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The Moomins is a franchise created by finnish author/illustrator Tove Jansson. It features a vast amount of comics, TV series, movies, books and games, telling various stories mostly set in moominvalley.

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Moomin character removed from Brooklyn library exhibition after racism concern (yle.fi)

submitted 3 weeks ago by nocturne@piefed.social to c/moomin@sopuli.xyz

6 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Crossposted from https://lemmy.world/post/33866148

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.

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[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 26 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Huh? It looks nothing like a human or anything humanoid. Its literally a fuzzy hairball. In the original it was completely black like #000000 kind of black. Are they trying to make it about the nose or something?

[–] JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social 23 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

So on the one hand it sounds like the library made the draconian-style decision without anyone else's input, and at the same time, Kråkström just kind of rolled over on his back and did CEO things, talking about "healthy societal discussion," but offering no actual debate or pushback.

Kinda makes me wish that when someone objects to something on 'racist' and other controversial terms, that it would be nice if they could be asked to write a little essay explaining precisely what was racist / offensive / etc about the matter, if indeed they were actually insisting that changes be made for the 'good of society.'

Otherwise it's all just "healthy societal discussion," mais non..?

[–] Makhno@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Feelz > realz

[–] Echolynx@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Doesn't matter, shareholder asked so shareholder gets. There is never nuance to be had in a situation like that.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

after one of the institution's supporters raised concerns that the character might be perceived as racist

As in an unsavoury caricature of a specific race? He's a hairy ball with limbs and a face. It would be interesting to know what race this person thought Stinky could possibly be a charicature of. I suspect that would reflect worse on them than it would on Stinky or Jansson.

Edit: Corrected spelling.

[–] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 11 points 3 weeks ago

might be perceived as racist

American sensitivity

How about we stop bending over backwards for a country who hasn't quiet grasped what it means to be a proper member of the world society? "Might be perceived" is the most ridiculous reason to censor something that has not drawn such criticism from any member of the Moomin-watching world in 80 year, until the show made it to the USA. Maybe I'm being insensitive, but that country has been backwards for a while, and I'm tired of the rest of us bending over for them.