A bookstore employee in the U.K. has posted a video on social media crying about being fired after she threatened to destroy an author’s books.
The former employee, Tilly Fitzgerald, was fired by the Waterstones bookshop chain after posting an unhinged tweet at gender-critical author Christina Dalcher.
Dalcher has posted on social media in support of SEEN Publishing, a company that describes itself as “concerned about the impact of gender ideology on our sector and wider society.”
In response, Fitzgerald wrote on X, “Ooh, I’ll enjoy tearing up your books and popping them in the bin today. Thanks for the heads-up.”
On July 8, Fitzgerald posted a tearful video on Instagram asserting, “I’ve just been sacked from the only job I’ve ever loved.”
Have you seen this Insta story from yesterday? She claims you’re “really going to town” and tells people “Please don’t buy her books!” pic.twitter.com/cSHOKtLGGf
— Emma Flynn (@twot134x) July 10, 2024
“I told [Dalcher] on Twitter that I was going to throw away her books after I found out that she was a bigot. She tagged Waterstones and they have decided to fire me for my social media usage. It’s the first mistake I’ve ever made, I’ve been nothing but an exemplary employee there,” Fitzgerald continued.
Speaking to The Guardian, Fitzgerald claimed that she did not mean she would throw away books at the store, claiming: “My intention [in] responding to Dalcher was only to let her know that I would no longer be supporting her books in my personal capacity as a reviewer.”
Now, over 500 authors and book industry professionals have signed an open letter calling on the bookstore to rehire the far-left activist.
“We feel it is an egregious error to terminate the employment of a dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable bookseller for expressing a personal opinion about an author and their work on their social media page,” the letter states. “The page was not associated with Waterstones. Neither Tilly’s personal opinion nor what she chooses to do with her own private property, should have been grounds for her losing her work and livelihood.”
It does not appear that the bookstore is willing to budge.
