Today, I was parusing around the local blogs and came across one that I read once in a blue moon. She had taken her daughter down to NYC for a trip to the American Girl Store.
Now, let’s just get this out in the open-I have nothing against American Girl. I used to look at the catalogs myself, wanting to read the books.
But what I read made me fume. And it had nothing to do with the American Girl store.
Her exact words were:
I do not care a bit that the 3 floor store on the shopping strip of 5th Avenue in NYC, is full of frilly Period dresses, delicate nightgowns, and long flowing haired dolls. I do not care that the only boys in the store are Bitty Baby twins and the occasional miserable little brother of an excited shopper. I do not care that there are no Monster Truck sets or Jedi-in-Training sets for these little beauties. It seems to be one of the few places left that is still willing to say, “Hey Morons! THIS IS REALLY WHO GIRLS ARE! And it isn’t an offense or a gender-stereotype to let girls be girls and LOVE IT!” While the original outfits for each doll help to tell the story of the time period in American history they represent, there are an unlimited number of healthy sports sets ranging from soccer to snowboarding to ballet, and “casual wear” sets that make me a bit jealous, just being honest. I think its perfect.
So, wait. Girls who enjoy the more “butt kicking” aspects of this world are wrong? We’re not really girls?
I was never the clothes horse, I was the one who wanted to be the Butt kicking Jedi. Yes, I did my share of pink and frilly (forced march, thank you very much), but I wanted my light sabres, I wanted my Star Wars and my non girlie stuff. To this day, if you see me in a shade of pink, you’re asking me whose clothes I borrowed!
As for letting “Girls be girls,” why not let the individual and not the group decide what a girl will like?
When is a girl who chooses a Jedi or Monster Truck path less beautiful than the one who chooses the frilly path? Aren’t both paths equally right?
Why do the “morons” have to force either side down our throats?
I am a girl. I love Jedis, a good scary movie, Star Trek, the mysteries of muscles and bones and ripping through someone’s erectors gives me the joyous giggles.
This is who a GIRL really is. No gender stereotypes. No nothing. I Love it.
I concur! I wrote something similar w while back.
http://thelifeofafirewife.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/barbie-is-evil-evil-i-tell-you/
Oh lord, I feel bad for this woman you posted about. I love that my daughter goes for the monster trucks and trains over any doll. And it does not make her less of who she is because of it.
When it comes to toys, we go with the flow. We never tell our daughter, you can’t play with that.. instead we applaud her and encourage her to be who she wants to be. And that does not make her any less of a girl.
Some people have some really narrow views of the world, and that is frightening.
I think the same goes when a boy is forced to play with the manlier toys my son is a tender loving boy he loves his plushes and prefers playing pretend kitchen and babies with little lady than rough play. sad what our world is turning into right…