What was she thinking?! TW Racist Memorabilia

[CleaningWoes]

My partner's sister thought it appropriate to gift these to my 12 year old daughter for Christmas. What on earth was she thinking?? I'm horrified as is my partner. Our daughter had no clue what they were. I'm scared to even bin them in case they somehow fall out and up in the street. WTAF

Yes my mum donated an entire jazz band to them - collected in the early 70’s then up in the loft late 70’s when she realised how awful they were - we moved house in the 80’s and they took them

I'd give them back if I didn't want them.
I wouldn't throw them away. They can be valuable and historically interesting.

I actually read an article recently about a black lady who was making and selling gollywogs, I suppose to reclaim them or something.

Gawd. Gross. I'd be handing them straight back. They're too dodgy to give to a charity shop etc.

You need to tell them straight that it's racist and unacceptable as a gift to anyone.

Plus they're creepy and hideous and look like they've got mould or something? Not that any 'golly' product is in any way pleasant or necessary.

I knew a girl who insisted on wearing the badges of them to work. This was maybe 10 years ago, in a major city. The office was majority POC and she was a supervisor.
I was like, why? She just said, 'oh, they're historical. Retro.'

Yeah. ok. She didn't last long in that workplace. Thankfully.

Just to say that NOTHING brings out the racists of Mumsnet like a chat about Gollyw*gs. Already some apologists creeping in. I’d delete this thread OP

This.
Call sil and ask her what is going on

There isn't a family WhatsApp group. Although his sister is only in her 60's she's a bit of a fuddy duddy. I'm not even sure she has WhatsApp. She's one of those that doesn't keep her phone switched on. I don't think it's a smart phone. They are the only people who call our landline. Them and telemarketers. I don't even get up if it rings as it will be one or the other. I don't even have her phone number I have that little to do with them. The other sister is even worse. My partner is the only half sensible one of the three 😆

Even if it's really awkward you or your partner need to say something. Either she's fucking stupid and needs to know or she knows what they are and needs to be told it's not ok.

I honestly think it's the former. Clueless....

Regardless. They need to be told.

Er, nope.

I think they're plaily and obviously racist but that doesn't seem to be the view of most British people - in a 2018 YouGov poll, only 20% thought they were racist.

It's quite possible your SIL is genuinely ignorant of the controversy and perhaps thought she was passing on a harmless heirloom. I'd return them as politely as possible (e.g., "you may not be aware but they are, at best, controversial and we do not feel comfortable having them in the house"). She might look into it and feel genuinely embarrassed.

I’d return them with a brief note saying why they are inappropriate - both personally and culturally. And with no apology.

What are they made out of? Are they breakable?

If they're breakable, I'd smash and bin them. That way you know a wrongun won't rescue and sell them.

In my mum's village, some idiot was selling a soft toy version of one of those, and she had it in the fucking WINDOW. I'm happy to say the shop is now permenantly closed.

What black people collect these? Lol

They are horrific. I don't have them in my house.

i had a hand knitted one as a child in the 70’s it was just a toy to me.. however i cannot imagine in this day and age anyone thinks this is ok or acceptable gift to give anyone

This is random. I went on hols in 2019 & we stopped in a small village past Whitby & they had these for sale. I couldn't believe it!
Just put them in a carrier bag & dispose of them.

Just an observation. I am much older. I had one of these when I was a little girl, may be about 2-3 years old. It was a soft toy, which I called “Golly”. It was common for children to have them then. Interestingly, back then I didn’t realise he was supposed to be a human being even, let alone a black person. I think I assumed he was some kind of animal. I loved him dearly, though, I remember that and I was devastated when l lost him when me and mum were out somewhere. He must have fallen out of my pushchair as I had him with me when we set off but he disappeared at some point during the journey. I remember my mum retracing her steps looking for him, with me bawling away in my pushchair but she couldn’t find him and we had to go back home without him.

Obviously I’m not saying it’s right and would never dream of buying one for a child today but I just wanted to share my memory. Times change!

You can go down the route of destroying anything that some people find offensive. My personal feelings are that you increase interest in things when you ban them. IMO far better to display but be able to explain the negative connotations of them.

Look at advertising items from the 80's and back. A massive amount would be considered sexist and mysoginistic. The tennents lager with the lager lovelies on them. The trays and artwork are very collectable.

And no Cactii I am not thick as pigshit. I'm an adult able to differentiate between a doll and a real person living today.

Maybe racist now but in the day as a child they were just dolls. Or was I a racist child from mixed heritage.

More and more coming now. Lots of ‘memories’ that people just want to share with us all about their racist dolls. Spare me.

Yes I remember the jam collectibles looked like that. A friend of mine still has hers and doesn't consider them racist

I collect vintage kids books and there's a constant stream of Facebook posts on the collector sites about books featuring this toy. Massively disproportionate to the actual books. It's obviously just racists looking for click bait.

No one should be making excuses for this racist crap. They belong to the bin of history. No need for them