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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Golliwogs...

544 replies

GoodNewsTwo · 03/09/2018 17:44

A colleague of mine today put a small golliwog figurine on her desk. Said she's always liked them and that she doesn't see an issue. I explained that some people (myself included) find them offensive and dated, and think they are too controversial for a workplace setting. As a black woman, I don't really like to sit and look at it all day. I'm sure many people wouldn't regardless of their ethnicity/race. AIBU to ask her again to remove it? I don't want to be 'that girl' who has an issue with race (I don't) - on this occasion, I just feel extremely uncomfortable.

wwyd?

OP posts:
Moussemoose · 04/09/2018 08:06

50 years ago no one would have bothered about Holly's because no one cared.

I find gollys shocking so I would post about them.

The prevalence of threads indicates that people find them shocking and dislike them. That's a good thing.

LotsToThinkOf · 04/09/2018 08:07

OP, I haven't read the full thread (the bitching and troll hunting put me off) but this kind of casual racism needs addressing. Your colleague, if otherwise nice, is probably not displaying it to cause offence, but ignorance is not an excuse. HR or her line manager should have been on this as soon as it was displayed, the fact that it's taken you to notice it and then have to decide whether to address it or not speaks volumes about your workplace! It shouldn't be down to someone to become offended by something, it should be down to the intelligence and integrity of the company you work for.

Go straight to your boss, her boss or HR. Tell them to address the issue and tell them you want nothing to do with it - the fact that it is there, the fact that they haven't noticed and the fact that it will be against their discrimination policy is not your problem. This company sounds very lax when it comes to looking after their employees. You shouldn't have been put in this position, whatever the colour of your skin, but I think that fact that it takes a black person to flag this kind of racism to their bosses is horrendous and I wouldn't be continuing to work there for much longer.

The ignorance of some people is astounding. The issue of 'gollies' has been around for long enough for even the most sheltered of people to know they're controversial at best.

winegal · 04/09/2018 08:09

I'm white and I'd be bloody horrified if someone did this and would be reporting it and kicking up a massive stink about it.

It's not just inappropriate in the workplace, it's inappropriate full stop and if you don't get that I'm sorry you are massive ignorant.

winegal · 04/09/2018 08:11

Also it does not matter one jot if you had one as a kid and never thought about it as racist. It is, everyone knows it is, it's 2018; get rid of it!

Belle81 · 04/09/2018 08:24

Where on earth did she even find one in 2018??!! I am surprised she wasn't told to take it down immediately! Do you have a HR department? If so just mention it to them and they need to deal with it straight away. That would be a disciplinary in some companies! Unbelievable that she thought it was acceptable Shock

sparkling123 · 04/09/2018 08:30

Ok so there have been threads but as I don't come on every day, sometimes not for over a week I wouldn't have seen them like a lot of mners.
OP hope HR have done the right thing and asked it to be removed. I disagree with other posters saying you should tackle the person directly, this is an issue the company need to sort out from my POV.

willyloman · 04/09/2018 08:32

YANBU maybe match it with a really ugly cabbage patch doll? Keeping dolls at work a little weird to begin with...?

Jimmers · 04/09/2018 08:33

@GoodNewsTwo - good luck today. Stay calm & confident. You know you’re not being unreasonable in your request to have this item removed. Let us know how you get on (& ignore the shitheads on here!)

KnotsInMay · 04/09/2018 08:36

“50 years ago no one would have bothered about Holly's because no one cared.”

Actually, even 50 years ago my Mum told us in no uncertain terms that they were racist. And wouldn’t have the Black and White Minstel show on telly, either.

Mishappening · 04/09/2018 08:40

I see no problem with black dolls - why would there be?

But the golliwog is a bit more problematical because of its name and its historical connections. I thinbk you should ask her again and if that fails then talk to HR. Are there any others in the workplace? Have they made any comment?

Did you know that many years ago a jam manufacturer gave away golliwog tokens that you could collect and redeem for a little gilt golliwog brooch. As children we all thought they were great fun - but that was quite a long time ago!
Sorry that you are faced with this dilemma.

Eminado · 04/09/2018 08:42

*"Oh, for god’s sake. How many more variations on ‘AIBU to find golliwogs offensive/not offensive are people going to post on here?

It’s well established that they are considered offensive these days, yet goady fuckers still start wide-eyed posts asking about them to try and provoke a bun fight over racism."*

SO sorry Duchess, are we whiny black people boring you with our tales of racism?

What a rude post.

cobwebsinthebelfry · 04/09/2018 08:46

There seems to be a culture of offence at the moment, so if you really think your colleague is trying to provoke you, why not speak directly to them or take it to management?

obviousNC101 · 04/09/2018 08:49

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Xenia · 04/09/2018 08:52

It is a very bad idea. She should leave it at home.

I had one in about 1964. My parents were some of the best people I have ever come across in terms of non racism etc etc and in those days it was just a standard toy and in fact it was great because we could include it in games with the teddy bears and made us realise not everyone was white (even though just about everyone is and was in that area of the UK). It was like making sure your children in a 100% white area see pictures of non white people in books, understand different cultures, have a black doll etc. I would not however buy one these days as it tends to mean something entirely different and why offend people?

At work I would just totally ignore it as this person probably just wants attention.

JacquesHammer · 04/09/2018 08:55

I don't think you wanted an opinion like this though. I think you wanted everyone to agree with you so I fully expect you to take offence to this post and to start an argument over it

Christ yet another either deliberately goady poster or completely thick poster. It’s gettjng tiresomely difficult to tell the difference Confused

Original poster
GoodNewsTwo · 04/09/2018 08:55

@cobwebsinthebelfry I think there is a big difference between a 'culture of offence' and a black person feeling uncomfortable about having to look at a racist black caricature against their will all day, though...

OP posts:
Original poster
GoodNewsTwo · 04/09/2018 08:57

@obviousNC101 I'm not offended, only mildly humoured. You could use the same argument for a swastika in Europe, if you wanted.

OP posts:
Thinkingofausername1 · 04/09/2018 08:57

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GreatDuckCookery6211 · 04/09/2018 08:58

Bloody hell poor OP!
I'm not surprised you're offended. How fucking insensitive of her.

2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney · 04/09/2018 08:59

I broke up with a good friend over her love of golliwogs a few years ago. When she displayed the one she had just purchased on FB I complained to her and explained why it was offensive. What took me by surprise was the number of mutual dolly friends ( all Doll collectors ) who were defending her and golliwogs. I was appalled at the ignorance and that I was just being too PC
OP good luck today in sorting this. I hope you have an unignorant HR who act quickly for you. Shocked she refused to remove it when you said something. That smacks of arrogance or goading.

2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney · 04/09/2018 09:02

Are you my ex friend obviousNC101 you sound just like her?

Original poster
GoodNewsTwo · 04/09/2018 09:04

@Thinkingofausername1 aggressive? Bloody hell. I don't think I've been that aggressive? Have you read the thread? Including all of the posts which were deleted? Put yourself in the shoes of a black woman (of course I have no idea what race you are) and read the thread back, and if you have any ounce of common sense you might realise that I am far from aggressive.

You must have to be really stupid or lack a great deal of cultural awareness if you think it's ok to call someone of an ethnic minority standing firmly up to racism as 'aggressive'.

OP posts:
gamerwidow · 04/09/2018 09:05

You seem quite aggressive op. So if you approach management or hr, I suggest you approach them in a different manner.

Fucking hell so complaining about racism is being aggressive now. I think we have a full house in right wing bingo.

MagentaRocks · 04/09/2018 09:06

This thread shows that people are still willing to defend these things and resort to name calling to help them do it.

I grew up in the days where you collected the tokens from jam jars for them. For those who claim it is a memory of their childhood is that really the only thing that you can remember fondly? And why would that trump someone else’s feelings over these?

One of my staff is being investigated for a racist ‘joke’ said at work. It was reported by a white person who found the so called joke offensive. You don’t have to be black to be offended by racism.

Op I hope she has taken it down. If not you should take it further.

gamerwidow · 04/09/2018 09:06

X post with op who was much more measured than me.