Nostalgia for the American Girl Doll brand is no joke. Everyone has their favorite: from Molly loyalists to Samantha stans, their stories and styles have inspired young women and girls the world over with no sign of slowing down. There are several signature store locations across the US, a print magazine that lasted more than 20 years, and an extremely popular online fandom spanning YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more. It seems as though girls really do rule in the American Girl Doll universe, but what happens when a boy shows up on the scene for the first time ever?
Enter: Emilie Zaslow, PhD, professor and department chair of communication studies at Pace. SheŮٱƵs an expert on MattelŮٱƵs iconic line of toys, having published the book Playing With AmericaŮٱƵs Doll: A Cultural Analysis of the American Girl Collection. In a co-written chapter of the collection , Emilie worked with Jaclyn Griffith ŮٱƵ17, a Pace alumna who earned her BA in Communication Studies, to study the unique production and marketing of , MattelŮٱƵs first American Girl boy doll.
ŮٱƵ[ItŮٱƵs] a brand known for outspoken girls who challenge social norms,ŮٱƵ the two wrote. However, in the companyŮٱƵs attempt to be more inclusive, Emilie and Jaclyn determined that Mattel instead ŮٱƵcreated a narrative perpetuating gendered power relations.ŮٱƵ
But letŮٱƵs back up a bit. Initially, LoganŮٱƵs groundbreaking announcement was mostly met with a positive reception. ŮٱƵFor many children and collectors, Logan had the potential to become a beloved plaything, a unique character who could share toy shelves with his friend, Tenney,ŮٱƵ Emilie and Jaclyn wrote. He was introduced along with Tenney, the American Girl doll from the same Contemporary Characters storyline, which would ultimately highlight their shortcomings in terms of design. (Something to note if youŮٱƵre unfamiliar with the brand: American Girl dolls were representative of girls through the ages, many with a historical past.)
There were many codes for LoganŮٱƵs traditional masculinity that set him apart from his female-coded counterpart, starting with his clothes, which were limited to two outfits with ŮٱƵmuted colorsŮٱƵ and only one accessory compared to Tenney, who wore ŮٱƵwarm tonesŮٱƵ with far more accessory options. ŮٱƵThis reflects the cut and style of contemporary gendered clothing,ŮٱƵ Emilie and Jaclyn explained. ŮٱƵThe boy doll, as the girl consumerŮٱƵs antithesis, is markedly free from the labor (and fun) involved in achieving normative beauty standards.ŮٱƵ
ŮٱƵThe dollsŮٱƵ messaging [...] reifies hegemonic masculinity and normative femininity. Logan [became] emblematic of the white male privilege to occupy space, steal the spotlight, earn accolades for less work, and overpower girls and women.ŮٱƵ
Logan was further othered by his ŮٱƵplay loudŮٱƵ slogan, a narrative that reinforced boldness and aggression. His backstory, which included a father working abroad and the expectation that Logan help financially support his working class family, led him to feeling overwhelmed, moody, and frustrated. Tenney, his band partner, was expected to emotionally support Logan through his outbursts, effectively painting girls as on-call therapists.
ŮٱƵThe dollsŮٱƵ messaging [...] reifies hegemonic masculinity and normative femininity,ŮٱƵ the two wrote. ŮٱƵLogan [became] emblematic of the white male privilege to occupy space, steal the spotlight, earn accolades for less work, and overpower girls and women.ŮٱƵ
This was partly due to the timing of his release: LoganŮٱƵs introduction came on the heels of Donald TrumpŮٱƵs win over Hillary Clinton during the landmark 2016 US Presidential Election. Consumers simply werenŮٱƵt having it. ŮٱƵTo introduce a boy doll without incorporating some critique of sexism is progressive only on the surface,ŮٱƵ Emilie and Jaclyn argue. ŮٱƵThe fan response to LoganŮٱƵs releaseŮٱƵas well as his lower-than-expected salesŮٱƵshow that consumers can see past their brand loyalty and reject superficial diversity.ŮٱƵ
ItŮٱƵs no surprise then, that both Logan and Tenney were shelvedŮٱƵindefinitely, just a year after their introduction to the American Girl fandom.
But the rocky road to American GirlŮٱƵs first boy doll wasnŮٱƵt for nought. The rise and fall of Logan means that big companies like Mattel are paving the way for more significant advancement of authentic representation for all children and opening the door for important discussion. In fact, Mattel is making major strides in their Barbie line, offering more sizes and shapes, more skin tones, more gender representation, and more inclusive ways to play.
As part of their , a variety of swappable clothing and hair options give kids the opportunity to explore the different ways real people express themselves. And thatŮٱƵs a huge step. ŮٱƵToys should be gender neutral,ŮٱƵ Emilie argued in a conversation with us. ŮٱƵDolls should be marketed to children of any and all gender identities.ŮٱƵ
As the world of dolls evolves to reflect the world we inhabit, Emilie underscored the importance of diverse business practices. ŮٱƵI think real change needs to be rooted deeply within the corporate culture,ŮٱƵ she explained. ŮٱƵWho is making the decisions about diverse storylines and representations? Are the leadership teams, the board of directors, and the marketing teams inclusive and committed to equity and justice?ŮٱƵ
WeŮٱƵre looking forward to the next unboxing video. YouŮٱƵve come a long way, baby(doll).
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