To think these are inappropriate

[Cheeseontoastie]

I am on a selling site and someone is selling a babies cot. Inside the cot is a gollywog, I literally scrolled past and had to go back as I was so surprised. Haven't seen one of these in a long while and thought most people knew they were considered racist. And in a babies cot of all places, aibu in thinking it's inappropriate as to give as a toy now??

Thing is.....they are not considered racist by everyone. There have been numerous threads on here about Golliwogs.

Wildly inappropriate they're still around, IMO. YADNBU.

And before anyone adds their "they're only a doll, kids don't see them as racist, I loved mine as a child, stop overreacting" type of comment, have a re-read about their history:
www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/why-golliwog-wars-are-important

Public awareness about what they really represent has surely grown since they were more common (bloody hope so), so anyone buying them nowadays is surely making an informed choice to condone that.

When you know what they are meant to represent they are offensive. Having said that I have a number of gollywog badges and was shocked as a teenager to discover what they were meant to represent. As in my mind that was daft as they look nothing like black people. I simply didn't connect black people and golly wogs

I haven't seen any threads about them since joining. Seen countless "my oh is useless/isn't pulling his weight" threads though and that's a day. So oh well...

Someone put that in there intentionally. Thick bastard. (Them not you!)

Aargh. Posted wrong link.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/21/right-to-sell-golliwogs-not-something-should-be-fighting-for-in-2016-suzanne-moore

I know what you mean OP, I was really surprised and a bit shocked to see them for sale last year in Australia. In a very expensive, children's boutique too. They were really dear!

I'm sure why the pearl clutching about it being in a baby's cot

The term Gollywog is offensive. These dolls are now called gollies. If we have to have a thread about them can we at least use a non offensive name for them?

Sorry never knew they were now called gollies. Well I did really do a double take seeing it sat there in a cot. I can maybe imagine someone having one from child hood that they really liked so didn't want to part with it but kept it hidden but sat there right in a babies cot does makes me feel uncomfortable.

Does calling them gollies make them less offensive!?!

Cantspell,

Arguably, though, referring to them without the offensive part of the original name is minimising just how offensive they were and are, and making it far more conveniently baggage-free for those who still insist they're 'harmless' .

Stardust, X-post!

I didn’t say whether I personally find them offensive. I stated that the name used was.
But for the record yes I do think they are offensive. I can understand if someone keeps a vintage one at the back of a cupboard somewhere as it was given to them by their departed but much loved grandma when they were a child but I can’t understand giving on either to your child today.

I went to a craft show at the weekend, it's quite a big event. There was a lady on a stall selling wooden boxes, signs etc that are engraved. She'd done road signs too.

She was also selling mugs with gollies on and wooden signs with gollies on. I was surprised as I know they are now deemed racist.

We had gollie fridge magnets when I was young but they were sent off for with tokens from the side of the Marmalade/jam jar but that's what I associate them with.