'This political correctness nonsense is out of control’: said the MP about the gender-neutral holiday treat name change

A seemingly innocent holiday tradition has sparked an unexpected political firestorm, with some claiming it’s the latest example of political correctness gone too far.

What started as a festive treat in a popular café has quickly turned into a heated debate about culture, tradition, and the holiday spirit.

As the controversy unfolds, it’s becoming clear that this issue is far more complex than it first appeared.


Aussie politicians were up in arms after gender-neutral ‘gingerbread people’ were spotted being sold at a popular café inside Parliament House in Canberra.

The vegan treats, priced at $3.50 each or six for $28, sparked outrage among some members of the Nationals party.


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Politicians react to gender-neutral treats in Parliament café. Image source: Jill Wellington/Pexel


‘The woke brigade have now made the gingerbread man gender-neutral!!!’ raged Nationals MP Kevin Hogan.

‘SERIOUSLY! Woolworths, Woman's Weekly, Parliament House! This political correctness nonsense is out of control,’ he said.

Barnaby Joyce, another Nationals MP, expressed his fury, urging progressives to ‘just leave Christmas.’

‘All this stuff has been forced on me, just leave it,’ he said. ‘Just leave Christmas. If you don’t want to buy gingerbread men, you don’t have to. The more you do this the more you p**s people off and the more you encourage a Trump-type snapback.’

Senator Matt Canavan joined in, slamming the rebranding of the festive treat. ‘Please tell me they haven’t done this to the muffin man as well?’ he asked.

‘Why are woke people no fun? This doesn’t even rhyme! The fox would turn away in disgust and refuse to eat this poetic abomination!’


However, not all politicians shared the same opinion. Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers took a more laid-back approach, quipping: ‘Geez, those blokes are on to the big issues, aren’t they?’

He added, ‘I’m focused on inflation, the cost of living, the budget–they’re focused on gingerbread men in the café.’

The controversy comes after Woolworths made the decision to rename its ‘gingerbread men’ to ‘gingerbread people’ in the lead-up to Christmas last year.


This move followed similar changes made by a café in the Scottish Parliament in 2018, which also introduced the term ‘gingerbread people.’

The new name has since gained popularity, with Parliament House even advertising ‘gingerbread people’ in its Christmas hampers.

In 2019, a café in New Zealand began selling ‘gingerbread gender neutral persons,’ initially as a tongue-in-cheek idea, but it soon saw a spike in sales.

The café owner remarked, ‘It used to be that 90 per cent of the time we sold [the gingerbread biscuits], it was to kids. There’s a lot more people buying them now, which is quite funny.’

Key Takeaways
  • A Canberra café sparked outrage after renaming a classic Christmas treat, drawing strong reactions from politicians.
  • Nationals MPs, including Kevin Hogan and Barnaby Joyce, voiced their displeasure, calling the change politically correct nonsense.
  • Some politicians, like Labor Treasurer Jim Chalmers, dismissed the issue, focusing on more pressing concerns.
  • The renaming trend follows similar moves by other businesses, including Woolworths and cafés in Scotland and New Zealand.

Where do you stand on this festive food controversy? Is it just a harmless change, or has the spirit of Christmas been compromised? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
 

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