• grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
    41·
    19 hours ago

    AFAIK Blåhaj became popular with trans people naturally, not due to any sort of marketing on IKEA’s part. How can it be rainbow capitalism without intent?

    Also, remember it is still popular as a kids’ toy too. Mine have had one since they were toddlers, and (so far, anyway) there’s no indication that either of them is trans. Sometimes a shark is just a shark.

  • lyralycan@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    20·
    20 hours ago

    I like what Blahåj became for us, and can look past some of the pridewashing for the shark.

    Rant Hill

    What I have a problem is when stores claim to raise money for LGBTQ+ charity, then charge several times the actual value of the product to the very community that should be benefiting from said charity. When the norm is for proceeds to go from people who empathise with, say, orphans and cancer patients, they don’t usually ask orphans and cancer patients to donate. It just feels odd to have the queer community donate to themself, and it’s an extra insult when the €3 umbrella gets a rainbow paint job and a €5 premium.

  • Bryllyg@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    22·
    20 hours ago

    I crawl into bed and hug my shorks whenever the big sad girl times arrive and it helps every single time.

    I smush the big one agaist my back and the smaller one against my chest at night, helps me fall asleep and feel protected.

    best 50 bucks i ever spent (the meatballs were nice too)

    • Eskarina (she/her)@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      12·
      19 hours ago

      Tbh, when I got them I just wanted to finally get the formality out of the way and be certified gay.

      But then I hugged them at home and oh my gosh, I felt so happy all of a sudden and didn’t wanna let go for minutes. Did not expect this, can’t wait for the next big feels now :3.

      • Shanoa (she/her)@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        9·
        15 hours ago

        I never would’ve bought one myself but a trans sister I met at the trans march last month bought me mine (my first plushie lol), and I absolutely never would’ve thought I’d feel like a little girl with just how much I love hugging it in my sleep 🤍

  • Aniki@feddit.orgEnglish
    6·
    16 hours ago

    i’ve never had one and i don’t get the hype around it either. sure, plushies are fine, but so is a pillow. just imagine it’s an exotic species and talk to it.

    • Eskarina (she/her)@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      4·
      12 hours ago

      I’ve had similar feelings for the last year - until I hugged it yesterday. Was thrown right back into childhood.

      I don’t know if a different plushie of that size would’ve hit different. But pillows? Don’t think so, usually not that soft and cuddly.

  • unmagical@lemmy.mlEnglish
    27·
    22 hours ago

    I bought mine when it was just capitalism before IKEA leaned into the trans association.

    • Eskarina (she/her)@piefed.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      3·
      11 hours ago

      Of course she would! She may think it’s stupid, wasteful and pointless and do her best to convince me. But eventually she’d accept that I need a blahaj, same as she accepted that I need to become a wizard - and support me.