# Please take a minute to write to Gymboree re: racism



## Lucysmama

I admit it, I shop there.







:

They just released a line called "Peruvian Dolls". They made the design decision to give all of the "Peruvian" dolls white skin. In a few garments, they show a line of dolls - all white girls, with different shades of _hair_: blonde, brown, red. I guess this was the show of diversity? If they didn't want to give all of the dolls brown skin, they could have made ONE of them a different hue. Nope. All little white girls. And then named it Peruvian Dolls.

Here are a few examples from this line:
http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_it...SizeSelected=0

http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_it...SizeSelected=0

http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_it...SizeSelected=0

Please take a moment to write to them and express how incredibly offensive and ignorant this decision was.







: I guess we know who they want to shop in their stores.

ETA: to contact them via email, click here:
http://www.gymboree.com/our_company/...=1162913427506
Via phone:
1-877-4-GYMWEB (1-877-449-6932) Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Pacific Time).


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## PrettyBird

Wow I will do that. Gymboree is a horrible company. Their clothes are produced via slave labor in Saipan. So it doesn't surprise me they would be racist as well. Thanks for posting this!!!


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## PiePie

thanks for sharing


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## mnearthmomma

YIKES! Add that one to my letters of the week list....
Thanks for the heads up!


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## PiePie

at the risk of sounding partisan (on election day no less), i want to say that if the epa in this political climate is taking this on, it must be pretty bad.


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## swimswamswum

Thanks for posting this. I agree with PrettyBird. Gymboree is a crappy company. I am not surprised at all that they would make offensive and racist decisions.


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## whoamama

Just typed a quick note to them. I am sure it won't take many for them to realize what a mistake they have made.


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## grypx831

The name of the line has me totally confused (either way I'm writing a letter though)

Is it supposed to be "Peruvian Dolls"= "Toys from Peru", or "Peruvian Dolls"=Oh look the little girl is so cute, like a doll"? I've never ben to Peru so I didn't know if there was some sort of folk art that looked like that, like Russian Nesting dolls, etc.


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## a-sorta-fairytale

This is the stock response i got

"Hello,

Thank you for your email and interest in the Gymboree Corporation.

We appreciate you taking the time to express your thoughts and concerns regarding our recent styles of clothing. We will gladly pass your comments onto the respective parties for further review and consideration.

It is through this valuable feedback that Gymboree will continually strive to set forth great standards in quality, appearance, and style. Gymboree throughout the years has implemented much of the feedback we have received regarding lines, styles, website, and retail store environment.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are available Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 9:00pm and Saturday 7:00am to 3:00pm, Pacific Standard Time."


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## Lucysmama

I didn't get ANY response! I did ask to be contacted by a member of the design team, though, or someone higher up on their corporate ladder, and to not be given the standard form letter. If I don't get a response by tomorrow, I am calling.


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## Greensleeves

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lucysmama* 
white normativity.

Thank you for this term. Very succinct!

I'll be writing. I'm not a fan of Gymbo anyway.







:


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## RiverSky

Oh how depressing.... and so racist.







:


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## greenwoman2006

Hmmm, yeah. I thought that there might be a point made about "jumping to conclusions" until I looked at the sweater again and saw three little white girls, one with BLONDE hair, one with RED hair, and then one brunette. What do they think, brown-skinned girls aren't cute enough to put on a sweater?!!

I am Latina, and I find this offensive. My immediate reaction when I saw the "Peruvian dolls" was "wow, this is racist!" I wrote an angry email to Gymboree's media relations. We will see if they bother to respond. I plan to send out the link and information to all my friends and start an email forwarding campaign to boycott Gymboree until they stop this. Anyone else?

And when people DON'T take the time to address political issues, it can cause great harm.


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## REDBREAST

I wrote them, cause I think that is sooo wrong of them!!! I am especially glad that I did, since I use to work for them and all of the employees, including the district manager were all highly racist, so it is no surprise that they would come out with a line of dolls that do not reflect the true race of a people.


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## mely

Perhaps they went with the white skin because of how horrible the Sugar and Spice line looked last year. I didn't buy a single piece of that line because the dolls looked like sickley oompah loompas. The brown gingerbread people wound up looking orange. It was not a cute look. It's hard to get skin color right on clothes.


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## BurgundyElephant

Well, MoonGypsie, I totally fell in love with one of the InkaCulture Dolls. But they want $49 shipping to ship a $15 doll.


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## BeeandOwlsMum

I have removed several posts from this thread.

Once again, there is no debate in this forum. If you don't agree with a cause, scroll on by. If you feel there is a valid counter cause, then please post a thread regarding that.


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## jrayn

I sent a letter, my daughter is brown skinned, it is so rare to find clothes with children with dark skin, except Dora, when she was an infant, I had an outfit with an angel with black hair, but white skin, I decided to mix some paint to make the angel's skin brown... Not that she would have ever known but one day she will notice.
It is a shame that Gymboree would exploit the idea of Peru dolls but then not use Peru characters, that sends such a negative message








When I sent my letter, I sent a link to a charity for Peru children that had pictures of what children for Peru look like
http://www.sunspot.org.uk/perutrust/


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## Lucysmama

Thanks for your letters, ladies.







I am sure they would never pull it or apologize, but perhaps it may have SOME impact on their design team.

I realize that not _all_ Peruvian children have brown skin and dark hair, but it reeks of cultural appropriation to put the children in traditional dress, leading around llamas, and not bother to give even one of the "dolls" featured darker coloring. Sucks.


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## TiredX2

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Lucysmama* 
Thanks for your letters, ladies.







I am sure they would never pull it or apologize, but perhaps it may have SOME impact on their design team.

The original links no longer work and I can't find anything on the site labeled "Peruvian."

Now there are such things as:
Dolly Denim Pant
Dolly Sweater Hat
Best Friends Tee
Llamma Tee
Dolly Sock
and so on

If they used to say "Peruvian" you guys really did make a difference!







:

Now hopefully next time, Gymboree w/simply use kids w/different skin colors in that situation.


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## TiredX2

Ooops, so embarrassed.

The line is still *CALLED* Peruvian Doll







:


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## JustJamie

Is it possible that the line is called Peruvian Doll because the clothing is styled after Peruvian dress?

(Not debating/arguing, simply inquiring.)


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## Sharlla

Did they remove them from the site? The links don't work and even the google links don't work either.


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## a-sorta-fairytale

I didnt see a line called "peruvian dolls" anymore and they took the word "peruvian" out of the descriptions. When you search for peruvian though it takes you to all the stuff from that line but doesnt say the word...

I wonder if these new "best friends dolls" will ever come in other colors? Eve if they arent usuing ther term "peruvian" incorrectly it still stands that all the kids are white with different colors of hair


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## Lucysmama

Yeah, the line is still Peruvian Dolls....you can see the top banner here:
http://www.gymboree.com/shop/dept_ca...=1164232665487

I did receive several emails from a person, I will have to post later cause I am just running out to give blood.


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## 3_opihi

Oh wow! Who would put that on their kid? It's so offensive. They might as well call it the "Indian Princess" line. Barf, barf, barf...gag.


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## elizabethrose

Anyone have any links regarding gymboree using slave labor? I would be interested in investigating this, as I have bought many clothes from gymboree in the past. if they are truly using slave labor, not only will I stop, but I will spread the word.
As for the peruvian dolls thing, that is so sad. Dark skin is beautiful too, and I think it is shameful what has been done here.


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## Lucysmama

Mary, as far as I know they no longer use slave labor/sweatshops. They settled suit over it many years ago, changed their outsourcing, and no longer appear on sweatshop watchdog lists.

Of course that doesn't mean they don't exploit their workers - I am almost sure they do, as do most American corporations.


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## elizabethrose

Thanks Katie,
Can you tell me how to find those sweatshop lists. i would love to be more in the know abt things, Thanks!


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## Lucysmama

Try www.sweatshopwatch.org as a good starting place...there's a lot of great resources there.


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## luvmy2grls

oh man I didnt know any of this!! I used to work at gymboree when I had my first daughter.. (we just really needed the money it was a miserable place to work)

because of my discount.. I bought all of my daughters cloths there. now my mom is still always buying my girls cloths from there. In fact she bought a couple things from the peruvian dolls line for them for xmas!! ahh! I will have to tell her! I bet she didn't know either!


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