No more word “fat” in Roald Dahl books!

[mickd1961]

Any words such as fat and ugly have been removed from all Dahl’s classic kids books so as “not to offend today’s youngsters”.

The Oompa Loompas have also been renamed.

I fear for my grandchildren, their lives are becoming so sanitized and skewed from reality.

[Omegstrat6]

Totally agree!! I get that several things that were culturally acceptable in the past are no longer tolerated -I'm thinking particularly of racism and ***ism here - but the list of what is deemed offensive now is becoming increasingly farcical!!

Surely only the legally "protected characteristics" -age, ***, disability, skin colour, religion-should warrant serious concern not anything else (e.g. fat/skinny/accents). And even in these cases, surely you should not alter the original text/content but rather have a preface warning of these and explaining the historical context? We increasingly have this with tv/ movies ffs ( "the following contains violence/ offensive language/ scenes of a ***ual nature" et c as per Ofcom)

Should we really have to re-word original texts whether they are by Hitler, Churchill, Enid Blyton, Rider Haggard, Salman Rushdie or Charles Hamilton ? Would you cut scenes from films like "Birth of a Nation" or "Gone with the Wind"? If you want to properly tackle racism/***ism/hate you do it through discussion not censorship! If things like racism, ***ism or class division were historical fact does that now mean we remove all depictions of these and pretend they never happened for fear of offending?

Recognising that some aspects of books or films or art (the depiction of Black servants for example) are now offensive is one thing but it's more important to put them in the contexts of their time and give people some credit for being able to see this! Many of these books/films/art still have a great many aspects to enjoy.

(As an aside, I managed to get a copy of Helen Bannerman"s "Little Black Sambo" which I loved as a child. The only offensive thing about the book (now) is it's title and it still sells (admittedly under a different title sometimes) well across the world including India -where it is set. You can still purchase it in its original format but doubtless the w oke brigade will be working to stop that soon😞&#129296

[Leicesterbaggie]

I’ve just read this as well. There’s no denying it, the world HAS gone mad! Have some people got nothing better to do than come up with this utter rubbish. You do have a choice in life, if you don’t like something, then don’t involve yourself in it. I can’t stand classical music but I realise that others love it so they listen to it, I don’t. It’s called choice. As for the ‘Big Friendly Giant’ not wearing a black coat, the mind boggles! If we’re not careful the word ‘black’ will be airbrushed out of the English language. Do not these complete idiots realise that there are far more serious matters in today’s world that we should be dealing with.

[baggieal]

Any words such as fat and ugly have been removed from all Dahl’s classic kids books so as “not to offend today’s youngsters”.

The Oompa Loompas have also been renamed.

I fear for my grandchildren, their lives are becoming so sanitized and skewed from reality.

F uckin idiots the lot of them! What next change the wording of puff the magic dragon?

Don’t get the fat terminology as many considered fat can look far more attractive than someone who looks like stick and bones who could snap.

PS - nobody looks ugly after 15 pints 😭

[Omegstrat6]

And what word (or words) , exactly, are they going to use to replace the description of "fat"? I'd like it to be something stupidly non- sensical as in that Harry Enfield sketch where they sensor the language of a gangster movie with a badly dubbed "you fun my wife?" .😁

Ironic, given the government's concerns over obesity in children that some still want to ban the word "fat" for fear of being offensive isn't it?... That's it! Maybe they will use "obese" instead? No wait, can't be that as that's still offensive to people being offended on behalf of fat people.

[Joy_Division]

Sorry but if I like a person and I get on with them but they are on the very large size then I would never refer to them as fat either to their face or behind their back to someone else. However if I fell out with said very large person the first slur I would throw at them is You Fat C*nt, and I won't change for anyone fat or thin.

[Omegstrat6]

Sorry but if I like a person and I get on with them but they are on the very large size then I would never refer to them as fat either to their face or behind their back to someone else. However if I fell out with said very large person the first slur I would throw at them is You Fat C*nt, and I won't change for anyone fat or thin.

Might be a bit contradictory but have to concede that you're not wrong!

I think the same way but what I meant by allowing the word "fat" to still be used is that there is a subtle -if hypocritical?-difference in using it to describe someone as fat and then calling them fat to their face. On the one hand, there is the honest and factual description of someone being fat (or "obese" if you like) and on the other, the acceptance that to call someone fat (or even obese ) to their face is being deliberately offensive to them.

On reflection, I can see that the use of the word "fat" has now generally negative connotations but history shows that if you replace it with another, more acceptable, word, over time, this word too picks up the same connotations. I forget the proper term for this but an example is the word "negro" which was replaced with "coloured" and then reverted back to "black" .

Maybe the real questions are around the balance of intent (do you use the word to be deliberately offensive or is it simply meant as a factual description) and reception (why do some feel it offensive -and are they right to feel so). Semantics eh? Still feel there is a large element of a w okeness in all this though.

[mickd1961]

And what word (or words) , exactly, are they going to use to replace the description of "fat"? I'd like it to be something stupidly non- sensical as in that Harry Enfield sketch where they sensor the language of a gangster movie with a badly dubbed "you fun my wife?" .😁

Ironic, given the government's concerns over obesity in children that some still want to ban the word "fat" for fear of being offensive isn't it?... That's it! Maybe they will use "obese" instead? No wait, can't be that as that's still offensive to people being offended on behalf of fat people.

Fat is being replaced by “enormous”.

Personally I’d rather be described as “fat”.

I was actually a fat kid, it was being poked fun at that got me into a lifetime of adult fitness.

We are becoming terrified of calling things for what they are, scared of blunt honesty.

Yesterday my sister in law proudly told the room that she lad lost 3 stone and now ONLY weighed 12 stones and 3 pounds.

“Only another 3 to go” she said.

I replied....”another 3 stones is going to take some time”.

“No.....3 bloody pounds you p r a t” she barked back at me.

But she saw the funny side because we are both 61 and can be brutally Frank and funny at the same time.

[Omegstrat6]

Too many of the current generations seem to be sadly losing the ability to deal with such frankness or confrontation of any kind. Doesn't bode well does it?

[baggieal]

It’s better to be slightly fat than looking like a twig. Whatever makes someone happy though. Big turn off seeing a girl so thin as opposed to a little overweight!

Would not call Livermore fat - he just looks like he enjoys a few pies 😭