Moomin character removed from Brooklyn library exhibition after racism concern
A Moomin scholar finds the move “absurd”, arguing that the character Stinky is far from racist and the decision likely reflects a lack of familiarity with the Moomin stories.
Yle News 1.8. 16:34 A Moomin character has been dropped from a major exhibition at Brooklyn Public Library in New York after one of the institution’s supporters raised concerns that the character might be perceived as racist.
“One of their supporters had thought Stinky could be seen as a racist symbol,” said Roleff Kråkström, CEO of Moomin Characters, the company that manages the rights to Tove Jansson’s beloved Moomin universe.
The exhibition, which has drawn a young audience over the summer, features illustrations of Moominvalley characters and details about Jansson’s life and work. But Stinky — known in Finnish as Haisuli — was removed from some of the large mural-style displays in the library, although he still appears in the original books on show.
Kråkström told Yle he was informed of the decision via a short email from the library and responded with understanding.
“We replied in a few lines and said it’s fine. We see this as a healthy societal discussion. If such a change is requested, we have no objection,” he said.
He noted this is the first time in 80 years that the character has drawn such criticism.
“Tove Jansson is widely seen as a champion of tolerance, radical acceptance, and inclusivity. But I greatly respect the American sensitivity around these types of conversations,” he said.
The decision was first reported by Finland’s Swedish-language Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper.
You know I didn’t write the article, right?
There is no issue with the article.
The issue is people here in the comments making false assumptions, jumping at the chance to fight a quixotic bullshit reactionary culture war against a woke mob that doesn’t exist.
“You can’t name the specific person who made the claim so this well-trusted national newspaper has obviously completely made this thing up. No I won’t Google to check whether it could be true. It just isn’t until you give me the social security number of the person who made the complaint and the entire complaint, word for word.”
Alright, buddy.
The article explicitly says why this decision was made. So this tangent of yours is made up nonsense and you know it.
Do I need to cite your own source to you again?? Seriously this is embarrassing.
You’re one of the more obtuse cunts I’ve seen this year.
“Byaah, completely made up nonsense.”
Sorry, but I live in a country where newspapers are held to standards and they can’t just make up shit. Probably different for you. ¯\(ツ)/¯
Yeah that’s the part with the ambiguous wording. This is clarified elsewhere in the same article as concerns by a supporter that someone else might see it that way. That’s the part you are stubbornly pretending not to understand.
Once again. Your beef should be with the people who made this decision.
But you’re too busy dunking on hypothetical people, probably not noticing how you’re advancing right-wing propaganda in the process. And I get it because I’ve been there myself. But this narrative and mindset is harmful and unproductive.
There’s literally nothing that would make you admit you’re wrong, no matter how obvious. You’re pitiful.
That’s called preemptive compliance and that’s exactly the issue as I keep pointing out.
Once again, your beef should be with the people who made this decision. That’s the fucking problem here. And what you and others here are doing instead is unconsciously advancing right-wing propaganda.
I’m literally quoting sources which you say don’t exist.
You have no criteria which you would accept as being true.
You just screech “not true, not true, not true”, and there’s nothing I could say to make you change your mind. It’s literally pathetic.
You say this is complete fiction, while there’s several names of spokespersons for these libraries mentioned, and you can verify these sources. Do you genuinely not see how ridiculous you’re being?