Amazon has removed a doll with a racist product description after causing outrage on social media. The company behind the doll, Doli Yearning, described the 14-inch tall toy of a Black little girl as having "dirty" braids. However, the company's dolls of white girls do not include descriptions of their skin color or eyebrow-raising adjectives about their hair.
The doll was being sold on Amazon's digital marketplace for $49.99, according to TMZ. The Black girl doll was described as "Doli Yearning 14-inch Adorable Black Doll with Casual Red Skirt and Colored Dirty Braid Fashion Gorgeous Doll for Ages 3+ Interactive Playtime BPA Free Safety Product Well-Designed Collectable Box." That is very different from the description for a doll depicting a white girl. Even though the doll has hair rolled up in buns, that is not noted. "Doli Yearning 14-inch Adorable Doll with Denim Suit and Colored Headbands Fashion Gorgeous Doll for Ages 3+ Interactive Playtime BPA Free Safety Product Well-Designed Collectable Box," the description reads for the doll of a white girl.
Doli Yearning is a Chinese company that has been selling products on Amazon for less than a year. Amazon told TMZ the offensive product description was removed. However, other Doli Yearning dolls are still available, including one depicting a different Black girl. The title for this doll does not mention her hair but still notes its skin color." Doli Yearning 14-inch Adorable Black Doll with Yellow Dress Suit and Yellow Bow Headband Fashion Gorgeous Doll for Ages 3+ Interactive Playtime BPA Free Safety Product Well-Designed Collectable Box," the description reads.
This is hardly the first time social media users have found an offensive product description listed by a seller on Amazon. In August, a British shoemaker was selling a brown shoe with its color described as "N— brown." Amazon told TMZ the product was removed. "All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account," the company said at the time. "The product in question is no longer available."
In October, members of The Proud Boys, which is considered a hate group, tried to sell custom shirts with the phrases "stand back" and "stand by" after President Donald Trump made those comments during the first presidential debate. Amazon quickly removed the shirts. The company does not allow sellers to list items that "promote, incite, or glorify hate or violence towards any person or group. This includes products that contain violent or offensive material that has no historical significance," according to a statement on its site.
Some Twitter users disagreed on calling the doll's description racist. "I'm black and I don't see nothing racist about this," one person wrote.