stores nationwide in the coming days.

Sophie Molly later told Pink News that the card "belittles the identity of trans and non-binary people" and claimed transgender individuals do not choose their gender identity, vowing: "Being trans is not a choice."

Then, the activist argued that when people claim to identify as objects like tomatoes, attack helicopters or fictional characters, it undermines trans experiences.

"It tells the world that they think it's a choice to be trans, something you can switch in and out of, like playing dress up. This is not true," Molly added.

"Being trans or non-binary is not something you can switch off, in the same way a cis person can't switch off being cis.

"When you consider the current UK climate of trans hostility, I feel that it's a worrying sight."

Venice Allan, a gender-critical campaigner, described the cancellation as "surreal".

"It's extreme," she said. "I think a lot of people would have liked that Christmas card."

Ms Allan continued: "It shows you how people are laughing at this idea of identifying as transgender and social justice discourse in general.

"It also shows you how actually, no, we're not allowed to laugh at this thing that everybody's laughing at," she said.

"They're so offended by a Christmas card just slightly poking fun at the idea that you can identify as something."

Emotional Rescue, the company that published the card, has since issued an apology.

Jennie Rutter, the firm's creative director, told Pink News: "It was in no way our intention to cause anyone in the trans community offence. We will remove this design from our range immediately."

Paper Salad, which created the illustration, also came out to say sorry.

Jack Wilson, the company's operations director, confirmed all remaining stock had been pulped.

"Due to our contribution to the card, I'd like to apologise on behalf of Paper Salad for any offence caused," he told the LGBT website.

"This was not our intention. We have removed the design from sale and destroyed all stock with immediate effect."

A Sainsbury's spokesman said the retailer was "committed to being an inclusive retailer where people love to work and shop".