Midget Gems renamed — Scope | Disability forum
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Midget Gems renamed

woodbine
woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
Story in the Telegraph saying they have been renamed after a disability campaigner claims the word is "hate speech" to people with dwarfism.

Is it me or are some people over sensitive? As far as I can see MGems have been around for 100 or more years.
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Comments

  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @woodbine

    Thanks for posting, this is an interesting subject. 

    The articles I have seen on this seem to mainly mention M&S renaming their midget gems, such as this one. I see it as a positive step and while I recognise your point that they've been around a long time, I think that word is often used in a derogatory way towards those who have dwarfism, and that negative use has only increased with time, I think. Perhaps when the sweets were founded the word didn't have as much prominence as it does now, and the society in which the word was first used was a very different one to the one we have today.

    I found this information on the history behind the word:
    the word “midget”.  The word “midget” was never coined as the official term to identify people with dwarfism, but was created as a label used to refer to people of short stature who were on public display for curiosity and sport." 

    With a background like that, it's understandable that the word is perceived to be quite insulting.
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  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2022
    I guess as a business they are interested in making money above all else, if they think renaming their product will get them a few more sales they do so?

    I agree people are very sensitive these days though but also have to agree with what Ross mentions.

    I don't think calling them Midget Gems is hate speech though, surely there has to be an intent to offend for something to be hate speech? I think phrases like "hate speech" are thrown around so much these days that they lose meaning. Which is sad, because actual hate speech then doesn't get treated as seriously as it should do.
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,411 Disability Gamechanger
    The world has gone mad!! 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    If it hadn't been mentioned, then it would never have crossed my mind that this 'might' have a negative connotation, & I certainly don't connect the word midget with achondroplasia or other forms of dwarfism (much as Ross has said).
  • TheAlien
    TheAlien Community member Posts: 228 Pioneering
    As someone whose only 4ft 10in, I've often been referred to as a midget, in all of my 56years, its never once bothered me.

    I think this is another case of someone taking offence on behalf of someone else without actually asking if they're offended.
  • Libby_Alumni
    Libby_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,251 Pioneering
    I also think that it's an interesting topic and different views/opinions should be considered. However, I do believe that every individual will respond to these types of remarks differently, not everyone has the same coping resources/support to deal with comments such as 'being a midget' so I think it's important to bear in mind, that not everyone will be able to manage such responses and it might impact them in a negative way :)
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  • Garza
    Garza Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    as has been previously said unless this had been bought up I would never had made the connection between the sweets and "little people", I wonder how long the seven dwarves have got until they are phased out, after all they are pretty negative stereotypes, sleepy, dopey etc 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    So should we stop calling small versions of full size things dwarf as in dwarf trees or rabbits. 

    Or slightly confusingly from the Oxford dictionary ( Googled)

    midge
    /mɪdʒ/
    noun
    plural noun: midges
    1. 1. 
      a small or minute two-winged fly that forms swarms and breeds near water or marshy areas.
      • 2. 
        INFORMAL
        a small person.

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  • Sillymoo007
    Sillymoo007 Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Ginger nuts next 🤣🤣
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    @Username_removed or even three blind mice just like baa baa black sheep was changed and black Jack sweets 

    Personally I don't get offended easily I even refer to getting legless (drunk) with my friends 

    I do however understand other people who do find these things offensive but sometimes it just goes too far 

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