Every day, a child is born. These children are the generation that will one day run America. In the past, it was a “man’s world”, but with a growing and developing society, a movement for women to be equal and be just as relevant as men in society is booming. This means, for young girls in society, their futures have the potential to be bright. They need the right role models and motivation, to show them that it is no longer just a “man’s world”, and that the world is just as much their own to take on. American girl dolls are toys for young girls with a purpose. These dolls are not only to play with, but act as role models for young girls to look up to as they prepare for their futures. Each doll comes with her own backstory, where she overcomes some challenge she faces in society, the strong and independent woman she is shining through to help her overcome it. Young girls in society having these dolls gives them confidence and motivation to do whatever they want with their future, and to become the future leaders of America.
Each doll made by the company is given her own personality and story. Elizabeth Cole was one of the first dolls created. She was born on November fifth, 1765, and lives with her mother, father, and older sister in Williamsburg Virginia. In the beginning of her story, her family moves from England to the colonies. During this time period, tensions that lead up to the civil war were beginning. Loyalists and Patriots became groupings the colonists sorted themselves into. Elizabeth’s parents are Loyalists, and this is the challenge she faces throughout her story. She is “just a young girl”, and therefore could not think for herself, a viewpoint many people in that time period shared. Elizabeth finds herself sharing thoughts and positions of the Patriots, specifically some independences she believed herself and her family to deserve. Although it was a difficult opinion for her to have, she demonstrated her own choices and beliefs to her family, instead of staying quiet and letting others think for her. This sets a wonderful example for young growing girls that read Elizabeth’s story. Her story demonstrates to girls to use their voices and free will to speak out and stand for what they believe in, even if it is not what society thinks is respectful of them. The American Girl Doll brand continued to portray this same message with all of their dolls, and as society progressed and became more adverse, so did their dolls.
“Fly high, defy limits, and discover the new you: Joss’s story”. This is the headline under a page titled, “Meet Joss Kendrick” on the American Girl Doll website. Joss Kendrick is the American Girl Doll of the year for 2020 and is still carrying on the women empowerment trend just like Elizabeth Cole did fifteen years before her. Since the 1700s, women have developed some more respect and allowances for what they should or should not do in society’s eyes. For example, it is now much more commonly accepted for a woman to have an away from home job or be on an Olympic sports team. Joss portrays these ideals by being a talented surfer in her story, that ends up trying something new and going out for the cheer team, which she also turns out to be rather good at. She also wears her adversity of being born partly deaf and having to wear hearing aids proudly. Her story encourages young girls to try new things, and that women can be just as athletic and successful as men, and that no disability or difference you have makes you any less likely to be successful than anyone else. On the American Girl Doll website, at the bottom of Joss’s page, there is a section titled “Guidance for girls today”, followed by some ideals that they feel Joss expresses. These three ideals are “free thinking”, “dedication”, and “respect and teamwork”. Her story teaches young girls growing up in a society with ideals that could potentially hinder them not to doubt themselves and that with the right amount of effort and determination, they can do or be anything they put their minds to.
The American Girl Doll company is more than just a doll brand. They are in part so successful not because of the dolls they are selling, but because of the stories and ideals they are selling with them. American Girls are strong and powerful women who will stop at nothing to achieve their own greatness. They do not allow the bounds of society or themselves to limit them from achieving their goals. Having one of these dolls and following their stories to success sets a precedent in young girls’ lives to carry on each doll’s legacy by being a strong young woman and setting themselves up for success. With young girls having the confidence to strive for their goals and face their challenges, it sets them, and therefore the future of our society on the right track to success.