Girl Calls Out The Beano For 'Sexist' Advertising Promoting Gender-Themed Toys

An 11-year-old girl has received an apology from the creators of the Beano after she called them out for for including “sexist” advertising in the comic.

The girl’s dad, scientist Adam Rutherford, tweeted a photo of a letter his daughter, Bea, wrote to the publication to share her opinion on their adverts.

She criticised one advert that offered readers the chance to win the “whole team of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ figures”, but the set was notably missing Gamora, the only female character.

“How do you sit at your desk publishing this happily humming away because nothing is wrong while people like me have to write letters of complaint to you?” she wrote.

Bea also slammed an advert to win gender-themed Christmas mystery boxes - the boys’ box was stereotypically blue with gaming products.

“What if a kid is a girl but loves gaming?” Bea wrote. “Oh sorry little girl, but you can’t have a Christmas mystery box because you don’t fit into these categories.”

Bea signed her letter off with “angry love from”.

Rutherford’s tweet soon had 300 retweets and gained support from celebrities including Caroline Criado Perez and Caitlin Moran (who called her a badass).

Other Twitter users sent in their messages of support to the 11-year-old.

Beano responded to the tweet on 20 November agreeing with what Rutherford’s daughter said in the letter.

“Thanks for flagging this to us,” they wrote. “We couldn’t agree more with Bea.

“This should not have been allowed to happen. We’re replying to Bea directly. Apologies to all our readers.”

Speaking to HuffPost UK, a spokesperson for the Beano said: “We’d like to apologise for running the ad Bea complained about, which promoted gender-based Christmas gift-boxes.

“Beano is equally popular amongst girls and boys and we value all our readers very highly.

“We’ve contacted Bea directly, answering her original email and are waiting to hear back from her.”

Before You Go

Yes, You CAN Make A Family Walk Fun

Don't say 'who wants to go for a walk?'(01 of08)

Reframe a walk so it's enticing and exciting using words like explore, play, adventure.Who wants to climb a castle or who wants to find some treasure or skim stones? (credit:Alexander Nicholson via Getty Images)

Don't plod in a straight line - and back again.(02 of08)

Choose a wiggly walk and terrain made for adventuring. "It's all about keeping children's minds off putting one foot in front of another," says Clare Lewis. (credit:Stephen Lux via Getty Images)

Always have an appealing destination - and make pit-stops along the way.(03 of08)

It could be a café with their favourite hot chocolate or their 'secret' place like a climbing tree. Make regular stops to admire natural curiosities, make a den, whittle a stick or play in water or whatever you fancy. Encourage your kids to take photos. Clare Lewis's family always take 'scroggin'; a New Zealand name for a hikers' mix of nuts and seeds, dried fruit and chocolate to keep energy levels up. (credit:ArtMarie via Getty Images)

Join forces with another family or get the kids to bring their friends.(04 of08)

Children love the sociability of a walk and bringing friends increases their activity as they challenge each other to jump the highest or widest, splash in puddles, climb trees or find the best stick. (credit:Alistair Berg via Getty Images)

Walk together in a chatty clod, not a single line with you barking 'come on, keep up'(05 of08)

There may be times you have to walk in a line, but take turns with who's the leader. Also, let your children choose the route (within reason!). (credit:Bounce via Getty Images)

Play games as you go.(06 of08)

Hide-and-seek, capture the flag or ambushes - sending kids on ahead so they can jump out on you - are all favourites. Bring a ball or a Frisbee to play with too. (credit:JLPH via Getty Images)

Turn your walk into a treasure hunt. Or an obstacle course.(07 of08)

Children love places to clamber over like a rocky beach or challenges like climbing trees or jumping over streams. Challenge children to touch that tree and run back, hopscotch between the pavement cracks or run along the low wall. "You could go on a shape walk, finding stones, shells and leaves that are all the same shape," suggests Clare Lewis, co-author of Adventure Walks for Families in and Around London. (credit:Imgorthand via Getty Images)

End on a high.(08 of08)

Match a walk to your kids' ages. You don't want want to leave them exhausted. Talk up what fun you had, so next time you suggest an adventure walk they leap at the chance. (credit:ArtMarie via Getty Images)