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Midget gems to change name

83 replies

Soubriquet · 14/01/2022 18:02

To mini gems

link

Honestly would never have crossed my mind to think it was offensive but if people with dwarfism think it is, surely it’s right to change the name.

It’s still the same product. Just a different name

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 14/01/2022 18:04

Some people are giving this poor women so much hate and abuse because she campaigned for the name to be changed

OP posts:
ParkheadParadise · 14/01/2022 18:06

Honestly what a load of shite.
The world has gone fucking mad.

flippertyop · 14/01/2022 18:07

Midget means something that is small. They are small. I dont see how very small sweets relate to someone with dwarfism in anyway. It's wokety at its finest but I couldn't really care if the name changed - mini is also perfectly suitable

LizBennet · 14/01/2022 18:10

I thought midget sized also related to objects?
Will Ginger Nuts be changed too I wonder 🤔

lucillelarusso · 14/01/2022 18:10

Have you ever been called midget? Maybe ask some short statured people what they think about it.
My Uncle had dwarfism and was ridiculed and mocked constantly, which was bad enough. From 2000 a craze of 'dwarf throwing' resulted in a drunk rugby player assaulting him and breaking his arm.
He didn't give a shit about midget or miniature gems but why are they better called 'midget' - what positive purpose does it serve? What are M&S taking from you? Maybe they are stopping 1 or 2 short statured kids being bullied, and that in itself is a good reason to change them.

Soubriquet · 14/01/2022 18:10

I did initially think ffs, but I don’t suffer from dwarfism there I can’t be offended by the word

She is, and obviously so are others to be able to campaign and change the name.

Language evolves.

Years ago people would use words, that now days are very offensive. Maybe this one will be too. Maybe not.

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 14/01/2022 18:12

I was actually rather upset to see this. Real core at of my childhood and didn’t ever connect the word midget for a sweet with dwarfism. Also grew up with eg MG Midget. Hmmm

Marlena1 · 14/01/2022 18:19

After lucillelarusso's post I think the name should be changed. No one likes to be mocked and if it upsets a group of people it should be changed.

CeleriacOfTheNight · 14/01/2022 18:22

Who is so attached to the name 'Midget Gems' that they would be butt hurt to see the name changed Hmm.

They aren't being banned, the name is being tweaked because some people find it offensive- fair enough imo.

lucillelarusso · 14/01/2022 18:28

My Uncle took his own life 4 years ago. Mental health issues are a serious problem in the short statured community. It is bizarre that so many pp are keen to retain a name when it makes literally no difference to the product or their lives and may help some children at snack time.
I can well imagine a group of children having 'banter' over Midget gems - with the class 'midget', it's obviously effected the woman who campaigned. Good for her in pushing change (despite no one giving a shit about short statured people from what I read on this thread)

Theunamedcat · 14/01/2022 18:33

I always thought theu were mini gems I guess I don't read packages much! But seriously the ones in the shop as a child were all marked mini gems so i assumed the packet ones were the same!

RaininSummer · 14/01/2022 18:33

I don't care what they call the nasty things but don't see how changing the name works to stop horrible people calling a person with dwarfism a midget as the word still exists in the language to mean something small.

stingofthebutterfly · 14/01/2022 18:34

Midget means small. It's not offensive when it's not directed at a person. Sweets are not people.

quitecrunchy · 14/01/2022 18:35

Good. If you're not one of the people who finds the word offensive how much of a shit can you really give about the name of a sweet? Changing it can only be a good thing.

Tal45 · 14/01/2022 18:38

If the were called n word gems people would be up in arms (and rightly so) but offensive terms to disabled people who often suffer terrible bullying and ridicule and people don't want to know or think they're just being 'snowflakes'.

Georgeskitchen · 14/01/2022 18:40

Someone, somewhere, will find offence in anything, if they look hard enough

Tal45 · 14/01/2022 18:42

@stingofthebutterfly

Midget means small. It's not offensive when it's not directed at a person. Sweets are not people.
But it's so rarely used to mean small, we'd say the word small, or tiny or miniature, or mini, 20 other different words but really midget is only used in the context of people with dwarfism. When was the last time you used the word midget to describe something small?
SemperIdem · 14/01/2022 18:43

It makes absolutely no difference to my life but it will to people with dwarfism and that’s the whole point of the name change.

Lacedwithgrace · 14/01/2022 18:43

Good, small changes harm no one but help someone

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 14/01/2022 18:43

I'm assuming that all MG Midgets will now have to be scrapped?

Echobelly · 14/01/2022 18:46

If you're saying 'It doesn't offend me' and you're not a person with dwarfism then I'm afraid it doesn't matter what you think.

The sad fact is that people with dwarfism face people pointing, laughing, filming them and, yes, being called 'midgets' all the time www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-northamptonshire-59907613

RaininSummer · 14/01/2022 18:53

Still don't get how changing the abuse stops the abuse.

RaininSummer · 14/01/2022 18:57

Changing name doh

scully29 · 14/01/2022 18:57

I thought they were changed to Iced Gems long long ago.

Redglitter · 14/01/2022 19:01

@scully29

I thought they were changed to Iced Gems long long ago.
Iced Gems are a totally different thing. They're wee tiny biscuits with a melt in the mouth swirl of icing on the top
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