Controversial Handmaid's Tale Greetings Card Sparks Online Debate

A Handmaid's Tale-themed greetings card to send to expectant mums has sparked an online debate for all the wrong reasons.

The controversial card shows a pregnant woman dressed in red robes cradling her baby bump, along with the words: "Praise be!"

While it may seem innocent at first glance to those who don't know the series, fans of the Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name will know that a pregnant hand maid isn't a symbol of happiness in the slightest.

The story is based on the oppression of a group of fertile women who are treated as property of the government and forced into sexual slavery. If they fall pregnant, a handmaid must nurse the baby until she is no longer able, and then is shipped off to be raped some more to produce offspring all over again.

With this in mind, some social media users are finding it hard to believe that a pregnant handmaid would be used to congratulate someone on their baby news.

"I guess it's just the Handmaid's Tale is a book that had a huge impact on me when I read it, So I just find the idea of this card super shocking. If it was meant as dark humour it shocked me too hard to realise it [sic]," tweeted one person.

Another equally as shocked Twitter user wrote: "What the hell? You've got to be kidding, and yet I'm pretty sure you aren't."

"Whoever made this card cleary never read @MargaretAtwood 's book," fumed somebody else.

And a final declared: "Creepy is an understatement."

Despite the hordes of horrified Handmaid's Tale viewers, some suggested the card would be okay - as long as you knew your audience.

"Hilarity. I know a few moms to be who would get it and love it," wrote one, with another writing: "If the Mom to be has a really dark sense of humor, I could see this working."

This card isn't the only controversial item to result from the Hulu series in recent weeks, as a 'sexy' Handmaid's Tale-themed Halloween outfit also caused social media uproar for similarly disturbing reasons.

Yandy

The costume was quickly pulled down from the website, and the brand behind it was forced to apologise to its customers.

Topics: Life News, You, TV Entertainment

Rachel Andrews

Rachel Andrews is an NCTJ trained Journalist at PRETTY52. She specialises in Fashion and Beauty Journalism, and has experience at a range of online and print publications and joined the team in 2017. Contact her - [email protected]

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