British shoe company Clarks announced it would no
longer sell its “Dolly Babe” girls’ school shoe after critics questioned its
sexist name and design — especially when contrasted with its male counterpart.
The “Dolly Babe” shoe featured a pink insole decorated with hearts, while the
boys’ version sported images of a football and was named “Leader.” A dismayed
mother was the first to point it out in a post on social media. In another post
on Facebook, one mother took issue with the apparent difference in quality of
the boys’ and girls’ shoes.
One of the most high-profile critics of the shoe
was Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who tweeted, “It is almost
beyond belief that in 2017 a major company could think this is in any way
acceptable. Shows what we are still up against.” After several other politicians
— from all across the political spectrum — weighed in with their disapproval,
Clarks announced it would be removing the shoes, “an old and discontinued line,”
from its stores.
It is almost beyond belief that in 2017 a major company could think this is in any way acceptable. Shows what we are still up against. https://t.co/3C7Nop8o1E
The tone-deafness of the marketing around the
product recalled a similar controversy from last year around this time when the
Gap came under fire in the U.K. for a back-to-school ad campaign that relied on
similar sexist themes.
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