Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Enid Blyton and the Brownies etc.

112 replies

EatsYummySprouts · 19/03/2023 20:16

These are things which I grew up with and loved. Now the language Enid Blyton used is not acceptable to the woke ways, and the Brownies is name changing to the Embers (in Canada)
These are just two examples of ridiculous wokeness.
I am a very open person, and am open to the beliefs of all, and sexual identity of all. But honestly, all if these rules, and that people cannot decide for themselves any more if something is okay or not is completely bonkers. AIBU???

OP posts:
EatsYummySprouts · 26/03/2023 12:01

….and now it’s Agatha Christie…

OP posts:
CremeEggQueen · 26/03/2023 12:27

I'm.so confused, what has the brownies got to do with enid blyton?!
Or is this just a rant at anything you deem "woke"?!
I mean, I love Enid Blyton and grew up with her, I still love the books but doesn't mean I still cant see as an adult that there is racism in there that passed me by as a kid.
I dont think they should be edited or rewritten though as they're of their time, you cant just edit books if you dont like the language used - they should be used to learn from.

CremeEggQueen · 26/03/2023 12:32

GuidingSpirit · 19/03/2023 21:18

Brownie leader here.

If you did any research about the name change in Canada, you would know it is because "brownies" is a racist derogatory term in Canada, which used to be used against people of colour. So a totally different scenario to here. The organisation had a vote to choose the new name because some communities felt they could not participate due to the name.

Brownies in the UK is not planning a name change.

Imagine if there was an organisation for girls in the UK called the "n" word. Of course it would have been changed before now!!! It is ridiculous to think otherwise!!

Didn't know that about Brownies, that makes sense then.
It's not woke to want to change that ffs 🙄

Upsywavy · 26/03/2023 12:33

ReadersD1gest · 23/03/2023 21:56

The word Brownies (revering to a pixie like creature) is not racist.

I dunno I feel folklore written about small fairies with black hair and black skin who clean people's homes around the time of slavery is a bit fucking weird to name a group for children after.

mumoffourminimes · 26/03/2023 12:39

GuidingSpirit · 19/03/2023 21:18

Brownie leader here.

If you did any research about the name change in Canada, you would know it is because "brownies" is a racist derogatory term in Canada, which used to be used against people of colour. So a totally different scenario to here. The organisation had a vote to choose the new name because some communities felt they could not participate due to the name.

Brownies in the UK is not planning a name change.

Imagine if there was an organisation for girls in the UK called the "n" word. Of course it would have been changed before now!!! It is ridiculous to think otherwise!!

And Canandian Rainbows are "sparks", embers make sense.

Aren't brownies helpful little creatures, like fairies, pixies, sprites etc they are part of fun mythology.

mumoffourminimes · 26/03/2023 12:40

Maybebabyno2 · 19/03/2023 21:32

Please don't tell me they are changing Dick and Aunt Fannies names! Hours and hours of hilarity over their names as children. Juvenile, I know!

They are Rick and Franny in the newer editions

SerafinasGoose · 26/03/2023 12:41

Maybebabyno2 · 19/03/2023 21:32

Please don't tell me they are changing Dick and Aunt Fannies names! Hours and hours of hilarity over their names as children. Juvenile, I know!

Take comfort. In the Arthur Ransome adventures stories, Titty is still Titty!

SerafinasGoose · 26/03/2023 12:54

Language has always changed and evolved. In their original British origins, Brownie packs and their sixes were named after the little folk, but different words and names have different connotations depending on context. If the context in in Canada is racial, and was proving a barrier to joining for certain ethnicities, then it's right that the name should change. In Britain this doesn't affect us in the slightest.

As to Blyton, I made a parental decision to read these books to DC. They made my childhood a far richer experience, and haven't turned me into a rampant sexist or racist. But this comes with a caveat. We started by reading chapters to DC to start with, so that the more problematic areas would then open up a topic of discussion. Blyton is racist. She's sexist. She's xenophobic. She's classist. She's a roaring snob. She indulges in, on occasion, fat-shaming and the endorsement of bullying. Where these issues come up they are discussed and DC knows fine well these things are NOT okay.

Her writing does also have many positives - not least in stimulating a joy in reading and an indulgence in imagination - which are the reason DC is allowed to read them in the first place. She writes beautifully of nature and the natural world, which as a child helped instil in me a lifelong love, respect and appreciation of these things. Her escapist/adventure stories can fire the imagination of any kid. To my mind, it's her school stories that are most problematic - especially in terms of English 'values' - and I'm not sorry DC has no interest in reading those.

Had some of the language remained as originally published, I'd have made a different decision entirely. I don't want DC reading derogatory, racist language. It's right that this should have been edited out. But 'peculiar' for strange, 'Mother and Daddy' modernised to mum and dad, and similar completely unnecessarily bludgeoning of the language to make it more up-to-date, is an irritant. These books are of their time, and it's easier to show today's generation why they're of their time if most of the language is left as it is.

It also only seems to be Blyton who suffers to this extent under the censor's axe, when other authors' work has equally disturbing content.

SerafinasGoose · 26/03/2023 13:06

x2boys · 20/03/2023 09:46

I.imagine Darrell,Rivers as a CEO,or NHS,manager ,she had the right temprement,for it 😂
I still.want to.swim in the Malory,.Towers,swimming pool though !

Dancing Ledge, in Dorset! It's real.

And Malory Towers was based on Lulworth Castle.

Enid Blyton and the Brownies etc.
Enid Blyton and the Brownies etc.
x2boys · 26/03/2023 13:13

SerafinasGoose · 26/03/2023 13:06

Dancing Ledge, in Dorset! It's real.

And Malory Towers was based on Lulworth Castle.

Fabulous!😍

Nooyoiknooyoik · 26/03/2023 15:42

SerafinasGoose · 26/03/2023 13:06

Dancing Ledge, in Dorset! It's real.

And Malory Towers was based on Lulworth Castle.

Amazing!

KatP29 · 04/10/2023 11:45

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread