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

How have you discussed this with your DD? She needs to understand the difference between an ordinary black doll that you buy in toy shops and the social context of these Robinsons collectables.

Once you have talked with her about this then between you you can decide what to do with them - she should have some involvement in that choice - she is 12.

My MIL has one of these on display in her home. Which tells you exactly what you need to know about my MIL.

Send them back royal mail but under pay ( £3/4 equivalent to a take out coffee) so that giver will have to collect it from the post office or sorting center & pay for the privilege.

As a child I remember Robinsons jam being banned in my house because of the tokens and not really understanding why until I was a quite a bit older.

I have to say as a black woman I do not know of a single family member that collects these and I have a large family!

Or just take them out of circulation by binning them. I don't normally like sending stuff to landfill but on this occasion I'd make an exception!

Can’t believe this post is allowed to stand whilst mine gets deleted.

I’ll try again with less offensive language.

@ARealitycheck I suggest you educate yourself about how these ‘collectable dolls’ are much, much more than that.

I shall keep my views to myself about the levels of your intelligence for fear of further rebuke.

I'm sorry op regardless of what the relationship is like between your brother and his sister, or even the fact that you don't exactly talk to each other much during the rest of the year, this is beyond disgusting enough to put all normal habits aside and warrant a phone call at the least to ask WHY.
And not just being chucked and forgotten. Ive read this thread with my mouth fucking agape at some responses.
You must say something!

I had one of the Robertson's pins. I still have it because of childhood memories, but it's in a box under the bed, and I wouldn't dream of giving it to DS, or any other child.

Yes, absolutely. If we don't understand and study prior generations, their collections and objects, how can we understand literature, politics, and society of that period? Context is so important. Things shouldn't be censured and destroyed because they offend modern beliefs. But having said that, these are no longer gifts suitable for children. Is there a reason why your SIL would have sent these?

Send them back with a note explaining why, to educate your SIL. If you silently bin them then she'll remain clueless, and what would the thank you letter say? "Thanks, but we binned them"?

Give over

If you cannot understand the damage that the connotations of that ‘doll’ had and continue to have then my original analysis of you still stands.

You are sensitive enough to report a post that calls out your level of intelligence but not sensitive enough to understand why these artifacts cause so much upset. Seems like it only matters when it affects you…

I suspect you know why your post was deleted, you made a childish rude remark about what you considered my intelligence.

As previously stated, there is any amount of memorabillia that would be considered offensive by todays standards. You can choose to be offended by it, or you can accept it exists and be able to discuss in an adult way why it is offensive to you.

As it happens I wasn't the one who reported the comment. I'm a grown up and can live with somebody I don't know on the internet thinking different to me.

I could not dispose of them before confronting her on how grossly inappropriate this was, especially as a gift to a 12 year old.
Either she is completely ignorant and needs educating, or she’s a racist that needs cutting out your lives.

A

There is an absolute ton of stuff that offends us now. But it was quite normal for prior generations over the last few centuries. So best to see it, name it, identify that change in societies.

A childish, rude remark which was either completely correct or you’re being racist. Which one?
Either you lack the intellectual capacity to understand why these are not ‘just Collectible dolls, nothing more’. Or you think they are acceptable, along with their dire history.
Which one is it?

These were incredibly offensive at the time. Unfortunately, a lot of people chose to ignore this.

Those are NOT vintage Robinsons collectables. And no I am not a collector, but I am of an age when the collectables were around. I would smash and bin.

Nah. Not buying she isn't aware of their meaning.
I think you need to do what a poster above suggested and post them back to her without an apology.

In what circles are these NOT poor taste?

When you say offensive at the time. Do you mean the 1960s/1970s? How was that reported? In the UK we had 3 tv stations, magazines and newspapers. I was a child so my tv was limited, very limited, to programmes like newsround, blue Peter, magpie. Magazines eg Jackie. Can't remember any others. These figures were not discussed at all. So how was the offensive communicated? Of course now we have multiple ways to ensure the offence today is known, recorded, communicated. Ignored? No i don't agree with that. I mean the same level of communication means existed for south African apartheid. But we knew about that in the 70s and 80s.

It was just another doll in my Enid Blyton books to me as a kid.
Obviously now I'm older I know better, I've read up on them and the history and realise they're incredibly offensive and racist.
She's either racist or ignorant.
I'd hate to receive them as well.