San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Toymaker answers calls for religious diversity
American Girl issues outfits for Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah
CHICAGO — This holiday season, American Girl characters Samantha, Addy and Josefina can celebrate the Christian holiday of Christmas, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah or Diwali, the festival of lights observed by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.
Next year, they’ll also be ready for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
The religious holidays are part of a capsule collection of doll clothes and accessories for six cultural celebrations and were released last week by American Girl, the popular line of dolls and books telling the stories of American girls throughout history to the present day.
“American Girl was built on a foundation of diverse and inclusive stories and products that have inspired and empowered an entire generation of girls,” said a statement by the brand, which is owned by Mattel.
“The brand is committed to accelerating its progress in this important area to better reflect what it means to be an American girl today. The new Cultural Celebration Collection is just one example of how we are doing that.”
In addition to the four religious holidays, the Cultural Celebration Collection also includes doll outfits and accessories for Kwanzaa and the Lunar New Year.
All six outfits were created with input from advisers inside and outside the company to ensure their authenticity, according to American Girl.
They are available now in American Girl stores or on the company’s website, and each is accompanied by a booklet sharing information about the holiday’s meaning and importance.
The outfit for Eid al-Fitr — the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, a holy month of prayer and fasting — includes a long-sleeved turquoise abaya, a pink hijab decorated with rhinestones, that will fit any of American Girl’s 18-inch dolls.
In the week since it was released, the outfit has gotten 43 reviews on the American Girl website — all five-star.
“This is a huge step for American Girl — we hope to one day see a Muslim American doll with her own story in the lineup!” reads one review.
The collection comes after several petitions asking the company to create a doll representing a Muslim American girl.
Among those who have reached out to American Girl pushing for Muslim representation is Chicago-based activist Yasmina Blackburn, who advised designers on the creation of its Eid al-Fitr outfit.
Blackburn had written letters to the president of the company in 2009 and again in 2020, hoping for a doll who looked and celebrated holidays like her daughter, then 8.
“I’m very happy with the results,” Blackburn said in a statement. “It’s important for kids to feel that their holidays are recognized at school and in the public sphere as well as on toy shelves.”