A YORKSHIRE bakery has been massively trolled online for a 35-year-old decision to rename its gingerbread men “Ginger Persons”.
A customer snapped the treats at the York branch of Thomas the Bakers and complained online about political correctness, prompting numerous attacks on the firm.
But the company came out today to defend itself, pointing out the change in name was made in 1983.
The picture posted by Demii-Leigh Heffron from Manchester shows a number of the treats laid out on a shelf with the tag ‘Ginger Persons: 4 for £1.20’ just beside them.
She wrote: “It’s happening. It’s actually happening. It’s 2018. Stop the earth, I wanna get off.”
The post has received a large reaction online with over 8000 shares and more than 3000 comments.
Some Facebook users revelled in the fact that even gingerbread biscuits are being drawn into a sexism row.
Kerry Francis fumed: “Omg they wanna grow up, why the hell are people even listening to the feminists, tell u what we should change the name of mothercare to babycare if that’s the case, not just women/mothers that shop in there. this world is going mental, god help us all in another 10 years ffs.”
Jade Hornby said: “OMG! What next will they be changing the word “ HUMAN” cause its got “man” in it!? It’s Pathetic how f*g sensitive these tw**s are!!!”
Jordan Bramley waded in to the debate by saying: “This offends me as I am not a person, I prefer to identify as a loaf of bread.”
Paul Nemeth wrote: “Radical feminism has won.”
Recalling the famous poem, Dominique Gorriagan said: “Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t stop me. I’m The Gingerbread PERSON. Pile of w**k.”
Other social media users commented about the relation to people with similar colour hair.
Danny Frost joked: “That’s offensive to ginger people they should be called ginger flavoured persons.”
Ross Davies said: “Surely it should be Auburn person or strawberry blonde people right? World’s gone mad.”
The most popular Twitter post was shared by QueenCazza92, who uploaded the picture with the caption: “I’m female and gingerbread men doesn’t offend me.. ‘Ginger persons’ f**k sake”
The image has received 48 retweets and over 50 comments.
Bwmather replied: “Political correctness gone mad.”
Topps1765 commented: “OMG wish the pc brigade go live on a little island and leave well alone. It’s gingerbread men not persons you morons.”
Thomas the Bakers have tried to calm the ongoing debate by addressing the image on their own Twitter feed. They revealed that the name of their biscuit has been the same for 35 years.
They posted this morning (Wed): “Sorry to disappoint you all – they have been Ginger Persons since 1983! It was chosen by one of our Managers in York and the name stuck.
“We did get a complaint from trading standards in the 80’s that we were discriminating against ginger haired people – seriously!!”
The debate about the ‘Ginger Persons’ comes just days after Kleenex removed the word “mansize” from boxes of tissues after they were called out for being sexist.
The company said the tissues would now be called “extra large”.
Five months ago, JL Bean bakery in Cleveleys, Lancashire caused a similar row when they changed the name of the biscuit to ‘gingerbread persons’.
JL Bean boss Paul Lewis said at the time: “My wife just put this little ‘gingerbread persons’ label on them as a whim, and that was last year.
“It was never anything to do with political correctness and we’ve not really had any comeback until now.”
