Waterstones has faced significant criticism after dismissing a bookseller, Tilly Fitzgerald, who had declared on social media that she would “tear up and bin” the books of an author due to their views on gender issues.
Why did Waterstones sack influencer Tilly Loves Books?
Fitzgerald, a book influencer and Waterstones employee, used her TikTok page, Tilly Loves Books, to share book reviews. Her dismissal followed a breach of the retailer’s social media policy after she reacted to author Christina Dalcher. Dalcher, known for her novels “VOX” and “Femlandia”, had recently shown support for SEEN Publishing, a group focused on concerns over “gender ideology” and women’s rights safeguarding.
“My initial comments weren’t trying to get anyone cancelled or taken off shop shelves – I was speaking of my choice to throw my own books of theirs away as I didn’t want to personally support them.”
Tilly Fitzgerald
Responding to this, Fitzgerald wrote on X, “Ooh I’ll enjoy tearing up your books and popping them in the bin today. Thanks for the heads up.”
Bookseller’s reaction to firing
After losing her job, Fitzgerald expressed her distress online, stating her actions were not intended to have Dalcher’s books removed from Waterstones but were a personal choice against supporting the author. “My initial comments weren’t trying to get anyone cancelled or taken off shop shelves – I was speaking of my choice to throw my own books of theirs away as I didn’t want to personally support them,” she clarified.
She described being fired as devastating, noting, that she was “devastated for being fired from the only job I’ve ever loved,” and condemned her former employer for “lacking morals” and being overly concerned with their reputation.
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The incident has sparked a robust debate on free speech, with many supporting Fitzgerald’s right to express her views privately without it impacting her professional competence.
Posting on TikTok today (July 10), Fitzgerald appeared visibly shaken, however, she thanked supporters and said that comments had been switched off due to responses from “nasties”. Despite this, she said that more people had taken to follow her account.
In an interview with The Independent, Fitzgerald admitted to breaching the social media policy but felt the dismissal was excessive. “I acknowledge that my comments were a violation of the social media policy and I did apologise for any trouble caused,” she said. However, she believed “the punishment was disproportionate and a warning would have been more appropriate.”
She continued to express her sadness about leaving her team, pointing out, “This decision came from head office, from someone I probably don’t even know and who doesn’t know me. It had nothing to do with my team in my shop. They are the best team and that’s why I’m sad.”
Waterstones in hot water
Controversy surrounding Waterstones deepened when their X account appeared to endorse gender-critical views by retweeting a post from Irvine Welsh, author of “Trainspotting”, which questioned definitions of womanhood.
“We have received some messages about an employee who has been dismissed. This was on the grounds of contravening Waterstones’ policies and has nothing to do with transgender rights.”
Waterstones
This isn’t the first time Waterstones has clashed with the LGBTQ+ community. During Pride month, they faced backlash for including a gender-critical book in a roundup of new titles, right after promoting Pride and LGBTQ+ authors. The book, “The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht”, features essays from JK Rowling and other notable gender-critical voices.
Critics, including trans broadcaster India Willoughby, were quick to condemn the move. Willoughby described the post as “dreadful” and “really disappointing,” showcasing Waterstones’ previous support for trans rights.
Others also voiced their frustration, with Kirsty Capes, author of “Love Me Love Me Not”, denouncing the company for siding with what she perceived as anti-trans views: “T*rfs screaming that they’re being kicked out of publishing when the Queen of Trfs herself regularly tops best-seller lists (with a male pseudonym) have now successfully lobbied Waterstones to sack a trans ally bookseller. Yeah, OK. I hate it here,” she wrote.
Comedian Aidan Comerford added to the criticism, stating, “I’ll never buy another book from Waterstones. It’s a moral duty to call out bigotry when you see it, and firing an employee for doing so sends an horrific message to LGBT+ customers & staff. It says that Waterstones protects the free speech of bigots but not those they target.”
In response to the uproar, Waterstones shared a statement on social media, clarifying the reasons for Fitzgerald’s dismissal: “We have received some messages about an employee who has been dismissed. This was on the grounds of contravening Waterstones’ policies and has nothing to do with transgender rights.”
Image credit: Tilly Loves Books on TikTok / A P Monblat
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[…] her gratitude following substantial backing from the literary community in an open letter. Fitzgerald’s dismissal from the bookstore chain has sparked significant controversy and debate around freedom of expression and the […]