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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to find this toy disturbing?

276 replies

Booboostoo · 03/11/2012 17:05

DM bought DD (17 months) a happyland fun fair set which was such good fun I was looking through their other toys online for Christmas inspiration when I found this

www.elc.co.uk/HappyLand-Khaleeji-Family/134473,default,pd.html

I really liked the fact that the fun fair set came with little people from all races, but I find this toy disturbing. Aside from the burkas, what's with the men sitting on thrones and the women tending donkeys?

DP is trying to rile me over it, so I have come to MN jury for some sanity.

OP posts:
MrsCantSayAnything · 03/11/2012 18:31

You could buy it and make the figures break with convention. Have the men act as tables whilst the women dance upon them and eat cake. (paint the headdresses out first}

Grin
thenextstep · 03/11/2012 18:32

I find this toy far more disturbing

www.amazon.co.uk/Doggie-Doo-9452-Game/dp/B004OBZROU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351967485&sr=8-1

MrsCantSayAnything · 03/11/2012 18:34

Not as disturbing as THIS

catinwitchyboots · 03/11/2012 18:34

This place is batshit tonight.

I'm off to the Co-Op for wine.

PramFaceBuggyBrain · 03/11/2012 18:37

I can't believe this OP! Disturbing? EH???!!!

Sirzy · 03/11/2012 18:38

particular view of women as offensive to the eye, in need of being covered up to avoid this offence

Can I suggest that you do some research on matters before slagging them off. Muslim women certainly aren't deemed offensive to the eye.

thenextstep · 03/11/2012 18:40

Have to agree with MrsCant bit off dressing up is one thing but some of these toys and their images make me want to vomit

hazeyjane · 03/11/2012 18:50

I thought a burka was full face covering, covering hair would be a hijab?

I think it is great that different cultures are represented.

SaraBellumHertz · 03/11/2012 18:58

I just bought this set for DC4 (20mths).

We live in the MIddle East and I was rather hoping it might avoid the rather awkward repeat if the moment where, shortly after our arrival, DC2 (then 20 mths pointed at an abaya clad woman and said at the top of his voice "look black ghost" Wink

SaraBellumHertz · 03/11/2012 19:06

Hazey I think the figures are dressed to represent gulf nationals. The black dress like covering is called an abaya and the head covering a shaila. The veil that totally covers the face and eyes is called a gishwa (or simply veil) and the half veil that fastens across the nose a niquab.

The burka is a loose fitting robe that covers the body entirely from the head, without fitting at the shoulders or round the neck and is not what these figures are wearing.

Booboostoo · 03/11/2012 19:38

If this toy is supposed to represent a culture it does so badly. The house is very westernised and has little to do with middle eastern architecture or a way of life in warmer parts of the world, the thrones are patronising especially in conjunction with the donkeys, so I don't even buy it as culturally relevant.

Representing a culture cannot in itself be a virtue, it depends on whether the representation correctly done (in this case it's patronising and inaccurate) and whether the culture is worthy of representation (in my opinion the extreme form of dress in these dolls is associated with extreme religious views which are associated with a negative view of women).

I would also be disturbed by toys that had, for example, a very surgically enhanced mother figure (ala Nina Minaj), a toddler all dressed up for a beauty pageant, a little girl in a dominatrix outfit for Halloween, etc. These are not role models I want my daughter to aspire to.

Consider this, I would be OK with a toy set of a hospital set up for a tonsilectomy but not one depicting a shaman's tent set up for female genital circumcision. I accept FGC takes place in other cultures, I also accept that a small minority of women chose it of their own free will, but I still don't want it as a role model for my daughter.

Dogie Doo seems to encourage responsible dog ownership, nothing disturbing about it. Make-up for toddlers much more disturbing.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 03/11/2012 19:40

You really are over thinking this. Its a toy, its a bit of fun your child wouldn't be harmed by playing with it nor would it encourage any sort of gender sterotype

QueenStromba · 03/11/2012 19:42

I actually clicked on the link before reading the rest of your post and spent a long time trying to figure out what your problem might be before giving up and coming back to the thread for your explanation.

SirSugar · 03/11/2012 19:44

Would it have improved the toy if it came with servants as well? Hmm

cantspel · 03/11/2012 19:49

I dont see the uk market for this toy.

Yes it might appeal to muslim families in the uk but the family depicted is an arab family in arab dress but the majority of muslims in the uk are of parkistani orgin so would it not have been better to have an asian family?

And yes the photos are badly thought out with the males on thrones and the women with the animals or in the second photo in the kitchen.

CaseyShraeger · 03/11/2012 20:03

I don't think it's marketed at the UK. From previous threads I've gathered that Happyland sell a lot of toys to the Middle Eastern market. doubtless if consumers there feel patronised they won't buy it.

CaseyShraeger · 03/11/2012 20:06

And the house looks like that because it's a recoloured version of the Cherry Lane cottage.

cantspel · 03/11/2012 20:07

but it is on a uk site so they must be on sale within the uk

MrsDeVere · 03/11/2012 20:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CaseyShraeger · 03/11/2012 20:15

It'll be on sale in the UK, but I'll bet the profit is expected to cone from other markets.

The thrones are recoloured from the Palace Castle playset, by the way (that happy cheery depiction of the ancient feudal system, including a jester (often someone with a physical disability, forced into a lifetime of self-abasement in a silly costume as the only practical alternative to starvation or vagrancy)).

SavoyCabbage · 03/11/2012 20:17

I wouldn't see those chairs as thrones but they are bigger than the ones in the cherry tree cottage. They have that table and normal kitchen chairs. Also, there's no beds in this version whereas cherry tree has three beds.

There is ELC in Australia and they sell Gilliwogs.

MORCAPS · 03/11/2012 20:20

Isnt it Mum and Dad having tea and cake and the two kids climbing trees/playing with the horse thing?

ScarahStratton · 03/11/2012 20:21

That is Mr and Mrs Khaleeji (standing in front of the big chairs), and their son (standing by the horse), and daughter (standing under the tree). So Mrs Khaleeji is given the same amount of status as Mr Khaleeji, and the son is looking after the horse, whilst his sister is either doing fuck all, or contemplating climbing the tree. Either way, she's getting a better deal than him, shovelling shit.

Really can't see what on earth could possibly wrong with this. I'd buy it for the DDs if they were still young enough.

Oh and Doggie Doos is gross, absolutely revolting.

MORCAPS · 03/11/2012 20:23

I was in a big ELC yesterday, no golliwogs, have only ever seen them for sale in the UK.

MadBanners · 03/11/2012 20:32

oh no! look at this, the woman is pushing the pushchair, while the man is erm....clearly debating rogering the dog! www.elc.co.uk/HappyLand-Happy-Family/134269,default,pd.html

It is offensive to women and dogs i reckon!

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