Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Wild-eye right drags down iconic American Girl dolls
Capital Times ^ | 11-12-05 | Joel McNally

Posted on 11/13/2005 4:42:14 PM PST by SJackson

It turns out that when suburban mothers buy American Girl dolls that look and dress exactly like their own little girls, they may unwittingly be purchasing tiny, lesbian partners for their children....

It turns out that when suburban mothers buy American Girl dolls that look and dress exactly like their own little girls, they may unwittingly be purchasing tiny, lesbian partners for their children.

At least, that is the fear of the wacko, right-wing watchdogs who keep track of exotic threats to our children that most of us are too naive - or not nearly psychologically twisted enough - to recognize.

Up until now, we thought the growing success of the Wisconsin-based American Girl doll company was one of those wholesome, positive, all-American stories.

Who could possibly find fault with a roaringly successful commercial venture that encourages young girls to dress in the same designer outfits as their look-alike dolls?

The company founded 20 years ago in Middleton by Pleasant Rowland was sold to Mattel Inc. in 1998 for $700 million. The company has upscale doll stores in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles with expensive clothing boutiques, hair salons and high fashion events for dolls and children alike.

Obviously, any little girl who buys deeply into the American Girl mystique - emphasis on "buy" - is well on her way to dressing for success in life. At the very least, she has a shot at becoming a particularly well-tailored trophy wife.

The commercialization of childhood is a serious social issue that could be the subject of thoughtful public debate. Or we could just listen to the ignorant blatherings of right-wing extremists.

Guess which has gotten American Girl into hot water? You got it. It's the complaints of the American Family Association and the Pro-Life Action League.

The American Family Association, based in Tupelo, Miss., the birthplace of Elvis Presley, has a long history of seeing threats to our children that most people are far too intelligent to notice.

The American Family Association was among the few organizations to perceive that preschool children were being brainwashed into pursuing a life of homosexuality by a sexually ambiguous Teletubby named Tinky Winky.

The organization once protested an episode of "Rocky and Bullwinkle" in which Bullwinkle the Moose married Cinderella. You might think the American Family Association would rejoice at such a high-profile celebrity endorsement of traditional marriage.

But those vigilant protectors of conservative morality recognized the Bullwinkle-Cinderella liaison for what it was - a subtle endorsement of inter-species relations promoting sex with animals.

So what could be so objectionable about American Girl dolls to attract protests from the American Family Association and, even more curiously, the Pro-Life Action League? The last we knew no embryos were destroyed producing American Girl dolls, which are not actually alive, just perky.

It turns out purchasing American Girl dolls helps promote concepts these groups find offensive. You know, objectionable concepts such as living healthy lives and being tolerant toward others.

The two groups have launched a crusade against American Girl for contributing philanthropically to Girls Inc., formerly the Girls Clubs of America, which for 140 years has organized programs encouraging young girls to feel good about themselves and strive for achievement.

This is where the charges about lesbianism come in. It seems that in educating adolescent girls about sexuality, Girls Inc. fails to teach young women to hate themselves or anyone else if they happen to be gay.

Almost as bad, in attempting to prevent teenage pregnancy, Girls Inc. reveals to girls that abstinence is not the only method of birth control. Since abstinence has been known to fail, it also acknowledges the existence of contraception and abortion.

No advocacy is involved. It's a simple matter of providing an honest education in the basics of good health for adolescent girls.

American Girl dolls aren't proselytizing innocent young girls into lesbianism or teenage whoredom. That's just standard laughable exaggeration from wild-eyed goofballs on the right.

But when the president of the United States lends legitimacy to the wild-eyed right on issues such as teaching religious beliefs as science in our schools, pretty soon other institutions in our society start taking seriously other ridiculous right-wing ideas.

St. Luke Catholic School in Brookfield recently canceled an American Girl fashion show that was expected to raise from $10,000 to $30,000 for the school.

Apparently, these regional fashion shows, which send personal invitations to more than 20,000 American Girl doll owners over a wide area, are killer fundraisers.

Brookfield, in Waukesha County, could well be the state's most seething hotbed of both American Girl dolls and the religious right. Those well-dressed, fresh-faced dolls never had a chance.

Father Frank Malloy, the pastor of St. Luke school, said in canceling the American Girl event: "The cost is too high. Our integrity isn't for sale."

Anyone gullible enough to believe that an American Girl doll is a threat to public morality doesn't need to be bought. He's already been Bullwinkled.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: americangirl; dolls; filth; girlsinc; lesbianism; megabarfalert; morfordite; perversion; projournalism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140141-159 last
To: somemoreequalthanothers
Since abstinence has been known to fail,

Huh??

Well the virgin Mary practiced abstinence and she still got pregnant.Maybe thats what this guys talking about.The literally one in a million example :-)

141 posted on 11/15/2005 9:38:51 PM PST by freepatriot32 (Holding you head high & voting Libertarian is better then holding your nose and voting republican)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Melas
However, you seem to be struggling with an inability to separate set success from set attempt.

Um, I believe you are the one who said the two were inseparable. Look, the original comment was that abstinence sometimes fails - not the attempt at abstinence, the teaching of abstinence or the desire for abstinence - but abstinence itself. That is demonstrably false.

Forgive me, but it sures seems to me you are trying to justify this author's arguments with your commentary. If that is not your purpose, then I stand corrected.

142 posted on 11/15/2005 9:42:22 PM PST by Shethink13
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 139 | View Replies]

To: madnsad
Lets be honest here how many people here (or people you know) did not have sex until they were married.

Let's be real honest; how many people are encouraging young people to wait until marriage and are ready to explain why.

143 posted on 11/16/2005 6:30:50 AM PST by TradicalRC (Searching Free Republic with lantern aloft for an answer...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Rightwing Conspiratr1
Since abstinence has been known to fail...

Abstinence has never been known to fail unless they are talking about rape.

Gee, abortion has been known to fail, even the safe, legal kind. Why aren't they denigrating That?

144 posted on 11/16/2005 6:38:26 AM PST by TradicalRC (Searching Free Republic with lantern aloft for an answer...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Since abstinence has been known to fail...
???!!

Uh, excuse me if I'm wrong but, if abstinence fails then wouldn't it be true that it wasn't abstinence that was being practiced? I mean really, you can't claim to be abstinent if you are participating in the activity you claim to be abstaining from.


145 posted on 11/16/2005 6:48:38 AM PST by CAPTAINSUPERMARVELMAN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ladiesview61
I feel crappy now that I look back at the hours and hours we spent together on her bedroom floor, reading the American Girl books and playing with the dolls. It was one of her fondest memories as a child, now she's in college and doing well, and standing up for her beliefs. I guess I better look further into this. I mean no offense to you or anyone. I'm sincerely torn.

No reason to feel bad. Time spent reading to your daughter was well spent. The American Girl books are not bad in themselves. It is just now that they decided to link up and promote a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian organization that you should refrain from supporting them any longer (if you so choose). We have stopped supporting disney for about 8 years now and have told all family and friends Not to buy Anything for our girls from Disney. We still have some of their older movies from before we knew what agenda they were advancing, we didn't throw them away.

146 posted on 11/16/2005 7:06:58 AM PST by TradicalRC (Searching Free Republic with lantern aloft for an answer...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 128 | View Replies]

To: ladiesview61

My daughter is seven and has a number of AG dolls, books and accessories. She loves them. I love them--I wanted to get the complete Molly collection for myself, and I am hardly a weirdo adult doll collector!!

The dolls themselves will not encourage anyone to become a lesbian or have an abortion. That is ludicrous and feeble minded thinking, at best. That's also not the point.

This is a new partnership with Girl's Inc. AG is selling a bracelet, the proceeds of which go to this organization. That, in and of itself, would be fine--simply decline to purchase the bracelet; but they are also making a (relatively small) donation of $50,000.00 to this organization which ostenisbly comes from the proceeds from sales of these dolls.

All the dolls, etc... that you and I have purchased in the past were pre-Girls, Inc. partnership. Our money did not support them or their causes. Now, people who object to this partnership are declining to puchase AG products. That is their perogative.

This moonbat totally misses the point and fails to give the whole story. Of course, this approach fits his agenda. He mocks a Catholic school for standing on principle. Sad, really. He also mocks the "commercialism" of AG dolls--Barbie has been commercial city for years! Give me a break!

At nearly $100 a pop, the company will make plenty of money on this line (particularly since it's now made in China), with or without a small percentage of Christian buyers. I find it sad that a wholesome product such as this has been corrupted by an agenda. It's sad that we as a society can't agree on moral issues such as responsibility, self respect and respect for others. Instead, political correctness forces otherwise noble causes to kowtow to all points of view with the result that solid morality is cast to the wind. This issue is a microcosm of society in general--all that's right and good these days seems to be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. Be glad your daughter is grown and wish her luck in raising your grandchildren in this culture.


147 posted on 11/16/2005 7:58:53 AM PST by GatorGirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC

Actually, the nerdy FBI profiler on Criminal Minds is a very sympathetic character and I'm pretty sure he's a virgin. Very endearing.


148 posted on 11/16/2005 8:02:22 AM PST by GatorGirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: Melas

Abstinence works--abstaining from sex will prevent pregnancy. Period.

Contraception sometimes fails--even when you use it there is a failure rate for all forms, including sterilization.

Your argument that abstinence fails when it is NOT practiced is like saying the condom failed because you forgot to put it on!

Attempted abstinence=attempted contraception. Both may fail.

Abstinence does not equal contraception. Only one may fail.

We are not animals--along with teaching abstinence is teaching not to place oneself in a position to lose all self control. If you are placing yourself in such a position, you are predetermining the outcome. This is like telling your child that they can hang out in a crack house and expecting them not to do crack.


149 posted on 11/16/2005 8:11:58 AM PST by GatorGirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 137 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Joel is a homosexual?


150 posted on 11/16/2005 8:14:34 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Melas
You can't really be that naive. Abstinance fails because the human will can be weak.

Then it's no longer abstinence, is it?
If a condom fails, it's still a condom. If a human life was aborted in the womb, it still was a human life. But if someone fails to abstain, they are no longer abstinent.

151 posted on 11/16/2005 8:22:28 AM PST by Ignatz (I misunderstood you correctly the first time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: GatorGirl
Thanks so much..I really appreciate your post. Somehow this whole story got by me..I guess it's been several years since I've even thought about the AG dolls and accessories..they are all packed away and in the attic waiting for grand daughters!! (Ahhh, I'm jumping ahead of myself, but the thought of grandchildren...I can't wait!) Thanks again, I get it now.
152 posted on 11/16/2005 9:43:55 AM PST by ladiesview61
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: Ignatz; GatorGirl
Then it's no longer abstinence, is it?

This having to explain the same thing over and over again is beginning to wear a little thin. Fine, I'll dumb it down, and restate without any nuance whatsoever:

I never meant that abstinence itself does not work. I of course meant that the human application of abstinence was prone to failure, because of our imperfect and human natures. I naively expected Freepers to be able to discern that particular nuance.

Of course abstinance works 100% of the time in a vacuum when you define abstinence in a purely clinical fashion. Those who aren't having sex never get pregnant or contract STD's. However, the unfortunate truth is that mere mortals have moments of weakness, and even those who are committed to abstinence sometimes fail. That's a fact of life. Only one man without sin has walked this earth.

In the end, it doesn't matter how you parse it. It doesn't matter if you say abstinence is imperfect or if you say that humans fail at being abstinent. At the end of the day, the result is exactly the same: You'll have a number of young people who were committed to waiting until marriage, and failing in a moment of weakness.

153 posted on 11/16/2005 11:23:31 AM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 151 | View Replies]

To: freepatriot32
Well the virgin Mary practiced abstinence and she still got pregnant.

I'll go along with that, but I doubt she was a virgin long after. I suspect her and Joseph consummated their relationship in due course.

154 posted on 11/16/2005 3:37:15 PM PST by somemoreequalthanothers (All for the betterment of "the state", comrade)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
Could you please add me to your pinglist?

Thanks!

155 posted on 11/16/2005 7:31:27 PM PST by rzeznikj at stout (Liberalism: The world's singular leading cause of truth decay...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: rzeznikj at stout

Added. :)


156 posted on 11/17/2005 8:20:20 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

It appears this writer doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. He is upset about a boycott of American Girl dolls while describing the My Twin dolls. He is an idiot and should get his facts straight before writing anything else.


157 posted on 11/19/2005 6:45:12 AM PST by Betty Jane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SJackson

Looks like all of us "wild-eyed" right wing "nuts" will save a load of money this year.

Vision Forum has a most reasonably priced substitute for the American Girl doll.


158 posted on 11/29/2005 1:10:59 PM PST by milford421
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IronJack
Nothing "healthy" about homosexuality. In fact, it's one of the most unhealthy lifestyles extant, judging from the mortality of its practicioners.

No doubt true for male homosexuals who have AIDS to contend with, but I don't think lesbians have any higher mortality than obese, hirsute heterosexual women.

159 posted on 11/29/2005 1:20:24 PM PST by Plutarch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140141-159 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson