Paperchase Withdraws Xmas Card Design Joking About Orphans After Heavy Criticism
Image via Alena Veasey / Shutterstock.com
Stationery giant Paperchase has been forced to remove a Christmas card after it was accused of mocking children in care.
The card featured a young rabbit knocking over a mug of liquid, which prompted the mother rabbit to pick up a phone and declare, “Is this the Orphanage? Right, I want a f**king refund.”
Twitter user David Alfred Grimm shared a photo of the card in a tweet, saying, “This card found by my friend in Paperchase today, poking fun at orphans and care experienced people. Do you believe this is okay? Absolutely disgusting thing to sell. We are more than the butt of joke.”
Author Lemn Sissay MBE, who was brought up in care, responded in a blog post, “This card is punching down, abusing children in care as disposal goods for the butt of a joke.”
“To customer services, please remove these from sale! You are better than this. You spread a lot of happiness. But this. This is the opposite of what you are about,” he continued.
Paperchase has pulled its card off shelves and issued an apology on Twitter. “We apologize unreservedly; it’s never our intention to cause offence and appreciate this occasion the image and copy has done so,” it said.
This card found by my friend in @FromPaperchase today, poking fun at orphans and care experienced people... Do you truly believe this is ok @FromPaperchase ?? Absolutely disgusting thing to sell.
— David Alfred Grimm #cep (@DavetheCareBear) December 15, 2020
we are more than the butt of a joke... #notok #careexperienced #fixthis pic.twitter.com/Ctcw9xIhPD
A mother is on the phone looking at a child. The child is staring at spilt milk. The mother shouts on the phone “Is that the orphanage? Right I want a f*cking refund…”
— lemn sissay MBE (@lemnsissay) December 16, 2020
This is a card for sale in #Paperchase. @whaleandbird#Paperchasehttps://t.co/lsBK9epPyE
Thank you for highlighting; we've immediately removed it from sale on our website and have instructed all stores to remove it from display. It is never our intention to be insensitive; we appreciate that on this occasion the image copy are, for which we apologise unreservedly
— Paperchase (@FromPaperchase) December 16, 2020
It's horrid. Definitely a trigger for care exp people - for many it's the truth of being returned to children's homes after yet another 'placement breakdown' or the threat of that. The swearing adds another dimension of something quite brutal. @FromPaperchase #banthecard
— 🎄ɌøSiE LøNǤSTøCKiNǤ🎄 (@Rosie_Canning) December 16, 2020
Ah cmon @FromPaperchase, let’s not make jokes about horrific childhood experiences. https://t.co/MUZmd0qTiU
— Chris Hoyle (@HoyleTime) December 16, 2020
Terribly tasteless jokes but definitely very hurtful!! Well done to @FromPaperchase for taking immediate action. Stamp out any form of discrimination and hurtful language.
— Ruhi Hamid (@RuhiHamid) December 17, 2020
[via Tyla, cover image via Alena Veasey / Shutterstock.com]
