Retail price: about $95.
Irony factor: priceless.
When I first came across this news, I thought it was a hoax, a la Balloon Boy. But, no, in fact, American Girls is offering this limited edition, homeless doll.
And the offer may be quite limited, indeed, for all the controversy it has stirred up. (Of course, in today’s marketing and social world, the controversy may be what keeps it selling.)
The doll’s critics say that the concept is tasteless, crass and trivializes a very serious issue.
The doll’s fans say that the doll helps raise awareness of the plight of the homeless, particularly homeless children.
I think both critics and fans are wrong.
I’ll start with the critics.
Irony notwithstanding, I don’t see how a doll with a homeless back story trivializes the plight of the homeless. Do stories about kids overcoming the loss of a parent or an illness or prejudice trivialize those experiences? Or do they shed light on a real issue that kids are aware of, whether the adults around them are comfortable with that or not?
As for the fans, I’m sure most kids, even the most privileged, realize that homelessness exists. Being aware of a problem is not the same as working toward resolving it. So I also don’t see how playing with a doll with a homeless back story will either help those who are homeless or motivate a kid to become a homeless activist later in life.
The truth is, some girls might be fascinated by the homeless American Girl’s story; some might feel confused or guilty by it. It depends on the individual girl.
What’s more fascinating than how girls will react is the amount of strong reaction this doll has received, both pro and con.
Because, both pro and con, the strong overreaction to this doll really points to how uncomfortable adults are with this issue, to the fears and discomfort homelessness raises in us, to the wish that such an issue could be faced and resolved as simply and quickly as reading a story and giving our kids a doll.
The truth is, rather than spending time and energy either condemning or praising a toy company’s merchandise, adults would be better off spending that time and energy educating themselves about the issue. (The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness — www.ich.gov — would be a good place to start.)
Then, they could either donate to or volunteer at one of the organizations that help the homeless or hungry.
As the old saying goes: actions speak louder than words.
And even louder than one toy manufacturer’s doll.
Sharon Short’s column runs Monday in Life. Send e-mail to sharonshort@sharonshort.com.
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