Is this doll racist?

[Staiby]

A Golliwog

They're a children's toy and very iconic of Australian childhoods. Not everyone had one. I don't remember having one myself but I remember seeing them at my friend's house when I was very young.

There is a debate about whether or not racist. what do you think?

Yes

No

I don't know

[curiousnorway]

No, the doll itself isn't racist. But the buyer can choose to use it in a racist context though. It doesn't mean the doll is racist. It would just mean the buyer is it and misuse an innocent object.

Black, white etc. face itself aren't racist in itself either. Words aren't racist in itself either. But it's which meaning people choose to put in it that makes it racist. Black face is technically just painting, but since people choose to use it in a racist context to mock people, therefor it's racist.

Most users of these dolls hasn't done anything wrong, but since some people choose to use them in a negative manner, therefor people's views on them has changed. I don't find the dolls racist and doesn't associates them with anything negative, but people raised in a racist environment would have different associations. Things have different meanings in the different cultures too.

[Jersey2]

We keep pointing out to the young what is racist over and over again. Let kids and society grow up colorblind instead of reinforceing shit from long ago. The current generation wants to reinforce it over and over again while hoping that racism ends... it’s stupid.

[Staiby]

i don't think that's going to solve it. racial bias attitudes develop really young in children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRZPw-9sJtQ

[sockandshoes]

kind of on the edgier side because it DOES resemble black face a LOT but we never know the intention behind it. all i know is why would u wanna give that thing to a child? so creepy..

[Staiby]

you wouldn't understand. you're not Australian

[sockandshoes]

then why ask for opinions moron

[Staiby]

My response was aimed at you caling it creepy. moron

[sockandshoes]

uh yeah? exactly

[Staiby]

asked for an opinion on whether it was racist or not. not whether it was creepy or not

[jmstarling]

Golliwog is a character in the Little Noddy books of Enid Blyton. I have or had one called _Cheer Up, Little Noddy_.

[Wonderer89]

I think no... but it’s one of those things I can only look at from the outside. It’s like having black cabbage patch babies, what’s the difference between those and a golliwog?

[Armourdillo]

black cabbage patch kids aren't in black face and red lips... watch a Birth of A Nation, It's a film the KKK made.

[Wonderer89]

@Armourdillo so just because they’re darker than a cabbage patch doll means it’s blackface? I’m sure the Sudanese neighbour that gave me one when I was 4 definitely agreed

[Armourdillo]

In context of Australia the doll has a different meaning. In America cartoons very similar to those dolls where made as racist depictions of American Americans.

[Wonderer89]

@Armourdillo but we’re talking about in the context of Australian history. It’s literally written above

[Allie_Oops]

I can't understand how you guys do not see this as a racist portrayal of black people

[Armourdillo]

they do they just want to say racist things without being called a racist

[Staiby]

@Armourdillo Blackface was never a part of Australia's history. We never mocked black people with blackface

[jmstarling]

No, just a massive genocide against aboriginals...

[Staiby]

@jmstarling I wasn't having a go at you.

[Allie_Oops]

Australia does have a history with blackface, what are you talking about? It was a trickle effect from the states starting before the 1950’s. There just wasn’t as huge as an outrage in Australia about it because of your low black population

[Staiby]

I had a quick look at the blackface wiki page and all it said about Australia is that we had a Michael Jackson skit on Hey Hey it's Saturday in 2008 that offended an American judge.

And we don't call our 'black people" black people. Their called aboriginals.

[Staiby]

America is pretty influential on Australia so I wouldn't be surprised if there was some blackface but I doubt it was a huge part of our entertainment industry or culture

[NormaTavish]

I suppose the best answer to that is, Not at the time it wasn't. Times change and so do views, things don't stay the same forever. I suppose we are starting to think Barbie is offensive now too because off the unrealistic depiction off women, it's all a matter off views off the time.

I would say if something has no intention of being racist then you can't say it is because being Racist implies intent. It may be offensive that's a different story but hell everything seems to upset someone nowadays.

[MackToday]

It's just a doll a cartoonish representation of a black person. It is not mocking or hateful, a racist would have made it with insulting attributes like a target painted on its forehead or the eyes crossed out as if it were dead. I've seen a ton of racist memes and that doll doesn't qualify. If anything it's a flattering manifestation of the cultures fascination with black people. Of course it's a character of a black person and communist revolutionaries need all the ammunition they can get. If they can make black people angry with their insinuation they will, a soldier needs weapons.

[goaded]

If they we (re-) introduced today, then yes, they would be. At the time, I don't know. I probably had one as a young child, maybe inherited. It used to be the logo on a make of jam in the UK for ages (I'm pretty sure they've moved on).

[Anonymous]

D'uh gee, is this doll (below) racist? I'm too dumb to know just how completely fucking stupid I really am, so that's why I have to ask...

[EclipseoftheHeart]

No different than a Raggedy Ann doll. Even American Girl Dolls have black dolls.

[Phanta]

Probably, but I have a lot bigger fish to fry than being concerned with a silly doll.

[Paris13]

Not for another Black girl to Play with, Why Would it Be? xx

[BuchitaBuchys]

No. I think racism has more to do with intent than perception.

[ANK360]

cmon if you look at the history we all are Africans just because our four father moved in different regions we look different or else we all are same

[the_imperfectionist]

That doll kinda remind of the Jim crow area in Americas history. I don't know if that was what they were aiming for tho

[Pink2000]

Those are very racist dolls... they always have been 😑

[Gawblin]

Racism implies that it's suggesting racial superiority, it's literally just a black doll

[FunkyMonkee]

Why is a doll depicting a black person, racist but, a doll depicting a white person, not?

[lucas262]

It, s fucking terrifying if I woke up to that in my room at 3 am I, d shit bricks and burn the bastard

[Gedaria]

No! But it seems to be offensive to a lot of people !!!

[grega239]

No. It's a inanimate object. inanimate objects cannot be racist

[BeMuse]

I don't think dolls have feelings.

[name_is_eric]

I don't see it as racist.

[MrMansonsPocketPssy]

Seems kind of racist.
xx
~ Mrs Manson

[Golden-Thread]

It removing the racism.

[Anonymous]

It looks racist to me

[ImFromReddit]

It looks like Mr. Popo if he had hair.

[IkilledCupid_]

No..

[ivanhunterjo]

It's just a doll. How is it offensive?

[GreenGold1992]

Yeah

[BrownMouse]

I like it

[CT_CD]

Yes..

[Anonymous]

No..

[Anonymous]

I hate white people

[Staiby]

what race are you a part of?

[Opinion Owner]

Asian, white, black, Native American

[Staiby]

I hate you too :P