What are your thoughts on the changing of the name and picture of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup?
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filmfann (
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June 17th, 2020
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41 Answers
Great idea! It is time to get rid of the old stereotypes and rethink the whole structure of racism. I personally don’t think it is the right of whites (or any unoppressed people) to decide what should or shouldn’t be offensive to the people being misrepresented.
Surely nobody needs to wax nostalgic for Aunt Jemina pancake syrup? Is this the hill you want to raise your flag on?
It would be like losing a family member. She always looks cheerful and warm.
However, companies do choose to make packaging changes from time to time. Mt. Dew got rid of their hillbilly, who was funny for commercials, and Fritos no longer have a bandit. I will miss them all.
For those under forty:
Mountain Dew
Frito bandito (basically a cartoon substitute for snacks friends, lol)
A totally innocuous brand symbol
People do a lot of funny things when they are afraid that they won’t be invited to the cocktail party.
@janbb, apparently it is the hill for some.
I just finished a bottle of the syrup. Listen it was great marketing, for the time. I never had slaves or a mammy so it doesn’t really have any significance to me (GenX) either way.
On the other hand, a little black girl seeing Mammy like that stereotype (kerchief, fat, etc..) nowadays is not ideal, from a feminist or humane point of view. I think kids have enough to deal with, without a syrup bottle being another issue.
Anyone who cares about syrup bottles more than kids has their own issues to sort out.
The story of the spokesperson Nancy Green is interesting. While there are indeed racist overtones to her image it would be a shame to lose her story to history. Uncle Ben and famous Amos are probably next. I think Land O Lakes already took the Native American off their butter. I honestly don’t care. They can do what they want, I still won’t buy any of that shit because it’s junk food. Except for the butter
They’re ever contemplating exiting Mrs. Butterworth.
I thought this was pretty hilarious.
I don’t feel strongly about this one way or the other. My mom showed me an ad in one of her 50s magazines (she has a collection) that talked about Aunt Jemima working on “Colonel Higbee’s plantation” and I had to cringe a bit.
I have not used it, in several decades.
Interesting, I never thought of it, as a bad thing. I just thought it was a good syrup…
I never made a correlation, between the product, and racism…
I guess I didn’t know the history, behind it.
I’m not sure how to feel about it now.
I do know that it was a product that I didn’t feel gave any support, to slavery, or racism.
I don’t know the story behind Uncle Ben’s rice. But, I have purchased many of those products.
I think, some things are being blown out of proportion. Sadly, it feels like this type of battle, takes away from the real issues.
Is racial discrimination, going to be affected (in a positive way, ) by doing away with such products brand names? ...
I suppose now they can change the image to what the product actually looks like instead of people depicted on it.
It is censorship, but in the present era its time for a change.
A private company decides to change something with their property. It affects me about as much as someone on my block painting their house a different color.
Maybe they can revive this guy and put his picture on the products.
Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Rastus (Cream of Wheat) were good, genteel people.
But its time to replace them. Peter Pan Pancake Mix, Harry Potter’s Magical Instant Cajun Rice, and Luke Skywalker Jedi Grits are the wave of the future.
Racism flows through every part of our society insidiously and quietly. So, there’s a lot of change needed.
Ad companies are good enough at making “comforting” mascots without using a stereotype. I miss the Cookie Crisp dog.
More totally innocuous brand symbols.
^Wow! That’s so offensive, I can’t even form words.
Wow! Guess I need to get some Lysol douche!
@canidmajor I wasn’t aware Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Rastus were fictional characters. I always just assumed they were logos for their said products. Are they in any stories or Southern novels?
In any case, yeah, the name ‘Jemima’ sounds very stereotypical racist. I never thought of these as plantation slaves, although that might have been the original connotation. I Just thought of them as southern cooks of the type of cuisine that is indigenous to the Gulf Coast, the Carolinas, and the regions where these culinary arts are typically associated.
What about Tiana in The Princess and The Frog? She wants to open the finest Cajuun / Creole restaurant in The French Quarter. Yet these are the same foods associated with the southern plantations.
So, do we now have to disassociate the alleys and courtyards and balconies of New Orleans, Charleston and the southern coastal cities, New Orleans Jazz, pralines and creole dishes from their Africa American association simply because the original persons were slaves or descendants of slaves?
Somehow, Cowboy Grits and Hansel and Gretel pancakes and Robin Hood Cajun Rice just don’t work.
@Yellowdog: Maybe the pancakes and rice won’t be named after people. Maybe they’ll be names that are associated with feelings or places, like Sunny Morning Pancakes or something like that.
Quaker owns Aunt Jemima.
Eh, just put the Quaker guy on the Pancakes and Syrup, It’ll make ‘em think their syrup is as good as oatmeal!
@Yellowdog Well since Quakers are a Christian religious group, that’s probably not okay anymore either.
But they did portray her hideously and offensively ugly in the early ads.
More recent depictions, since the 60s and 70s are pretty decent, however.
If it makes some people feel better, I’m fine with it.
But. I find that many liberals, get upset about almost everything.
I don’t think that syrup, and rice, is a great choice of a hill to die on…
For those who want her removed, here is one man’s opinion.
We are really seeing a surge in virtue signaling, pandering, and opportunism on the part of politicians and companies. It’s all very cringey to me.
@Yellowdog That is true. She appears as a grotesque “mammy” figure in some of the earliest depictions. She’s been “softened” over the years to become innocuous.
@Demosthenes: Good point. White people all over TV are apologizing for racism.
^^ Perhaps it’s time? I do know what you mean but sometimes an over-correction is needed to right wrongs. I just hope there’s meat in the sandwich too and that the meat isn’t baloney.
I just saw where they are going to change the name of Eskimo Pies.
@Patty_Melt: Just saw your videos. Someone in my family told me white women are getting on their knees and apologizing for racism. I can guarantee I will never get on my knees and apologize for racism.
@jca2 I think there’s a huge difference in kneeling and apologizing, and acknowledging it exists and trying to be part of the solution.
@KNOWITALL: Yes of course. I’m not saying it doesn’t exist and of course I want to be part of the solution. I am referring specifically to a video posted by @Patty_Melt where white women are kneeling in public and apologizing for racism. I will never do that. Not in private either.
White guilt makes me wanna puke. As if melodramatic displays of guilt and contrition actually do anything to combat racism. It’s done purely to make the people doing it feel less guilty.
I have never done anything to apologize for. What’s more, if I manage to get on my knees, they would have to help me back up. A bit like house slave, right?
I’m old now. I did my share of boycotting and peaceful protesting, for which I was sometimes assaulted.
I’m all good over here.
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