|
Racist golliwog toy makes a comeback
Sales of Golliwogs are booming again after years of being ostracised from the toy box.
Golliwogs bore the brunt of political correctness in the 1980s and 90s. Toy shops thought it non-PC to even sell one in the 1980s.
But now the toy is making a surprise comeback with a rebranding for the 21st century.
Toy manufacturers are working flat-out to meet demand for the doll as his popularity soars.
He fell foul of the censors in the 1980s for bullying Noddy. He was named and shamed as a "legacy of slavery" and his character dropped by publishers.
The Working Group Against Racism in Children's Resources added: "He embodies the mythical qualities often attributed to black people - superstition, large appetites, primitive simplicity and savagery."
Oliver Holmes, managing director of manufacturer Merry Thought, said: "We make 10,000 gollies a year and are currently working to full capacity. British orders now have to be placed months in advance and gollies are also a tremendous export winner in the States. "
The golliwog first appeared as a soft toy in 1895 and is even older than the teddy bear, which first appeared five years later, reports the Daily Record.
Even the Commission for Racial Equality have stopped short of condemning golly's comeback.
A spokeswoman said: "Books, dolls, games and other toys should be a mirror to the multi-ethnic society we live in. It is the responsibility of teachers and carers to ensure children do not learn to label or stereotype any particular group through play or learning materials."
Story filed: 08:57 Tuesday 24th April 2001
Back to Golliwogg 1
|
