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In my doll shop I actually carried a Down Syndrome doll. Guess you would have found that offensive too. I sold them to girls (mostly their grandmothers) to have a doll which looked like them. And siblings of DS kids wanted them too.
I am a male and I have 2 daugheters who are Half Hawiian and Half Black. And I do not mean their mother is just from Hawaiian, her ethnicity is actually 50% Hawaiian. So my daughters look very polynesian. I ran across the American Girl doll from a business partner who actually gave me a brochure on the new "Hawaiian" Kanani doll. The doll does not look Polynesian at all, Its just a caucasian doll dressed up in a Mapu, a lei, and has a plumeria in her hair. So my wife & I agreed that we would not get this doll for our daughters. So we proceeded to look to see if they had any other dolls that we may want to get our daugher, perhaps a black one...
Well American Girl has black dolls, but they have one historical doll that is a Slave doll named Addy!!! Who in their right mind would buy this doll for their daugher? The doll is dressed up in a plantation dress and has gapped teeth. They also have a native American doll that has a Goat as an accessory! They even had a homeless doll but because of public outrage it was removed.
Are the historical dolls not offensive to anyone? Maybe I do not understand because I'm a man but it is very disturbing to me.
If any ladies can enlighten me on how this stuff is not offensive please do...
If you do not teach your daughters about our past history as a nation, then how can they possibly understand how far we have come? No, I don't think historically correct dolls are inappropriate at all. Your daughters will play with them, or not, in the manner they see fitting, not as you see fitting.
Women today and in the future need to be smart and tough, just as we have always been, historically speaking, regardless of our position in society. YMMV.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 01-05-2011 at 06:49 PM..
Reason: Deleted personal comment.
Mr. GE what are you talking about. They are dolls played with by slave children. That does not mean they are Slave Dolls.
Oprah( as well as many other black or white collectors) collects all sorts of historical items and dolls tell alot about history of our nation as well as other countries.
I can't believe you object to what calgirlinnc wrote. Nothing at all inappropriate in what she wrote.
Because you all actually think I'm suppose to be ok with it because Oprah is... That's why
Like Oprah is the spokesperson for all black people.
If you do not teach your daughters about our past history as a nation, then how can they possibly understand how far we have come? No, I don't think historically correct dolls are inappropriate at all. Your daughters will play with them, or not, in the manner they see fitting, not as you see fitting.
Women today and in the future need to be smart and tough, just as we have always been, historically speaking, regardless of our position in society. YMMV.
...I just believe there are better ways to teach kids about history than to get them a slave doll to play with. I want them to know history but also understand to move past it. I think its hard to do that when you are playing with a doll that represents it.
And why choose that time period... Why not use something post civil war???
Look, I've actually talked to several black women and men that I do business with about this and ALL of them have an issue with the dolls and state that they would not purchase them for their daughters either. I know that does not represent everyone. But there is no way you can convince me that the majority of black people would NOT have a problem with Addy.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 01-05-2011 at 06:50 PM..
Reason: Edited quoted text
Oprah actually made an Austrialian shop remove the offensive Golliwog dolls before she would even set foot in their store... And this was a month ago...
So for all that say Oprah is ok with a slave doll, you are completely fooling yourselves. She does not own any slave dolls... she owns black dolls. But not slave dolls.
does this make me correct in being offended since she is the litmus test for offensive black dolls?
If you are not too bright, I'm being sarcastic. so No it does not... I'm entitled to my opinion. I think it is offensive. If you do not that's ok with me. I'm not mad at you because you don't. But you all seem to be mad at me because I think it is offensive.
How do you feel about African Americans who collect memorabilia such as the doll that was (apparently) removed. I've read that Bill Cosby, Oprah, Billy Dee Williams and Spike Lee all collect things like "Mammy" cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, etc. Some of those items go for big bucks and are very collectable.
(If Oprah was offended by that doll I can name a couple hundred stores in the South she better not go into. Including some high-end antique stores.) I should add I know African Americans who collect these items. Just nobody famous that you've ever heard of.
[quote=Mr. GE;17274926 But there is no way you can convince me that the majority of black people would NOT have a problem with Addy.[/quote]
Well fine, that's your choice. It is your money and all that.
But you are taking the doll out of context, especially by complaining about it's gap teeth, when ALL AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS have gap teeth.
And you are wrong about Oprah and the slave dolls. I have watched her show and read her magazine for years on end and I have seen photos of said dolls in her homes.
Oh, and BTW, like it or not, Oprah IS a major spokesperson for black people in this country. And if the dolls in the shop offended her, guess what? She should have shopped elsewhere.
And aren't we supposed to be saying African-American instead of black just to be sure we don't cause more offense?
Well fine, that's your choice. It is your money and all that.
But you are taking the doll out of context, especially by complaining about it's gap teeth, when ALL AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS have gap teeth.
And you are wrong about Oprah and the slave dolls. I have watched her show and read her magazine for years on end and I have seen photos of said dolls in her homes.
Oh, and BTW, like it or not, Oprah IS a major spokesperson for black people in this country. And if the dolls in the shop offended her, guess what? She should have shopped elsewhere.
And aren't we supposed to be saying African-American instead of black just to be sure we don't cause more offense?
American Girl Dolls Appear on Oprah Winfrey Tomorrow
Tuesday November 20, 2007 If you're not traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow afternoon, you might want to check out The Oprah Winfrey Show--the American Girl dolls will be appearing on the show! There will be an insider's look at the American Girl doll factory, plus a sneak peak at the latest American Girl doll! And, if you are in an American Girl mood this holiday season, you might want to also check out the new trailer for the full-length Kitt Kitredge movie that will hit theaters next summer at the American Girl Movie Headquarters.
How do you feel about African Americans who collect memorabilia such as the doll that was (apparently) removed. I've read that Bill Cosby, Oprah, Billy Dee Williams and Spike Lee all collect things like "Mammy" cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, etc. Some of those items go for big bucks and are very collectable.
(If Oprah was offended by that doll I can name a couple hundred stores in the South she better not go into. Including some high-end antique stores.) I should add I know African Americans who collect these items. Just nobody famous that you've ever heard of.
Again... I do not have a problem with you all not being offended or anyone else for that matter. But you cannot have a problem with me because I am offended.
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Speaking of Oprah and AG Dolls...
If you're not traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow afternoon, you might want to check out The Oprah Winfrey Show--the American Girl dolls will be appearing on the show! There will be an insider's look at the American Girl doll factory, plus a sneak peak at the latest American Girl doll! And, if you are in an American Girl mood this holiday season, you might want to also check out the new trailer for the full-length Kitt Kitredge movie that will hit theaters next summer at the 