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Diverse group of kids smiling, representing the concept of serving with kids white and black clipart
“I guess they only like white people,” my 5-year-old innocently observed, her words hitting me with unexpected force as we stood in the toy aisle at Target. She was pointing at the Our Generation doll display, a seemingly endless array of dolls, all undeniably white.
My shopping cart screeched to a halt. In the midst of a mundane errand run, my daughter had articulated a profound observation about representation, or rather, the lack thereof. She was right. Among the dozens of dolls, diversity was conspicuously absent. “Maybe they’re just out of the others,” I offered, a hopeful yet flimsy explanation.
This is the story of how my daughters, through their simple yet powerful observations in a toy aisle, began to push back against racial bias they encountered. It’s a real-world example of how we, as parents and educators, can support young children in recognizing and responding to everyday racial inequities, even in spaces as seemingly innocuous as a toy store. It highlights the importance of equipping our children to critique bias, a crucial lesson often missed by generations taught to be “colorblind.” But what is the cost of this silence? If we fail to empower our children to question injustice and advocate for change, we inadvertently teach them to passively accept a world where some voices and representations are valued more than others.
Two Groovy Girl dolls, one brown and one peach-colored, illustrating diverse characters similar to black and white clipart
Early Conversations Shape Understanding
Dolls became an unexpected focal point in our home. My daughters, ages 5 and 8, developed a fondness for them, leading to ongoing conversations about the often-skewed representation within the doll industry – a microcosm of broader societal biases. We questioned together: Why are most dolls white? Why are they predominantly female? Why are dolls of color often lighter-skinned with straightened hair? Why are Asian dolls so rare? And why are the “special” dolls, the mermaids, fairies, and rock stars, almost always white? Finding dolls that reflected their own identities became a conscious effort, a mission to seek out representation.
Years prior, we received a collection of Groovy Girl dolls, a mix of brown and peach tones. While appreciated, even these “brown” dolls were ambiguous in their racial representation, often light-skinned with wavy hair, leaving us to wonder: Were they Black? Latina? Simply tan? Despite this ambiguity, my daughters loved them. Trips to the local toy store often involved them playing with the store’s Groovy Girls while I navigated my to-do list – a poignant reality of subtly navigating racial undertones even in play.
However, over time, we noticed a decline in the availability of brown Groovy Girls. Eventually, only a single, light brownish doll remained. Upon inquiring with the store manager, we learned that the Groovy Girls of color were discontinued due to low sales. This raised a critical question: Would dolls that more clearly and authentically represented Black or Asian children, for example, have fared differently in the market, especially among families actively seeking diverse representation?
A shelf full of Our Generation dolls, predominantly white, demonstrating the need for diverse options beyond white and black clipart
Encouraging Kids to Speak Up
The Our Generation doll line at Target, a more affordable alternative to American Girl dolls, caught my daughters’ attention. They would scan the aisles, searching for accessories and clothing for their existing, hand-me-down American Girl dolls of color. On one such visit, they stopped at the Our Generation aisle to look for doll crutches and a cast.
“Still only white dolls,” my 8-year-old observed, pointing to the fully stocked shelves, a homogenous display of alabaster complexions. Every doll appeared “white” to our biracial family, a point we are careful to clarify.
“This one is the ‘darkest’ they have,” she continued, using air quotes for emphasis, indicating a doll with wavy dark brown hair and peachy skin. It prompted us to approach customer service.
My younger daughter, her voice soft, yet clear, asked, “Excuse me. Why are there no black and brown Our Generation dolls that look like me on the shelves?”
The young, white customer service representative, after a moment, suggested that “international dolls” could be found online at Target.com.
“What do you mean by international?” I inquired, seeking clarification.
“You know, because they’re African, Latino, or… European American,” she offered. I then asked about registering a formal complaint, and she provided a comment card.
Back in the car, I processed the interaction with my daughters. “The term ‘international dolls’ to describe dolls of color is inaccurate,” I explained. “It implies that people of color are not truly American, that only white people are inherently from here. That’s not true.”
“I know, Mommy! We were born here!” my daughter exclaimed. “And also, Native Americans were the first people here, not white people.” Her understanding was already deeper than the reductive categorization we had just encountered.
A close-up of Our Generation dolls, highlighting the sameness in their features, in contrast to diverse black and white clipart options
Persistent Advocacy Leads to a Glimmer of Change
On our third visit, the Our Generation aisle remained uniformly white. Empowered, my oldest daughter led us back to customer service.
After extensive keyboard searching, a sympathetic young man provided more insight. “I see here that we never stock anything but white Our Generation dolls at this store. I don’t know why. It’s a corporate decision. They are available at other stores.”
The nearest Target stocking non-white Our Generation dolls was half an hour away, and they were sold out. The next closest with stock was almost an hour’s drive. Our local Target is situated in a predominantly white town, but serves as a retail hub for surrounding, more diverse communities, including our own. The youth demographic in the region is significantly more diverse than the general population. The argument that there’s no market for dolls of color felt flimsy, especially if we consider that the audience for diverse representation should include all children.
It’s imperative that white children also see racial diversity reflected in their toys. Without intentional counter-cultural efforts, children of all races are susceptible to internalizing a preference for white or light-skinned representations, as reinforced by the broader culture. It is our responsibility to actively cultivate an environment where non-white lives and representations are valued and integrated into children’s lives and play – a conscious effort we make daily.
Upon returning home, my older daughter expressed a desire to email Target headquarters directly. From her own voice.
A single blonde Our Generation doll on a shelf, emphasizing the lack of diversity and need for inclusive representation, like diverse clipart
Lola’s Letter to Target HQ
Dear Target HQ,
My sister and I have brown skin and curly/kinky hair that makes nice afros when we wear it out. We have visited the Our Generation doll aisle at Target many times, and every time the only dolls on the shelves are white. We know they make dolls of color, but you don’t seem to stock them. We would like to know why that is?
My parents taught us that we need to see ourselves in our toys to grow up feeling like we matter. I have dolls of different skin colors, including white dolls, but my parents and I agree I don’t need more white dolls to feel like white people matter! There are many kids of color in this community, and even my white friends would probably like to have dolls of different skin tones and hair textures.
Sincerely,
Lola, age 8
A single Maeva Our Generation doll with brown skin, highlighting a small step towards diversity, similar to finding diverse clipart
Epilogue: A Small Victory
We haven’t received a direct response from Target HQ yet. However, a recent visit to the same store revealed a subtle shift, a potential sign of corporate responsiveness, or perhaps the initiative of the empathetic customer service representative. Amidst the usual twenty-plus white dolls, there was Maeva, a rich brown-skinned doll.
I took a picture to share with my daughters. They were excited to see a doll with genuine color, one that didn’t leave you questioning the lighting. They also noted her straight hair, unlike their own, and that she stood alone. Yet, they recognized that their voices had been heard, and hopefully, learned the enduring lesson of continuing to speak out, perhaps even more assertively in the future.
What are you observing in the toy aisles at your local Target? This experience underscores the importance of representation and empowering children to advocate for inclusivity, whether it’s in the toys they play with or the images they see, including the need for diverse “Serving With Kids White And Black Clipart” and other visual resources that reflect the rich tapestry of our world.
