Marks & Spencer Faces Criticism Over Apology for Transgender Employee in Lingerie Department

On August 5, 2025, UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) issued an apology to a customer after a complaint was made regarding a transgender employee offering assistance in the lingerie department. The complaint, sent by the mother of a 14-year-old girl, described her daughter’s discomfort when approached by a staff member whom the mother believed to be a “biological male.” The mother recounted that her daughter “recoiled” at the offer of help and that they both left the department immediately, visibly upset by the encounter. In response, M&S stated: “We deeply regret the distress your daughter felt during her visit to our store… We understand how important this milestone is for her, and we are truly sorry that it did not go as you had hoped” .

The retailer further assured the customer that her daughter would be assisted by a female colleague on any future visits, indicating that the company was taking the concerns “very seriously” .

The incident has prompted a wave of commentary regarding the treatment of transgender employees in retail, particularly those working in gendered spaces such as lingerie departments. Victoria Richards, writing for The Independent, noted that discomfort in lingerie departments is common for teenagers regardless of the staff member’s gender presentation. Richards also highlighted that assumptions based on a person’s appearance, such as height, can lead to policing of gender expression and potential discrimination against both cisgender and transgender women .

Richards further emphasized that there is no public evidence the staff member was offering to perform a bra fitting, only that they were offering to help—a standard part of retail service. “Even if she were trans, she was just doing her job, and doing it well, by all accounts. Doesn’t every one of us deserve to be able to do that without discrimination or prejudice, let alone an apology from our employer related to us simply existing?” Richards wrote .

Advocates for transgender inclusion argue that incidents like this illustrate the everyday challenges faced by transgender people in public-facing roles. Many LGBTQ+ organizations stress the importance of creating workplaces where all employees, regardless of gender identity, are treated with dignity and respect, and are protected from discrimination by both employers and customers. The public apology from M&S, while aimed at addressing customer concerns, has been criticized by some as failing to uphold a supportive environment for transgender staff .

The situation also reignites debates about the rights of transgender people to work in roles aligned with their gender identity and the necessity for companies to balance customer preferences with anti-discrimination policies. Advocacy groups warn that yielding to complaints rooted in discomfort with transgender employees can embolden discriminatory attitudes and create hostile work environments .

The Marks & Spencer case comes at a time of heightened public discussion around transgender inclusion in the UK and globally. Recent legal cases have affirmed the rights of transgender individuals to be recognized according to their gender identity in the workplace, and many businesses have updated policies to reflect these protections .