Do you consider Gollywog dolls to be racist?

[NuKe]

Just wondering! I definitely do, just wondering what you thought?

 

[mrsessex]

No!!!!

Had them as a kid

Used to love them on the side of marmalade jars

Countrys too pc for my liking it's all swollox

 

[special_kala]

looking at them no but i dont know the history of them so cant really say

 

[nikkip75]

Not really no.


If i gave my girls a gollywog doll i dont think they would look at it as a "black" doll, they would just see a raggy type doll. I think its because that name "gollywog" has been used in the past as an offensive word against black people which then makes the doll look racist

 

[NuKe]

aye its the "wog" part that's racist.

 

[Snowball]

No I don't at all

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

What's a gollywog doll?
x

 

[NuKe]

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0&biw=1024&bih=653

 

[moomoo]

I swear when I went to holland, gollywogs are used instead of Santa... At Christmas!!! Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

I don't see them as rascist at all?

 

[hopeandpray]

I had one, think it was originally my mum's. What racist about them? It's just like a normal doll but with dark skin? i mean the name is i guess but is that it?

 

[ALY]

no i dont see them as racist

used to always have them when i was a kid

the name is the bit people dont like xxxx

 

[binxyboo]

I swear when I went to holland, gollywogs are used instead of Santa... At Christmas!!! Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

you are sort of correct

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet

Originally Posted by NuKe
aye its the "wog" part that's racist.

They are known as Golly Dolls now.

 

[caggimedicine]

I don't personally think there is anything racist about them other than the word "wog" in the name... but I know that some people do fine them racist. My sister went to Tenby recently and saw a shop selling them and thought it was cute (we remember them from when we were kids and from the Robinson's marmalade jars etc), so she got one for Harry. I'm fine with him having it - but I obviously have some issues with them because I hide it when my friends come round because I don't want them to think I'm racist because I have a gollywog doll!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I guess so. Sorry, all I can think of is the episode of 'Extras' involving them...haha

It's the name 'wog' that does it, there's no doubting that is a racist term.

 

[Erised]

I swear when I went to holland, gollywogs are used instead of Santa... At Christmas!!! Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

I don't see them as rascist at all?

lol, bless ya! I never even thought of what it must look like to non-Dutchies (I'm a Dutchie )... that must be so confusing.

The wikipedia link posted a few posts above explains it all quite well. The short of it is that we have a traditionally Dutch holiday on the 5th of December called 'Sinterklaas' (started in a celebration of Saint Nicholas but has simply become one of those myth type of holidays now). It's different from Christmas, we have a lot to celebrate in December, some spoiled kiddies alright. Not to mention the fact that what in England is boxing day is 'second christmas day' in Holland. That's right, we have 2!

Zwarte Piet (Sinterklaas his helpers) dolls aren't gollywogs though, and probably have a different background. Don't think anyone sees them as racist in Holland. That said, there's a lot of different interpretations as to what they are, I was always told they're white men who have gone black due to all the chimney soot. DH (English, so he can bugger off) always (jokingly) says he wants to tell Eleanor that they're black guys that are slaves to Sinterklaas though

As for gollywogs being racist, I really don't know. I'm leaning towards no, they're just dolls. However, due to how many people view them I wouldn't want to own one due to the racism part

 

[polo_princess]

No not at all

Ive got a massive Golly at my nans from when i was a kid!!

 

[nikkip75]

I guess so. Sorry, all I can think of is the episode of 'Extras' involving them...haha

It's the name 'wog' that does it, there's no doubting that is a racist term.

Oh noooo! how cringy was that episode! I was literally hiding behind a cushion squirming

 

[helen1234]

i've got loads of gollywog badges from the marmalade jars as a kid, they're worth quite a bit now

it was made racist after noddy was horrible to the gollywogs in the childrens books

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

No

 

[jenny_wren]

you can still buy them, i actually really
like them, my aunts got a gorgeous one at hers

but no not racist in my opinion ​