A second online retailer has guaranteed to AsAmNews it plans to remove offensive images used to market its products.
Forum Novelties is a company based in New York specializing in costumes and other accessories and seasonal items.
A change.org petition launched by AsAmNews called out the company for its use of images which both reinforce the outdated Fu Man Chu stereotype and encourage yellowface.
“The use of slurs and derogatory stereotypes is not a behavior we endorse or condone,” said Robert Kamin of Forum Novelties to AsAmNews. “We are sorry for the way they were used to market our products online and we are working internally to identify the ways we can prevent these kinds of mistakes from happening in the future.”
Last week, Bristol Novelty from Great Britain removed two ads from Amazon which made use of the slur “Chinaman” to market its Asian-themed products. The move was also in response to the same AsAmNews sponsored petition.
Forum Novelties is a company based in New York specializing in costumes and other accessories and seasonal items.
A change.org petition launched by AsAmNews called out the company for its use of images which both reinforce the outdated Fu Man Chu stereotype and encourage yellowface.
“The use of slurs and derogatory stereotypes is not a behavior we endorse or condone,” said Robert Kamin of Forum Novelties to AsAmNews. “We are sorry for the way they were used to market our products online and we are working internally to identify the ways we can prevent these kinds of mistakes from happening in the future.”
Last week, Bristol Novelty from Great Britain removed two ads from Amazon which made use of the slur “Chinaman” to market its Asian-themed products. The move was also in response to the same AsAmNews sponsored petition.
The campaign received a huge boost when the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus held two meetings with Amazon expressing concerns addressed in the petition.
CAPAC has also reached out to AsAmNews and said it would continue to work on this issue with Amazon.
AsAmNews remains in contact with Forum Novelties.
“We will be changing the photography/artwork for these items,” said Kamin of Forum Novelties. “It will take some time to do this, but we’re on it. Once this is done, we will change our website to reflect these changes. In addition we will change the images in our next catalog run in 2020. We will also ask our internet accounts to change the images they display on the net. If you come across other sellers, please point them out to us so that we can contact them directly and have them change their images, as well. We are more than willing to do this. Please note that all new production of these items will use new images, as well.”
AsAmNews is urging its readers to continue to sign and share the petition to show its support.
CAPAC has also reached out to AsAmNews and said it would continue to work on this issue with Amazon.
AsAmNews remains in contact with Forum Novelties.
“We will be changing the photography/artwork for these items,” said Kamin of Forum Novelties. “It will take some time to do this, but we’re on it. Once this is done, we will change our website to reflect these changes. In addition we will change the images in our next catalog run in 2020. We will also ask our internet accounts to change the images they display on the net. If you come across other sellers, please point them out to us so that we can contact them directly and have them change their images, as well. We are more than willing to do this. Please note that all new production of these items will use new images, as well.”
AsAmNews is urging its readers to continue to sign and share the petition to show its support.
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