You probably have heard about Logan, the American Girl Boy Doll. I've had a couple of media inquiries but managed to divert them to Elizabeth Sweet, whose work on toys and gender is much more appropriate.
But I do have thoughts.
My first thought when I heard the news was "Are they going to change the name of the company?"
My second thought was "Is he anatomically correct, or is his gender constructed by his hair and clothing?"
This is pertinent because for younger children (up to around 6 or 7) gender is perceived as impermanent, and based on clues such as clothing and hair. Logan is a boy because he dresses like a boy.
My third thought was "Hmm! He has the same face as the girls dolls, but with closed lips instead of parted lips! What does that say about expectations of gendered behavior or expression?"
My fourth thought was "Assuming the answer to my second question is that he is not anatomicallly correct, which bathroom would he have to use in North Carolina?"
My last thought was, if I had Logan and another AG doll, there would be cross-dressing.
And here is someone else's thought. It's a trick of the enemy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/02/16/why-this-pastor-believes-american-girls-boy-doll-is-a-trick-of-the-enemy/?utm_term=.2a14e2a2109b
But I do have thoughts.
My first thought when I heard the news was "Are they going to change the name of the company?"
My second thought was "Is he anatomically correct, or is his gender constructed by his hair and clothing?"
This is pertinent because for younger children (up to around 6 or 7) gender is perceived as impermanent, and based on clues such as clothing and hair. Logan is a boy because he dresses like a boy.
My third thought was "Hmm! He has the same face as the girls dolls, but with closed lips instead of parted lips! What does that say about expectations of gendered behavior or expression?"
My fourth thought was "Assuming the answer to my second question is that he is not anatomicallly correct, which bathroom would he have to use in North Carolina?"
My last thought was, if I had Logan and another AG doll, there would be cross-dressing.
And here is someone else's thought. It's a trick of the enemy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/02/16/why-this-pastor-believes-american-girls-boy-doll-is-a-trick-of-the-enemy/?utm_term=.2a14e2a2109b
