By Elle Edwards
My first American Girl Doll looked nothing like me: lightly tanned skin, bright blue eyes, and straight black hair, a combination of physical traits that did not belong on a doll that was supposed to resemble me. Growing up, I failed to find a doll that represented me: biracial with curly brown hair, dark brown eyes, and thick eyebrows. For children of color, not seeing themselves represented in media or toys can cause them to feel less valued or like something is wrong with them; this influences decisions to straighten their naturally curly hair, shift their personality, or disregard their race altogether. The lack of diversity within my toy box narrowed my understanding of race and beauty standards.
Young children often view their dolls as “real,” triggering a sense of love, care, and protection while playing with them. Owning and playing with dolls of various races are the fundamental steps for children to develop empathy toward others. The most developmental years in a child’s life are from birth to age five; similarly, the frequency in which children play with toys is highly prominent. By the time a child hits age five, 90% of their brain is already developed, and if specific skills are not acquired during these first five years, children may find them more difficult to learn later in life. From the moment a child interacts with people, they begin to develop their social-emotional skills. These skill-sets include making friends, resisting social pressure, gaining confidence, learning social norms, and making appropriate decisions. During the development of these skills, engaging with toys allows children to display their competence and manage their understanding of the emotions of others.
Diversity in a child’s toy box is essential because it affects the world’s next generation of educators and leaders. If children feel that the importance of a human being is limited to a certain race, their perspectives will narrow to that “supreme” race. Dolls represent human connection, and excluding ethnic dolls from a child’s toy chest may weaken their understanding of inclusion. Just as the fundamentals of addition and subtraction set us up for Algebra and Geometry, the foundational awareness of racial diversity sets up social skills children will use in the future.
The media heavily covers the importance of having toys with various races and skin tones but fails to mention the importance of representation in religion and genetic conditions. Children suffering from vitiligo, type one diabetes, or other long-term physical conditions should be represented in toys to prevent the anxiety that comes with those conditions. Insufficient representation may provoke questions like, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” or “Why am I different?” The portrayal of global religions in toys is also essential during the developmental stages of a child’s life. Religious representation can be shown through various articles of clothing. For example, Hindu men wear short coats; typical Muslim attire is a long white cotton shirt with trousers, while Amish women wear long, modest dresses. Conveying different religions through the simplicity of clothing allows children to recognize differences. The human race includes various races, religions, illnesses, physical conditions, and ethnicities, all of which should be found in a toy box.
Children should never struggle to find a doll that looks like them, experience racism at a young age, or feel isolated from society. Diversity in a child’s toy box and beyond is vital because it influences social skills, its introduction to various cultures, promotion of inclusivity, and awareness of the diverse human population. As a future parent, I envision my children having a vast collection of American Girl dolls, lego figures, and other toys to expand their perceptions about beauty, racial inclusion, and religion.
LAMPLIGHTER 