London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

‘Politicising Childhood’: Activists spark rage by linking ‘Tiger Who Came to Tea’ classic kids’ book to rape & abuse of women

‘Politicising Childhood’: Activists spark rage by linking ‘Tiger Who Came to Tea’ classic kids’ book to rape & abuse of women

A Scottish domestic abuse watchdog has drawn flak for spreading “woke rot” after claiming that classic children’s book ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ reinforces “harmful” gender stereotypes that could lead to violence against women.

The 1968 picture book – about a talking tiger who shows up uninvited at a house and only leaves after consuming all the family’s food and drink – was termed “problematic” by the charity, Zero Tolerance, because of its “old-fashioned” portrayal of women’s roles in the family.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, the campaign group’s co-director Rachel Adamson queried why the tiger was represented as male rather than female or gender-neutral, and pointed out the “stereotypical” ending in which the father “saves the day” after coming home from work.

“We know that gender stereotypes are harmful and they reinforce gender inequality,” Adamson said, adding that this inequality was behind violence against women and girls, including “domestic abuse, rape and sexual harassment.”

Describing the author, Judith Kerr, as “wonderful,” Adamson said the story was still “reflective of a society that we need to think more closely about.” She added that the book did not need to be banned and could instead be used to “raise a conversation” in nursery schools.

Kerr’s book – which has reportedly sold more than five million copies since being published – was held up as an example by Zero Tolerance for why “parents and nurseries [need to] look closely at their bookshelves,” The Telegraph reported.

On Monday, the publicly funded charity published the findings of a “gender and diversity audit” of over 3,000 books in 21 nurseries across Scotland – only three of which passed the test. To pass, the book collection must have “more books that don’t promote gender stereotyping” than ones that do.

The group also said boys who “believe in rigid gender norms” were “more likely to become perpetrators of violence against women and girls.”

Many on social media were not happy about the “extreme left-wing audit,” with some saying Adamson’s claims serve to “politicise childhood” and tilt the world view of kids to match the “cultish hatreds” of groups like Zero Tolerance. One person termed it “woke rot.”


Several commenters remarked that by suggesting a relationship between the book and the problem of domestic violence, the campaign group had “demeaned [its] own worthy cause” and “made a mockery of the very thing it claims to draw attention to” by “trivialising the issue beyond satire.”


A few defended the group for undertaking the survey, however.

“It is not the text, but the subtext of a book. And not one book, but the cumulative effect of numerous books and adverts etc. which reinforce women’s role in society and thus men’s expectations of how women should behave,” one person said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×