Calls for pub to change its ‘dehumanising’ name

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for Greene King to change the name

Calls for pub to change its ‘dehumanising’ name
Photo: Google Street View

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a pub in Oxfordshire to change its name because it uses a “derogatory word”.

The Midget pub is named after a car associated with Abingdon since MG established a factory in the town in 1929.

Writing on change.org, the petition organiser, Erin Pritchard, said: “Midget is a derogatory word used towards people with dwarfism. It is a term derived from the word ‘midge’ meaning Gnat or Sand-fly, which is dehumanising.

“It was a term popularised during the Victorian freak show, but unfortunately continues to be used as a form of hate speech towards people with dwarfism. People with dwarfism, including children with the condition experience name calling on a daily basis.

“They have experienced this word being shouted at them. Furthermore, children with dwarfism experience high levels of bullying. As a result, people with dwarfism experience are nearly three times more likely to experience mental health issues than the general population. Thus, it is important to remove a term that is part of this problem.”

Defending the use of the name, Andy Knott of the MG Car Club said: “The name Midget has been synonymous with Abingdon since 1929 when MG moved to the factory they were to occupy for 50 years.

“The name Midget was used for various cars from 1929 to 1936, and was reincarnated in 1961 until the closure of the factory in 1979.

“It’s still one of the most popular MGs today and Abingdon should be proud of its heritage.”

Erin Pritchard is calling on the pub’s owner, Greene King, to change the name, saying it “should recognise the offence of the term and its implications. They have great opportunities to celebrate the car manufacturing history of the area by using a more appropriate name, such as Riley or Austin-Healey.”

Source: Oxford Mail

5 Comments

  1. Another example of “The World going mad!” Cleverly the picture doesn’t show the pub sign but presumably it has a picture of the relevant car on it, plus I see there is an MG Octagon badge below it. (As for Riley or Austin-Healey being a more relevant name. Morris Garages (which is where the MG name comes from) were Abingdon based, Riley and Austin-Healey weren’t!)

    Reply
  2. Exactly right. The signs on the post at the front of the pub clearly have a picture of a MG car and a MG badge.
    Surly there’s more important things to spend time on??

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  3. Having grown up close to the pub, having worked at the pub and having watched these cars being driven through Abingdon to be put on the train I feel very saddened that a person has decided to make a massive issue about the name of a car and hasn’t taken the time to research the history of Abingdon car manufacturing before making this complaint. Riley and Austin-Healey were not manufactured in Abingdon. The pub sign clearly shows the car, it is not derogatory to any people or persons and if her request is upheld it will be yet another part of our proud heritage lost. Will she be calling for the classic car to be renamed as well? I feel it is strange that people have got so much time to go around looking for things to complain about. Wokeism gone mad.

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  4. Pathetic ! What a pathetic group of people that come up with such arguments. Crass !!

    Reply
  5. Just another sad example of people looking to be offended.

    Reply

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