General Chat

Has anyone else heard about the small sweeties that have been around for years getting a change of name? On R2 it was discussed that M&S are changing the name of their Midget Gems to Mini Gems as people with dwarfism are offended by the use of the word midget. Tescos are considering doing the same with their own version of the sweets.

Last night on Q time, they also discussed the matter but honestly these sweets have been around for years and so have other sweets etc. Should we change "Ginger nuts" biscuits lest we offend people with red hair? What about "Black jacks,"

So how is it when manufacturers name the sweets, they dont think more carefully about who might be offended by the name.

I just sometimes think we are too PC now, completely OTT.

Personally with midget gems, i have always thought they were called that because they were little gummy sweets and being connected to dwarfs never entered my head!

Florence in the hebrides

All it takes is one person to be offended in this day and age, Florence :-(

As an aside, yesterday we watched a repeat of 'Blazing Saddles' one of the most politically incorrect films ever made. We roared with laughter and have kept a recording of it.

I'm just surprised that the TV channel had the round objects to air it :-D

It is getting ridiculous.
Apparently, a farm shop near Winchester has renamed their Gingerbread men, Gingerbread persons. :-S

I makes me wonder who complained if anyone did, and who to, I don't believe anyone did but that it was made up by the press to sell the paper.

When i was working with nursery children, they had to change the words to baa baa black sheep to green sheep. Instead of the little boy who lived down the lane, it was changed to the boys & girls who lived down the lane.
Even the blackboard went and a new"smart board" replaced it.

Maggie, the word men being replaced with persons is discrimination gone mad!

Florence in the hebrides

I caught this on telly too. I was busy doing something else but I believe it was a female professor (Elizabeth someone?) who raised the subject. I believe she raised it on behalf of herself or her students - either she, they or all of them were shorter people. I wish I’d taken more notice now!

I don’t mind the change to mini gems if it gives people more peace of mind and it does nothing to hurt anyone else ... a rose by any other name …..

I still don’t like those sweets though. Yuk!

Perhaps fruit cake should be renamed to avoid upsetting idiots.

Just checked. Her name was Dr Erin ...,.. , a lecturer at Liverpool Uni, and she has dwarfism.

It can be a minefield at times, Kense, so I always try my best to understand the other's point of view. I don't always succeed, but I do always try. :-)

It beggars belief that this sort of thing is going on.

Some people are easily upset over nothing.

One place where I worked, there was an option to put your preferred 'pronoun' - (he/she) after your name on emails. I was so tempted to put 'it'! :-D :-D

Why do so many want to be labelled?

:-D :-D :-D@ maggie

Sticks and stones springs to mind.

I love Llion midget gems. I never for one minute associated them with dwarfism.
Its getting too PCj these days.
Florence 61
We had to change it to baa baa fluffy sheep :-D

What's wrong with a black sheep?
It's their colour - can they not have white sheep, beige sheep, or even multi-coloured sheep - Baa Baa Jacob sheep?

Maggie in school the word black was removed from many things as it could have racist undertones. Ie if you only had 1 black child in the room they could find the "Black board" offensive. All schools now have a smart board instead.

Also the black sheep in the family doesnt fit with the new "Inclusion" programme.

I'm so glad I'm actually retired now and out of it. It became so PC you were actually afraid to say very much at all incase you offended someone.

In nurseries they have dolls that are black & white, male & female & non gender!!! Fgs the world has gone mad.

Florence in the hebrides

On a different angle, not sure what would happen on "Fathers' day" when making cards if you had 2 mums! Up to when I left, that situation had not arisen. I was in a small rural school as opposed to a large city school .

I guess "parents day" will be the new norm!

Florence in the hebrides

Edit: I shall go on munching me midget gems and calling them that even after the name is changed.Snickers will always be a marathon bar.

Weirdly, I always thought of the word 'midget' meaning small, but perfectly formed.
What will 'dwarf conifers' be re-named, I wonder. 'Conifers of restricted growth?'

Or vertically challenged :-D :-D :-D

My nick name has always been PORG because I am the shortest in the family.
Person Of Restricted Growth but I'm not offended at all.It was a family joke.

:-D :-D :-D :-D

What about newspapers that report things like 'giant' house spiders, or 'giant' rats -they're normal sized, but the word 'giant' seems to make the story, well, a story!

Surely, using the word 'giant' purely to attempt to make something more interesting, is insulting to those of above average height, who may be very boring? :-D