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McDonald’s has flipped its iconic golden arches to become a W, “in celebration of women everywhere, and for the first time in our brand history” – to which many have responded, “try again”.



For its own commemoration of International Women’s Day, McDonald’s overturned its logo on Twitter, Instagram and its other digital channels; supplied 100 restaurants in the US with special branded garb; and – at one franchise in California – went so far as to install a new sign.

Muhammad Haris Tufail (@mhtufail_) A @McDonalds in Lynwood, California has flipped its arches upside down in honour of #InternationalWomensDay on March 8th..!! 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/BTQfDq4Ipq

McDonald’s global chief diversity officer, Wendy Lewis, said in a statement to Business Insider that the stunt was “in honour of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere, and especially in our restaurants”.

But her vow that the company was “committed to their success” was called into question by social media users who called on McDonald’s to pay its employees a living wage.

bogwolf (@truebe) McDonalds: In celebration of women we are flipping the arches upside down.



Or you could give your employees better benefits.



McD: Look it's a W!



Maybe a living wage? Better family leave? A career path forward in the face of automation?



McD: The W stands for women.

Thorne Melcher 🌸 (@ExistentialEnso) When I started using the term "McFeminism" to refer to the corporate-friendly, HRC fan sort of feminism, I didn't expect McDonalds to actually become one of the biggest examples of the phenomenon 🤦🏻‍♀️

NOT A WOLF (@SICKOFWOLVES) I THOUGHT THE UPSIDE DOWN MCDONALDS LOGO STOOD FOR WOLVES



OR LIVABLE WAGES



BUT YEAH THIS IS GOOD SURE FINE

In response to the campaign, Momentum put out a video highlighting how McDonald’s low wages and zero-hours contracts meant some women workers faced poverty and homelessness. The videos, produced in collaboration with the Bakers’ Union, are in support of striking McDonald’s workers.

Momentum tweeted the video with the question: “Hey @McDonalds, instead of empty gestures like flipping your arches, how about improving working conditions for your women workers?”

“This empty McFeminism has nothing to do with women’s liberation and everything to do with McDonald’s attempt to sanitise its image,” said Laura Parker, Momentum’s national coordinator. “If they actually cared about women, they’d pay their workers a living wage and stop forcing them onto zero hours contracts.



“It’s completely unacceptable that zero hours contracts at McDonald’s have left women workers without enough money to feed their children – and have even made some of them homeless.”

