A thoughtful gesture

Amidst the deluge of Mother’s Day emails I’ve received this year, a new note has crept in amidst the usual “treat mum to something special” pitches of spa breaks, chocolates, floral arrangements, fancy lingerie (yes, really) and pink champagne.

I’ve noticed that some of these pitches come with what can best be described as a trigger warning. The wording varies, but it’s usually along the lines of “if this content is upsetting / unsuitable, and you’d rather not receive it, please unsubscribe using the link below”. The first time I read a statement of this ilk, I proceeded gingerly, wondering whether I was about to see some sort of graphic content. Then the penny dropped.

The PRs were being mindful of those recipients for whom Mother’s Day is a sensitive subject. 

Is this a concession too far? As someone who grew up without a father (he died), Father’s Day was always strange for me, but never to the extent that I felt I needed protecting from it, even as a child. Like Christmas or Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Days are part of the culture. Which isn’t to deny that they are painful days for many people, but it would be a sensitive soul indeed who found them so triggering that they couldn’t even read an email. Are we to censor card shops, too? Verdict (and with apologies to those who’ve lost a mother recently) it’s a thoughtful gesture, but perhaps an over-zealous one.