“This is hilarious!”, said the disgusting executives of Walmart as they approved the sale of this insensitive greeting card featuring a “Tranny-sauraus.”
The greeting card was on sale at the UK’s ASDA, which is owned by Walmart, for £1.50 (~$2.30).
It features an allegedly transgender, cross-eyed dinosaur in an awful pink wig and striking pink lipstick, holding a pink handbag. Also on the card are two misinformed and not-very-PC cavemen shouting “Oh look! A Tranny-saurus!”
Blogger Tamlyn MacPherson was not amused. After snapping this photo as evidence, she wrote the company a strongly worded email and posted it on her Tumblr:
How about we take this to the next level?
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“Just having a laugh’ does not justify any form of abuse, be it based on race, sexual orientation or gender identity, and indeed all three are protected from discrimination under the law.”
…
“Images such as this add to the public consciousness that Trans people are to be openly mocked and ridiculed for no other reason than that they are transgender. The cartoon image you have used, even if not intended for children, would certainly be appealing to them and do you believe it is right to encourage young children to mock and ridicule those who are different? I am unaware of the rest of the range that this card belongs, but I assume you have others singling out Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Asians, Africans, Oriental people and various religious faiths… you do have those right?
With regards to the word ‘Tranny’, it is a highly offensive term, and is used primarily as either a direct insult towards transgender people, or as an aggressively sexualised term in relationship to internet pornography. Usage of either of these causes anger, distress and upset among the Trans community.”
MacPherson also demanded that the cards be taken off shelves immediately and a public apology be posted on the front page of the company’s website
The company didn’t apologize on their website, but an ASDA spokesman issued the following statement after announcing the card had been pulled from all stores:
“We want to reassure that we have a commitment to LGBT and never wanted to cause offense with the card.”
Well, at least ASDA notified us once they stop selling things.
onahigh23
While we are knocking out offensive language and stereotypes, Oriental is used to identify rugs not a group of people.
Thedrdonna
@onahigh23: In America, yes. In Beitain that word has no pejorative connotation.
Thedrdonna
“Britain”
Ogre Magi
@Thedrdonna: In the UK Asian is most often used to refer to people from the Indian sub-continent
AndrewIB
Good grief..
offbeatoh86
Only a Neanderthal would think that card is funny. (get it?)
AndrewIB
@offbeatoh86:
So in other words Asda’s demographic customer base..
Teleny
Why do many straights find trans people a group they can demean in every possible way & think its funny or acceptable?
boring
I’m more offended at the portrayal of Tyrannosauruses, as I am one.
And trust me, it’s hard as fuck to type this statement out with such teeny, tiny hands.
Allie
@Teleny: *”Why do many cis people…” Unfortunately the attitude isn’t exclusive to straight people, it’s far from uncommon among cis LGB+ people as well. Also, by inventing a dichotomy between “straights” on the one side and “trans people” on the other you support the misconception that trans people can’t be straight and vice versa.
urban
I’m a Gay Brit and although I wouldn’t shop at ASDA (only as its completely god awful, not for any political reason). Maybe we have different outlooks and as a nation, we do like bad taste but I thought the card was really quite funny and let’s face it there really are important issues to get really upset about.
urban
@boring: and its a bitch on the claws, chipped my talon polish something awful!!
Allie
@urban: As a trans person who also happens to be queer and British, your nationality and orientation are irrelevant. Unless you’re also trans*, you’re not qualified to comment on what discourse is or isn’t acceptable with regards to trans* oppression.
BROOKECERDA
SORRY TO BREAK YOUR HEARTS GAYS,BUT BIANCA DEL RIO DOESN’T EXIST.ITS A CHARACTER JUST LIKE BOZO OR RUPAUL, BUT CARMEN, JANET , LAVERNE & MYSELF ARE WOMEN.
AND IF ANY OF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A MAN, YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO TREAT A WOMAN .
THERE ARE NO DEGREES OF WOMANHOOD.
WOMEN ARE WOMEN, TRANSGENDER OR CISGENDER.
YOU BEING GAY DOES NOT GIVE YOU A PASS BE VULGAR WITH US.
I DONT CARE HOW FEM YOU LOOK.
BODIES ARE NOT GENDER.
RESPECT ALL WOMEN !!
STOP MAKING AN ASS OF YOUR TRANSPHOBIC SELVES .