Latest “American Girl” Doll is Homeless. What’s Your Opinion?
So the big news today is the fact that American Doll released their latest creation: Gwen Thompson — a homeless doll. According to the history that comes with each doll, Gwen’s father walked out on the family and Gwen’s mother lost her job. This series of unfortunate events forced them to live in their car.
While it’s universally acknowledged that there is a certain irony about a homeless doll costing $95, Gwen is otherwise causing a wide variety of opinions.
Andrea Peyser of the New York Post is not pleased:
It seems obscene that a company that prides itself on teaching impressionable children about history and grooming — you can have your doll’s hair done for $20! — should engage in political preaching. What message is being sent with Gwen?
For starters, men are bad. Fathers abandon women without cause. She’s also telling me that women are helpless. And that children in this great country, where dolls sell for nearly 100 bucks a pop, are allowed to sleep in motor vehicles. But mothers don’t lose custody over this injustice. Because, you see, they are victims, too.
Shannon Moriarty of Change.org was initially disgusted. However, after thinking it through, she came to this conclusion:
The only thing obscene about this American Girl controversy is that it takes a plastic doll and her fictional biography to have everyone up in arms. Yet, the real stories of homeless children crowding shelters and schools are accepted without an ounce of outrage. This American Girl doll’s story is not unrealistic at all. In fact, it’s a lot more common than we’d like to think.
Earlier this year, the National Center on Family Homelessness found that 1 in 50 children in America will experience homelessness. Roughly a quarter of all children in this country live with a single parent. Unemployment in the U.S. is nearly in the double-digits. Schools are struggling to maintain a sense of stability for kids dealing with very adult problems. Research has found that children who are homeless are more likely to drop out of school, get sick, and become homeless as adults.
…
Perhaps American Girls may be picking up on something that the rest of society is missing. If these dolls are considered accurate, well-researched portrayal of American culture, then maybe we need to stop overreacting about how offensive, distasteful, and obscene they are, and start opening our eyes.
So what do you think? Is this exploitation or a unique way to raise awareness around a very real issue? Take our survey and sound off through comments.
As a parent and as a person who promotes great things for a livelihood…It truly never occurred to me to question the agenda of American Girl with Girl of the Year Chrissa whose best friends are Gwen and Sonali and the full context of her story is Chriss a Stands Strong (and champions bullying in schools) My own ten year old watches the film again and again, reads the books, appreciates and relates to the characters and gets the message to be a stand too. To stand up for her friends at school. In the larger context it’s inspiring to me.
OR perhaps I am simply naive and not assuming the worst of this company. (I don’t think I will start either.) I see it as an opportunity to Raise Awareness. Chrissa is the Girl of the Year for 2009 as of January (and now it’s October). Year is nearly over and another Girl of the Year and her story will be upon us soon.
And yes, I see this Girl of the Year as the marketing plan it is and apparently it works and some people buy more than one doll for their daughters. Chrissa and Gwen and Sonali are a powerful trio of friends. And as for the bullying at school as unacceptable (of anyone, but also Gwen) that is the Theme and Lesson in the main film that goes with this line of dolls, it raised awareness for my daughter.
(My goodness, I had no idea I had so full an opinion on this but the American Girl Characters my daughter loves have only benefited her mind and heart…Samantha, Felicity, Kit, Molly, Chrissa…and so on…
Can we breathe in the possibility of what this “controversial piece of the full story” offers? And at a time we are in a particularly challenging economic time for many? It’s already sparking more dialogue and is this not a good thing?
Thanks for your comment, Deborah!
From the looks of the poll results, lots of people seem to agree with you that it’s a good way to bring awareness around this issue.
Also, I think that many people who read about this story (including myself) knows much background about the American Girl series. I really didn’t know that it is integrated with a video series.
Knowing that does add a bit more depth to the issue.
Thanks again!
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