Companies offer customers opt-out for potentially ‘triggering’ Mother’s Day emails

A number of companies — including DoorDash, M.A.C, and Levi’s — have given their customers the option of opting-out from receiving Mother’s Day-related emails and push notifications this year.

DoorDash posted a message that reads, “We understand that Mother’s Day may be a difficult time for some. Click the button below if you’d prefer to be removed from additional emails and push notifications this year.”

M.A.C., a cosmetics company, posted along the same lines, writing, “We understand that Mother’s Day can be a difficult time for some of us. If you’d rather not receive emails about the holiday this year, let us know…”

Levi’s told its customers, “We know motherhood and all the associated feelings, emotions and memories can be tricky — and even triggering for some people. The last thing we want to do is hit you with celebratory “yay mom” energy that doesn’t match up with your vibe. So this year, we’re giving you the option to opt out of our Mother’s Day content by clicking here.”

Others have included Father’s Day email opt-outs in their messages to customers as well, like Fry’s Food Stores, which wrote, “We know Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be sensitive times for some.”

The messages have received a mixed reception; some see this as another corporate effort to erase womanhood and motherhood:

Elizabeth

@prbreez

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Replying to @LilaGraceRose

You can add another to that list. I got this email the other day. Needless to say, I won’t be purchasing from them again. @ourplace

5:59 PM · Apr 24, 2023

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Some felt the messages were an “overcorrection” due to fear of boycott:

Others felt that the messages were an attempt by the companies to be “considerate” to people who have emotional difficulties surrounding the holiday for various reasons (loss of a mother or child, etc.):

Others felt that even if the intent was to be compassionate, this message is the wrong one to send:

The way society and corporate America treat motherhood is a dichotomy — on one hand, they frequently treat motherhood as less important of a role for women than any other role they might possibly hold in life; on the other, they admit the fact that mothers and motherhood are so important that the mere mention of them might trigger a trauma response from some people (those who have lost their mothers, are estranged from their mothers, or who are mothers themselves that have experienced loss).

One thing we can most certainly say is that motherhood impacts the world, and the importance of such a role should never be diminished.

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