Two Langley shopkeepers say they will continue to sell Golliwog dolls because they are B次元官网网址渘ot aracist thing at all.B次元官网网址�

Greg Bowles and Linda Hazelton, owners of the Black Pudding Imports Ltd. store, were respondingto a complaint by Surrey resident Taylor Walker, who said the imported British-made black dolls,which have eyes rimmed in white, big red lips and frizzy hair, were offensive.

Walker said she and her boyfriend were startled to see the dolls were for sale during a visit onSunday to the store on 203rd Street near 64th Avenue, which sells imported products from Britain,Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

B次元官网网址淲e were pleased with the British and Irish products they had until we got to the checkout andnoticed they were selling Golliwog memorabilia,B次元官网网址� Walker said.

Walker told the Black Press Media that she didnB次元官网网址檛 say anything at the time because shewanted to research the dolls before contacting the store.

B次元官网网址淚 just wanted to let them know that it was a very offensive itemB次元官网网址� Walker said.

B次元官网网址淢y dad is black. HeB次元官网网址檚 from the [U.S] south.B次元官网网址�

Walker said the dolls may have been fine at one time, but times have changed.

B次元官网网址淔or me, you look back and see things from years ago that were acceptable, now, itB次元官网网址檚 not okay,B次元官网网址�

Walker said.

B次元官网网址淚 think the number of those offended is bigger than those who have affection for them.B次元官网网址�

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Bowles said complaints about the dolls have been rare.

B次元官网网址淚n 20 years, we have only had four or five people say something,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭here are dozens and dozens of [British import] stores in CanadaB次元官网网址� that sell the dolls, Bowlesadded.

Linda Hazelton said she was B次元官网网址渟hockedB次元官网网址� by the suggestion the dolls were racist.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a kidB次元官网网址檚 tale. ItB次元官网网址檚 not a racist thing at all,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 [Walker] being oversensitive.B次元官网网址�

Hazelton said the store caters to B次元官网网址淓nglish, Scottish, Irish and WelshB次元官网网址� customers who grew up withthe childrenB次元官网网址檚 books.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a childhood memory for those people,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e sell tons of them.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hey sell them in England. TheyB次元官网网址檙e not banned anywhere.B次元官网网址�

Golliwog dolls are based on a character in an 1895 childrenB次元官网网址檚 book called The Adventures of TwoDutch Dolls and a Golliwogg by British author Florence Kate Upton, who described the character asB次元官网网址渢he blackest gnome.B次元官网网址�

It was a popular childrenB次元官网网址檚 toy in many European countries, but in recent years has become amagnet for controversy, with critics saying the doll was based on blackface worn by whiteperformers who crudely stereotyped black people.

According to a number of historical sources, the doll inspired the racial slur B次元官网网址渨og.B次元官网网址�

Because of that, Hazelton and Bowles said, the toys are now called B次元官网网址淕ollyB次元官网网址� dolls.

In recent years, the controversy has led British jam makers RobertsonB次元官网网址檚 to drop its trademarkGolliwog mascot and in Australia, ArnottB次元官网网址檚 Golliwog chocolate biscuit was renamed the Scalliwag.

However, when a 2018 poll asked 1,660 Britons whether it was B次元官网网址渞acist to sell or display a golliwogdoll,B次元官网网址� it found most didnB次元官网网址檛 see a problem, with 63 per cent responding B次元官网网址渘o,B次元官网网址� 20 per cent B次元官网网址測es,B次元官网网址� and17 per cent B次元官网网址� not sure.B次元官网网址�

The Ferris State University B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址� website said Golliwog dollswere the B次元官网网址渓east known of the major anti-black caricatures in the United States.

Professor Dr. David Pilgrim said the character B次元官网网址渙ften reflected negative beliefs about blacks[portraying them as] thieves, miscreants, incompetents.B次元官网网址�