Push to rename iconic Aussie ice cream over "offensive" name
There is increasing amounts of pressure to rename beloved Aussie favourite Golden Gaytime amid concerns it causes offence to the gay community.
Australian man, Brian Mc, launched a petition online earlier in the month and has since gone to war with ice-cream giant Streets and its parent company Unilever.
The petition has over 800 signatures so far.
According to Mr Mc, the name of the ice cream, which was first released in 1959, is "outdated" and "offensive" and is asking for the term "gay" to be banished from the title.
“As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community I believe my sexual identity is owned by me, not a brand and that the outdated meaning no longer applies. Isn’t it time for this double entendre to end?” he said in the notes below the petition.
Other brands have changed their names in the last year to remove racist connotations. For instance, Redskins became Red Ripper, Chicos became Cheekies and Coon Cheese was renamed Cheer Cheese.
Now Mr Mc is calling for Golden Gaytime to receive the same treatment.
“Under the law they are seen the same, discrimination means being treated unfairly or not as well as others because of a protected characteristic like age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race or disability,” he said.
“It’s not my place to tell Streets what to call their rebranded product, but I do feel it’s time that the Golden Gaytime is called out for being outdated, especially when Streets is releasing new products and cross promotions in 2021.”
Mr Mc revealed he had faced a lot of grief for speaking out about the name but refused to back down.
“Just to be a gay man, even in 2021 is still hard … (we) still have a long way to go to be fully accepted as equals, but if we see an area in life that’s not equal, and we are able to change it for the better, why wouldn’t you speak up,” Mr Mc said.
“This is why I'm speaking out against Golden Gaytime.
“I’m not calling for the product to be cancelled, I’m calling for the product to remove Gay from its name.”
A Streets spokesperson told NCA NewsWire that the Golden Gaytime was released in Australia during 1959 when the word “gay” had not yet been applied to gender preference.
“The origin of the ‘Gaytime’ name was and remains related to having a joyous or happy time and is meant to capture the pleasure that comes with enjoying an ice cream,” they said in a statement.
“The ‘Gaytime’ name is not and never has intended to cause offence and this petition is the first that we have been made aware of.
“As a Unilever brand, Streets has a deep and longstanding commitment to help build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society for all.”
Golden Gaytime has a different name in other countries. In New Zealand it is known as a Cookie Crumble.
“Gay and Gaytime no longer mean what it used to. Now gay is either ‘I'm gay’, and not as in happy, or ‘that’s so gay’, which is an insult. But either way this ice cream should be called happytime, “ one respondent to the petition said.
Unilever has been contacted for comment.