Sophia Alexandra Hall Profile picture
Dec 15, 2022 10 tweets 6 min read Read on X
2 years ago, I found a card in a Paperchase and posted about it on Twitter.

This then led to national headlines for me & the legendary @lemnsissay after the card was removed from Paperchase’s shelves.

Looking back on these events that took place, I have some thoughts… (🧵1/10) ImageImage
When I found this card, I wasn’t shocked. I grew up seeing stereotypes about care experienced people/adoptees throughout the mainstream & particularly in the media.

My community has often been used as the butt of the joke - like in the card I came across in 2020. (🧵2/10)
In recent years, I feel more and more hope that opinions & portrayals of our community are changing; from the John Lewis Christmas Advert, to the 2019 Care Experienced Conference, the work of various charities & orgs like @article_39, and projects like @CareExp_Culture. (🧵3/10) Image
But, as this card demonstrates, these jokes still happen. Thinking back to how I felt when I found that card makes me angry, because I felt numb. I felt sad of course, but frankly, unsurprised.

I hate that this is how I felt. And that I almost did nothing about it. (🧵4/10) ImageImage
Before posting the tweet, I actually showed the picture to a few friends (who aren’t #CEP), to get their thoughts and check I wasn’t ‘overreacting’ to what I deemed to be a super offensive Christmas card.

I think my instinct to do that stems back to being in care… (🧵 5/10)
…and feeling like people are going to call me ‘over sensitive’ because of my past.

I think if it’d been today, I would’ve gone with my gut & posted it straight away. Because really, I should have considered how I would’ve felt if I’d found this card as a child in care. (🧵6/10) ImageImage
Yes, it made me feel sad as a #CEP adult, but I can’t imagine how it would’ve made me feel while I was still living with foster parents. The card depicted one of my greatest fears as a kid; being sent away because I wasn’t wanted. Because I wasn’t loved unconditionally. (🧵7/10)
So looking back on the 15 Dec 2020, I’m glad I did what I did, and I’m glad it led to the card being removed, though this wasn’t my original intention. My intention was to start a dialogue - why is this card in the shop in the first place? and I think it did that. (🧵8/10) ImageImage
At the time I made a super cringe collage for my Instagram of some of the headlines, because it appeared in national papers over here, and also in Denmark & Mexico. It got people talking.

Which is why 2 years later, I’m writing this thread to continue that conversation. (🧵9/10) ImageImage
I thought this story was worth resharing; not just so I could thank @lemnsissay & @DavetheCareBear again (& many others) for sharing my OG post, but to ask this question again.

How did this card get on the shelf? And what can society do to stop it happening again? 💛 (🧵10/10)

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More from @sophiassocials

Nov 10, 2022
If you’ve seen the new John Lewis advert 🛹 - here’s some more info about what the company are doing for the care experienced (#CEP) community: a thread✨

1) @JohnLewisRetail will be making donations of Christmas decorations, food & gifts to people leaving care ❤️

(part 1/5)
2) JOBS: earlier this year @JohnLewisRetail announced that they are running pilot schemes to help care-experienced people to gain skills and experience to set them up in their careers. In particular, apprenticeship opportunities 💻

More info: johnlewispartnership.co.uk/purpose/buildi…

(part 2/5)
3) SANTA: Children in care and their caregivers will be invited to Santa’s Grotto experiences in John Lewis stores & the retailer will also supply communal spaces of selected residential facilities run by @actnforchildren with electronics, furnishings & decorations 🎅

(part 3/5)
Read 5 tweets

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