Santa-Themed Golliwog Dolls Sold in Victoria Shops Spark Controversy

Santa-themed Golliwog dolls dressed in festive red and white outfits with black faces and smiling ex.

Some�shops in Victoria have sparked controversy�after selling Santa-themed Golliwog dolls in the lead up to Christmas.

Westminster Christmas in Geelong, Victoria, was selling the ‘golly dollies’ for $45 and has already sold out its first shipment of the toys.

The Geelong Advertiser reported that�a�shop spokesman said the dolls were a collector’s item which are hugely�popular.

However, Dr Dvir Abramovich,�chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission told the paper it was ‘beyond insensitive’ to sell the ‘hateful objects’.

“Any items or images which represent intolerance and bigotry have no place in our community.

“There is nothing fun, cute or funny about Golliwogs, which are commercial symbols of racism that are degrading, humiliating, and hurtful to so many people,”�Dr Abramovich said.

Santa-Themed Golliwog Dolls Sold in Vic Shops Spark Controversy | Stay at Home Mum

Golliwog dolls have�frizzy hair, dark skin and red lips, which have since divided opinion since they became popular in Australia in the 1970s. These�became popular last Christmas, with one retailer telling Daily Mail Australia at the time that buyers were willing to pay�up to $110 a doll.

Many retailers say there is nothing offensive about the Golliwog dolls, since it is just�a cute collector’s item.�”When I see a Golly I see memories from my childhood not a politically incorrect doll. When is the madness going to stop,” a retailer told Daily Mail Australia. Another retailer said: “We have been marketing this product for over 25 years and receive very few objections many people avidly collect them and really love them.”

Source:�Dailymail.co.uk

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Clare Whitfield Chief Editor
Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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