AG's new "Gwen the homeless girl" doll ...

[NotUrsula]

The irony of this one is priceless. American Girl dolls has now come out with a limited edition $95 doll that represents a homeless girl who lives with her mother in their car.
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/wee...pire-goes-too-far-with-its-homeless-doll.html

I'm thinking that taking your child down to a shelter and donating the $95 in person would go a whole lot further toward teaching middle-class kids about homelessness.

 

[luvmy3]

First the archive Samantha and Nellie, and now they are archivng Kirsten, to come out with a homeless doll?
Unless they are donating all proceeds of the doll to help the homeless I think I may have just lost all respect I have for AG

 

[kidzmom3]

this doll is totally absurd!

 

[ICF]

wow....that's bad.

 

[Briarmom]

Gwen isn't new, she's part of the 2009 Girl of the Year collection.

I read an article about this earlier, and some of the info wasn't right from what I can tell (I thought her father died, not that he left her mother) but dd doesn't have this doll so I can't check on the facts.

 

[Imzadi]

Unless they are donating all proceeds of the doll to help the homeless I think I may have just lost all respect I have for AG

 

[5 'LIL *TWINKERS*]

Not into the dolls at all, but WOW. That is really in poor taste.

 

[DWGal210]

The irony of this one is priceless. American Girl dolls has now come out with a limited edition $95 doll that represents a homeless girl who lives with her mother in their car.
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/wee...pire-goes-too-far-with-its-homeless-doll.html

I'm thinking that taking your child down to a shelter and donating the $95 in person would go a whole lot further toward teaching middle-class kids about homelessness.

I agree with you - I think the AG dolls are cute and fun, but this seems a bit much to me. I love your last statement - that would be a MUCH better idea; donating that same money towards a shelter or homeless program I think is a better way to teach your girls about those less fortunate.

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

OP, please go read the books for the 2009 Chrissa, Sonali & Gwen dolls. Homelessness is talked about; it's a fact of life & some folks end up that way through no fault of their own.

Actually, this doll has been out since JANUARY 2009 so this is old news.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am sure she is going to be a huge collector's item with the controversy.

 

[Briarmom]

First the archive Samantha and Nellie, and now they are archivng Kirsten, to come out with a homeless doll?
Unless they are donating all proceeds of the doll to help the homeless I think I may have just lost all respect I have for AG

I'm glad I read this thread, because I didn't know they were archiving Kirsten, and dd doesn't have her.

Seriously though, this article falls under 'don't believe everything you read.' She's already been on the market for 9 months.

 

[RadioNate]

Overreact much? Gwen is not a featured doll. She is a companion to the Chrissa doll. She is Chrissa's best friend and in the book series Gwen's father either dies or loses his job (I have to ask the 10 year old across the street for clarification) and they end up temporarily in a shelter. Chrissa's family steps up to help them.

And this doll was released months ago.

I'm not buying the doll but this is really blown out of proportion.

ETA: It is obviously a biased article that doesn't even have it facts straight. And I don't know what is so distasteful? The price? That it isn't a fundraiser? Or homelessness in general? These dolls have always had a story behind them. Gwen and her homelessness is just a small part of Chrissa's story.

 

[Rora]

This is in very poor taste although I'm sure AG didn't intend for it to come across this way.

That being said, those dolls are super expensive!!

 

[luvmy3]

OP, please go read the books for the 2009 Chrissa, Sonali & Gwen dolls. Homelessness is talked about; it's a fact of life & some folks end up that way through no fault of their own.

Actually, this doll has been out since JANUARY 2009 so this is old news.

I'm glad I read this thread, because I didn't know they were archiving Kirsten, and dd doesn't have her.

Seriously though, this article falls under 'don't believe everything you read.' She's already been on the market for 9 months.

We have gotten the last few GOY dolls but we didn't get Chrissa so I had no idea what her story was. This is the first GOY doll to have had friends(dolls) also released. There really isn't a need to manufacture a homeless doll, they could have kept the story of Chrissa in the books for girls to learn that homelessness exists. The doll is really in poor taste.

 

[Briarmom]

We have gotten the last few GOY dolls but we didn't get Chrissa so I had no idea what her story was. This is the first GOY doll to have had friends(dolls) also released. There really isn't a need to manufacture a homeless doll, they could have kept the story of Chrissa in the books for girls to learn that homelessness exists. The doll is really in poor taste.

And you still have no idea what her story is. We don't know she's homeless or if she was homeless for a week after her father died 7 years ago, right? So we don't know if she's in poor taste.

 

[NotUrsula]

Nine months is new enough for me. I hadn't heard about it sooner because my DD isn't yet old enough to be wanting AG dolls. I linked this story instead of the original ABC story that prompted it, because the ABC story also brings up some political issues, which this one does not.

Selling a "homeless girl" doll is still a ridiculously bad idea unless all proceeds from sales go to charities.

As a PP said; it would have been a much better idea to restrict this particular character to the books.

 

[luvmy3]

And you still have no idea what her story is. We don't know she's homeless or if she was homeless for a week after her father died 7 years ago, right? So we don't know if she's in poor taste.

True, I am only going by the link the OP where it is stated that she IS homeless not WAS homeless. According to what I read, my opinion is that creating a doll, that is currently living in her car, is in poor taste. If someone who read the book comes on here and says otherwise, I'd gladly change my opinion.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And you still have no idea what her story is. We don't know she's homeless or if she was homeless for a week after her father died 7 years ago, right? So we don't know if she's in poor taste.

In the movie, she is homeless in the present. In fact that is why Gwen is so shy in the beginning as she doesn't want anyone to know.

And why the mean girl was so mean to cut her bangs, simply b/c she was different.

The whole Chrissa line is about overcoming adversity and bullying.

Gwen's homeless status is actually quite pertinent to Chrissa's story and one of the motivating factors for them to take a stand against the mean girl (who also caused Chrissa's brother to get injured in a diving accident by provoking him).

Not sure why they have her living in a car though as the movie had her in a group home until they got back on her feet.

Just read the blog entry--my opinion--the writer should have at least watched the movie or read a book to understand Gwen's role in Chrissa's life and to better understand what Mattel meant about the bullying comment.

Did we harp on Samantha b/c she befriended and orphan and they made a doll out of her?

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

In the movie, she is homeless in the present. In fact that is why Gwen is so shy in the beginning as she doesn't want anyone to know.

And why the mean girl was so mean to cut her bangs, simply b/c she was different.

The whole Chrissa line is about overcoming adversity and bullying.

Gwen's homeless status is actually quite pertinent to Chrissa's story and one of the motivating factors for them to take a stand against the mean girl (who also caused Chrissa's brother to get injured in a diving accident by provoking him).

Not sure why they have her living in a car though as the movie had her in a group home until they got back on her feet.

Just read the blog entry--my opinion--the writer should have at least watched the movie or read a book to understand Gwen's role in Chrissa's life and to better understand what Mattel meant about the bullying comment.

Did we harp on Samantha b/c she befriended and orphan and they made a doll out of her?

Okay - I will admit that I am not a fan of AG dolls. DD (8) has one that my sis gave to her - but it sits in a corner and is rarely touched.

If I understand correct - Chrissa is the "main" doll. AG made a Gwen doll from Chrissa's story. Gwen happens to be homeless in the story correct?

I do not see such a big deal in this as long as it follows the story.

I guess my big question is: did they make a doll from the bully?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Okay - I will admit that I am not a fan of AG dolls. DD (8) has one that my sis gave to her - but it sits in a corner and is rarely touched.

If I understand correct - Chrissa is the "main" doll. AG made a Gwen doll from Chrissa's story. Gwen happens to be homeless in the story correct?

I do not see such a big deal in this as long as it follows the story.

I guess my big question is: did they make a doll from the bully?

I'm not sure.

Chrissa, Gwen, and Sonali are the main ones. Sonali used to be "friends" with the bully. In fact in the beginning of the movie, she did something cruel to Chrissa. Over the course of the movie, Sonali grows and doesn't want to be a bully anymore.

The bully ends up not being a bully anymore--but mostly b/c she is forced to. She didn't transition like Sonali and in the end really isn't a true friend of Chrissa and the rest. (kind of the "I'm sorry I got caught" attitude.)

Looks like after looking at the website,the answer is a profound NO, they didn't make the bully doll.

And in Gwen's write up--they don't even talk about her homelessness nor does she come with anything or is any accessory sold to suggest her homelessness.

She's Chrissa's best friend.