4 ms·

These feel like perfect examples of when banning them makes people MORE likely to read them and revive potentially offensive language (that many people have nev

These feel like perfect examples of when banning them makes people MORE likely to read them and revive potentially offensive language (that many people have never ever even seen written or heard spoken). Not saying banning is the wrong answer per se. Just that it can seriously backfire

defrost 2y ago
Raymond Briggs was being fully self aware using Golliwog, knowing that Enid Byton had used it in a thoroughly racist manner in The Famous Five childrens books: The story follows one day in the life of a working-class Bogeyman whose job it is to scare human beings, who are referred to as Drycleaners, and the narrative hinges on the joke that Bogeymen enjoy all things humans find disgusting. One illustration shows a puppet reminiscent of the traditional “golliwog” but with pink skin and yellow hair. The annotation reads: “Boggiewogs: The Bogey Golliwog. These are a caricature of pink Drycleaners. They always have huge blue eyes, rosebud mouths and curly blond hair.” It's mocking the traditional (to that time) British use of Golliwog with a blue eyed racial stereotype doll ... making children question and puzzle over such things in a fun book about farts, slime, dirt, etc.
- ghaff 2y ago
  I wasn't aware of that particular backstory. But I suspected--before seeing the name explicitly mentioned--that Enid Blyton is probably one of the prolific authors that would trigger various alarm bells for some modern audiences.
  - defrost 2y ago
    Speaking of Blyton; an excerpt from Five Go Mad in Dorset https://youtu.be/NhGlet1j8EA?t=73 https://youtu.be/NhGlet1j8EA?t=73 highlights her use of golliwog .. although to be fair that's a Famous Five parody and her main use of the golliwog stereotype was in her Noddy book series (I got that part wrong in my comment above). It all sheds some light on the whys and wherefors of the Mau Mau rebellion.
    - ghaff 2y ago
      I've been vaguely amused on some recent trips to England that the Five are so prominent on Great Western's advertising posters. I've also seen some funny parodies like the Five on Brexit Island. https://www.amazon.com/Five-Brexit-Island-Bruno-Vincent/dp/178648384X https://www.amazon.com/Five-Brexit-Island-Bruno-Vincent/dp/1...

defrost 2y ago

Raymond Briggs was being fully self aware using Golliwog, knowing that Enid Byton had used it in a thoroughly racist manner in The Famous Five childrens books: The story follows one day in the life of a working-class Bogeyman whose job it is to scare human beings, who are referred to as Drycleaners, and the narrative hinges on the joke that Bogeymen enjoy all things humans find disgusting. One illustration shows a puppet reminiscent of the traditional “golliwog” but with pink skin and yellow hair. The annotation reads: “Boggiewogs: The Bogey Golliwog. These are a caricature of pink Drycleaners. They always have huge blue eyes, rosebud mouths and curly blond hair.” It's mocking the traditional (to that time) British use of Golliwog with a blue eyed racial stereotype doll ... making children question and puzzle over such things in a fun book about farts, slime, dirt, etc.

ghaff 2y ago
I wasn't aware of that particular backstory. But I suspected--before seeing the name explicitly mentioned--that Enid Blyton is probably one of the prolific authors that would trigger various alarm bells for some modern audiences.
- defrost 2y ago
  Speaking of Blyton; an excerpt from Five Go Mad in Dorset https://youtu.be/NhGlet1j8EA?t=73 https://youtu.be/NhGlet1j8EA?t=73 highlights her use of golliwog .. although to be fair that's a Famous Five parody and her main use of the golliwog stereotype was in her Noddy book series (I got that part wrong in my comment above). It all sheds some light on the whys and wherefors of the Mau Mau rebellion.
  - ghaff 2y ago
    I've been vaguely amused on some recent trips to England that the Five are so prominent on Great Western's advertising posters. I've also seen some funny parodies like the Five on Brexit Island. https://www.amazon.com/Five-Brexit-Island-Bruno-Vincent/dp/178648384X https://www.amazon.com/Five-Brexit-Island-Bruno-Vincent/dp/1...