Earlier this year, Coiledspring Games ran a promotion with Mumsnet to give away some games.
As mumsnet are well known for their transphobic stance, as you'd expect this caused a bit of an uproar.
When challenged, their response was essentially "We asked them, they said they weren't".
Whilst our competition with @MumsnetTowers has proven popular with thousands of entries, we want to acknowledge the concerns which have been brought to our attention. Please see below for our statements. pic.twitter.com/cDrTff2d3j— Coiledspring Games (@coiledspring) May 26, 2021
Part of this tweet was re-sharing the stance from Mumsnet:
A significant proportion of our users feel strongly about what they see as the gradual erosion of women's hard-won rights, in particular with regard to women-only spaces.
...
We will always stand up for the right of vulnerable women's voices to be heard because, frankly, someone has to.
I am absolutely up for standing up for women, vulnerable or not, and their right to safety, but why would *this* be their response to being called transphobic?
You see, they think that trans women *are* the erosion of women's hard-won rights, trying to invade women-only spaces. We're just trying to do exactly the same as everyone else, live our life in peace.
Unfortunately, Coiledspring Games are part of the group of companies that I was (until last week) employed by.
As you can imagine, my employer posting a veiled attack against me doesn't make me particularly comfortable.
I sent this to the team leaders in a hope of having some impact:
I'm sure you're aware of some recent controversy with Coiled Spring games and one of their promotional partners, Mumsnet.
Mumsnet as a platform have been pivotal around hosting, and facilitating the organisation of targeted abuse against my friends, and organisations that have literally saved my life in the past.
This is despite the TOS saying it's not acceptable, they refuse to actually uphold them and police their own platform allowing this abuse to run rampant.The current response from CSG is “we asked them, and here's their response”, repeating the same “dog whistle” that is used to try and deny me, friends, and family, access to basic public services, healthcare, and support.
https://twitter.com/coiledspring/status/1397643793248161795
CSG posted these words:
“[Mumsnet] users feel strongly about what they see as the gradual erosion of women's hard-won rights, in particular with regard to women-only spaces.”
This is carefully written to seem reasonable, but is directly targeted at trans people like myself to try and remove us from public life.This is a very brief snapshot of the effect this abuse is causing:
https://twitter.com/DeeHants/status/1404483108599209987While I don't expect Asmodée group to know, or fully understand the details and ramifications of this, there have been multiple customers, employees, and partners pointing out the issues, with no meaningful response as yet.
As much as this pains me, I'm not sure I'm comfortable continuing to work with Asmodee and related companies if this continues to be their stance.
I would love to continue as I really enjoy the work and the people I work with, and I know this isn't your area, but are you able to put me in touch with someone that I may be able to speak to about my concerns?
After giving a week to acknowledge or respond, I had no choice as I can't represent a company posting veiled attacks in me and thousands of other trans people:
Unfortunately, due to lack of response from the Asmodee Group, I have no other option but to step down from the Asmodee demo team.
I can not in good conscious, continue to work for a company who partners with an organisation that is actively helping organise and foster outright discrimination against people like myself, especially when the latest public statement when pointed out the issues and abuse was to double down and repeat the transphobia from that organisation.
This is not a reflection on any single person, and it has been amazing working with you all.
Thank you for the experience and events over the last few years which I have enjoyed so much, and hope to see you sometime soon at future events.
This was my final message to the rest of the team:
Good evening everyone.
It's with much sadness that I let you all know that I have had to step down from the Asmodee demo team last week.
I have massively enjoyed working with you all in the past, and will sorely miss you all!
I hope you have an amazing time at UKGE, and I do hope to catch up with you all again when the world is a safer place!
Love you all!
Disappointed and saddened doesn't really cut it :(