eBay

imastawka · ‎15-08-2015

Ebay have removed listings, worldwide, in the last couple of days

for Golliwog/Golly citing the 'hateful or discriminatory policy.'

Aunt Jemima dolls (mammy dolls) have also gone

The weird part is, there was a sub-category in Dolls/Bears for Golliwogs

All things Golliwog have disappeared.

Books including ones by Enid Blyton have gone.

It's ok to sell them, just don't put golliwog/golly in the title.

I have been informed that I need to be educated on the matter,

and have been given links to things like the Jim Crow Museum

http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/golliwog/

My own opinion is, I love gollies. I can see no relevance to them in Australia.

I think they are/were a much loved toy with no underlying racial tones.

A lot of people may be upset by the images, but I think Ebay has just made

them worth a lot more money on other sites.

I'm not looking for an argument, and you won't get one.

I would just like some more opinions.

It started on the Selling Boards

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling/Item-specific-Listing-Removed-Sick-Of-It/td-p/1834945

I would hope that opinions do not run too hot, and turn into arguments.

bluecat*dancing · ‎16-08-2015

oh, and the answer to the op's question is that it is a much loved racist toy.

**************************

"There is nothing more; but I want nothing more." Christopher Hitchins

View solution in original post

opmania · ‎15-08-2015

I'm not sure if there is a problem

With the doll the name or both

What if someone was to update a similar

Doll with plait hair with beads

Funky clothes

Same doll but just bring it into the

21 St century how would that go do you think

Because I've been thinking about that for

Ages

Call it something different like a funky diva

Doll

polksaladallie · ‎15-08-2015

I just googled, and there are books and Blyton books and pattern books still there. ?

imastawka · ‎15-08-2015

There are plenty of black/brown dolls out there - like Blythe dolls for instance.

But the objection with golly and mammy dolls is their background

of minstrel blackface and domestic slavery.

I had no knowledge of that when I was four, and I doubt it would have meant

anything to me either.

i-need-a-martini · ‎15-08-2015

I am surprised that ebay still allowed the dolls to be listed.

The tide turned on those dolls in the UK in the 1960's and finally death knell happened 30 years ago when Enid Blyton books removed the golloiwog characters when they finally appreciated the reality of what the dolls stood for.

imastawka · ‎15-08-2015

@polksaladallie wrote:
I just googled, and there are books and Blyton books and pattern books still there. ?

Did you google or search on ebay? Zilch on ebay

Enid Blyton books have golly on the cover, but not in the title.

i-need-a-martini · ‎15-08-2015

@imastawka wrote:
There are plenty of black/brown dolls out there - like Blythe dolls for instance.

But the objection with golly and mammy dolls is their background
of minstrel blackface and domestic slavery.

I had no knowledge of that when I was four, and I doubt it would have meant
anything to me either.

Perhaps not ima. But think about how the golliwogs/black characters were always potrayed by Enid Blyton - dirty, nasty, thieving, naughty. Whether you recall knowledge or not, the subconcious retains informaion like this.

bright.ton42 · ‎15-08-2015

@imastawka wrote:
There are plenty of black/brown dolls out there - like Blythe dolls for instance.

But the objection with golly and mammy dolls is their background
of minstrel blackface and domestic slavery.

I had no knowledge of that when I was four, and I doubt it would have meant
anything to me either.

Same with me stawka. I loved my golliwog dolly, just like my favourite baby doll was a brown ceramic beauty which I loved best of all. It's adults who give them the racist tag not children.

imastawka · ‎15-08-2015

But think about how the golliwogs/black characters were always potrayed by Enid Blyton - dirty, nasty, thieving, naughty. Whether you recall knowledge or not, the subconcious retains informaion like this.

I never had books as a child. I remember reading somewhere that Enid's Golly

was turned into a helpful taxi driver.

But then, Big Ears was accused of being gay. Did that image remain embedded?