Will the real American Girl please stand up?

By Vicki Courtney

If you were to walk into my daughter’s room a few years ago, chances are, it was littered with American Girl products. Her collection that began at the age of seven includes Bitty Baby, Samantha, Kit, Josephina, Kirsten and the entire book series that profiled each doll. Between mom, and two grandmas contributing to the collection, I seriously think the dolls had more clothes and accessories than my daughter, Paige! When she was in the 5th grade, we further celebrated our love for the dolls by taking a mother/daughter trip to the American Girl headquarters in Chicago. It was an unforgettable trip and I have since encouraged many mothers to consider saving up for such a special mother/daughter trip.

Today, Paige is 15, and her bedroom floor is now littered with Pottery Barn floor pillows, CD’s, and other standard teen girl accoutrements. The American Girl dolls and paraphernalia are safely packed away in storage containers on a closet shelf. Call me a sap, but I have visions of releasing them from their plastic prisons someday for another round of pretend campouts, school, and birthday parties with my future granddaughters. In a culture that beckons girls to grow up way too fast, I was grateful for the wholesome and virtuous American Girl products.

Imagine my disappointment when, last Wednesday, the American Family Association released a plea to all its 2.2 million members to take a stand against the American Girl corporation (and parent company, Mattell) for it’s support of Girls, Inc. According to this article, American Girls has teamed up with Girls, Inc. to promote the “I Can” wristband in efforts to raise money to “help American girls nationwide” (www.americangirl.com).

Here is the “I Can” promise:

“I can be myself, follow my dreams, and always do my best. I can reach for the stars, lend a hand to others, and be a good friend. I can make a difference! I promise to try.”

Sounds harmless, right? Well, a closer look at Girls, Inc. revealed that it also supports “girl” issues in direct contrast to Christian beliefs. The two main agendas in question are abortion and gay sexual orientation, both of which are supported by Girls, Inc. See for yourself.
 
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/page.php?id=4.3.4 (support of Roe v. Wade)

http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/lesbianbisexualgirls.pdf  (resource list for gay/bisexual girls)

http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/GirlsandSexualHealth.pdf (page 3)

AFA has asked parents to take action and ask American Girl, a typically wholesome and conservative company, to cease involvement with Girls, Inc., a company whose standards clearly do not align with Christian belief. Below is the letter I have sent, and I urge you to take action as well.

We CAN make a difference and our VOICE for VIRTUE must not be silent.

Click here to send your own email.

Dear Bob Eckert,

As the founder of Virtuous Reality Ministries, which reaches over 150,000 moms and daughters across the country a year, I want to express my disappointment with your partnership with Girls’ Inc. Many of our supporters have personally told me how grateful they are to have wholesome resources like American Girl for their younger daughters, and how disappointed they are that Mattel would support such an unwholesome organization like Girls’ Inc.

Please consider withdrawing your support from Girls Inc. In her online statement about this partnership, President Joyce M. Roché says, “Recently, our mission to help girls develop their self-esteem and self-reliance has become the target of false, inflammatory statements from people who are pursuing a narrow political agenda.” However, a few clicks away on her very website is proof that their organization supports practices such as abortion, homosexuality, and contraceptives for girls. 

From Girls’ Inc. Website:

We recognize the right of all women to choose whether, when, and under what circumstances to bear children. Reproductive freedom and responsibility are essential to other rights and opportunities, including pursuit of education, employment, financial security and a stable and fulfilling family life. Restrictions of reproductive choice are especially burdensome for young women and poor women. Girls Incorporated supports a woman’s freedom of choice, a constitutional right established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 in Roe vs. Wade

I urge you to reconsider your support. I grew up with Mattel products, and it disappoints me that I will no longer be able to recommend them to our client base, or buy them as gifts for family members and friends. Thank you so much for your consideration to this very important and moral issue.

As John Adams said “From all that I had read in history of government of human life and manners, I have drawn this conclusion, that the manners of women were the most infallible barometer to ascertain the degree of morality and virtue of a nation.” No doubt today, we are reaping the consequences of a culture that is absent of virtue.” Please join me in holding virtue up as a better option for our young girls.

Sincerely,

Vicki Courtney

Founder

Virtuous Reality Ministries

p 512-527-9500

f 512-342-0962

www.virtuousreality.com