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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is This Inappropriate?

145 replies

ExcuseTheCheese · 28/02/2018 23:42

We had the whole 'coolest monkey in the jungle' thing but I saw the jumper first whilst looking for some clothes for DD, in the search results all you see is the jumper and not the model. I thought it was an odd thing to put on a child's jumper in all honesty, I thought it should perhaps say boss. Anyway, I clicked on the other pictures and saw the ethnicity of the model and thought that someone, somewhere has made a massive error in judgement and that this is actually quite inappropriate. AIBU?

Is This Inappropriate?
OP posts:
honeysucklejasmine · 28/02/2018 23:44

It does make my feel uncomfortable. I'm Caucasian though so don't feel it's my place to rule about if it's offensive to PoC. I don't like it though. If nothing else, bloody strange phrase for kids clothes. "Master" is a phrase with all sorts of creepy going on.

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 28/02/2018 23:49

I though it said waster and was going to kick off Grin

PorkFlute · 28/02/2018 23:52

Yanbu op. There will be a twitter apology forthcoming I’m sure.

Birdsgottafly · 28/02/2018 23:53

Well, it's a way for people to notice your advertisement and get free publicity once the complaints start rolling in.

MollyHuaCha · 28/02/2018 23:56

Can't stand slogans on clothes.

I think this means 'be your own boss' sort of thing, but I'm sure there will be others finding a racist message in it.

Original poster
ExcuseTheCheese · 28/02/2018 23:57

@honeysucklejasmine, exactly my thoughts that's the only reason I clicked on it, because I thought it was an odd phrase to use.

Good job I've not named the shop it's from then, @Birdsgottafly!

OP posts:
DalekDalekDalek · 28/02/2018 23:59

Not terribly well thought out but I don't think it is inappropriate. I'm sure the designer didn't think in a million years about the word's connection with slavery.

Littlefrogletx · 28/02/2018 23:59

Actually these type of outrages over names of costumes and the whole monkey t-shirt normally pass me by and think people are being OTT. But this one actually made me cringe.

Guest0925 · 01/03/2018 00:05

I am being totally dumb, and missing something! No idea what this is said to potentially refer to :/

crazycatgal · 01/03/2018 00:06

The monkey t-shirt reaction seemed ott to me but this slogan makes me uncomfortable. It's a weird slogan for a child's top anyway but that slogan with the model just seems racist even though I'm sure it wasn't meant to be.

Original poster
ExcuseTheCheese · 01/03/2018 00:13

@Guest0925 For me, the word only ever conjures up thoughts about slavery.

OP posts:
MadgeMak · 01/03/2018 00:17

Totally inappropriate and racist.

Lmsm · 01/03/2018 00:17

Ffs 😴

Minko8990 · 01/03/2018 00:19

I read it as ‘master of your destiny’. I can see why they went for that as little kids don’t work so boss wouldn’t work. But yes agree it’s odd and lacks thought as quite clearly could have connotations with slavery.

clumsyduck · 01/03/2018 00:22

People will be flippant as this isn't the subject of massive public outcry

But yes it's as bad as the monkey slogan one

mojito55 · 01/03/2018 00:33

You couldn't make this stuff up. How did that make it to sale?

Skarossinkplunger · 01/03/2018 00:35

The quote ‘You are master of your own destiny” (which is basically what this slogan is saying) is by Sivananda Saraswati, who is Indian.

ReggaetonLente · 01/03/2018 00:36

Yeah to be honest I’d only associate master with slavery too. It’s not been well thought out has it.

RitaMills · 01/03/2018 00:36

YABU it doesn’t make me feel as uncomfortable as the monkey hoody. I see it as a slogan of empowerment and it could be relevant to anyone that’s in a minority or just feeling down on themselves be they black, white, female, male, gay or bi. Be your own master so think for yourself, make your own decisions and be your own boss in life.

I would never have associated it with slavery to be honest.

dinosaurkisses · 01/03/2018 00:48

I'd feel more uncomfortable telling any child that they can't wear something because of the colour of their skin.

Having said that, its a bit of a weird thing to put on a kids t shirt.

Original poster
ExcuseTheCheese · 01/03/2018 00:54

I don't think that's the point in any of these cases, it's just that to advise the product doesn't sit right. It's almost like saying 'look we're so with the times that we use models of colour' and are totally oblivious to how something like this could look bad.

@Skarossinkplunger I do get that's what it is alluding to. However, even in that context, what does the term master derive from?

'Master
A man who has people working for him, especially servants or slaves.'

OP posts:
SpiceRack · 01/03/2018 00:55

Any other word would've been fine (still a bit tacky) but " master " does just make me think of slavery and i'm not usually a super offended person

TroubledTribble28 · 01/03/2018 00:59

Bloody daft to put slogans on any clothes tbf and putting them on kids clothes is worse. What kid gives a fuck about being master of her/his 'destiny' ?

breakfastBus · 01/03/2018 01:04

There's no problem with it.

I suspect that as with the 'coolest monkey in the jungle' there will be a load of indignation from white people being all woke and offended whilst no one else cares.

Whatshallidonowpeople · 01/03/2018 07:39

The fact that so many of you see master and a black child and think slaves says a lot about you.