Close Menu
NERDBOT
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Subscribe
    NERDBOT
    • News
      • Reviews
    • Movies & TV
    • Comics
    • Gaming
    • Collectibles
    • Science & Tech
    • Culture
    • Nerd Voices
    • About Us
      • Join the Team at Nerdbot
    NERDBOT
    Home»Nerd Culture»Dolls And Representation: When We Do (And Don’t) Need Toys To Look Like Us
    Nerd Culture

    Dolls And Representation: When We Do (And Don’t) Need Toys To Look Like Us

    Loryn StoneBy Loryn StoneOctober 1, 20184 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

    Luciana Vega Doll Spacesuit

    Creative and Confident With A Serious Science Streak; Explore Luciana’s love of SPACE and SCIENCE.

    A new American Girl doll has arrived and she is rocking her assertive agency right in your face. Luciana is so perfectly modern (and important) that she’s worth taking note of.

    I write this in a completely serious and non-patronizing voice; Luciana is the coolest girl in the world. She’s creative. She’s confident. She loves science. She’s an astronaut. 

    And she has a robotic dog.

    American Girl Luciana's Robotic Dog

    Honestly, the rest of us are just screwed. How can any other toy stack up after this? But it leads me to ask something– so, if the representation is perfect and inclusive, as Luciana is a smart, strong, creative, confident, science loving girl of color (it’s the elephant in the room that I’ll address), does this automatically change or affect the child who is playing with her?

    Let me reiterate; this doll is a great thing. We need representation in all forms of media, and that goes right down to the dolls children play with. Note I say ‘children’ and not girls. Children of all shapes, colors, and creed deserve the opportunity to see a doll that resembles themselves. If that opportunity is presented, they can then seek comfort in that item that resembles them, or they can choose another avenue which is choosing a play thing which closer identifies with something they want to be. 

    It reminds me of the design reasoning behind the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line from when I saw the MOTU episode of Netflix’s The Toys That Made Us. One of the designers was really into Charles Atlas and “strong men” competitions and wanted to create a doll that was “a real he-man” and not some wimpy old noodle-dude. The same reasoning can probably be assigned to G.I. Joe– tough cool guys, ready to fight.

    Now, some children might see these embellished, bulky toys and say “I want to be that”. Some might not look twice, it’s the name of the toy they want because they saw the commercials and therefore need to have it. With other kids, it doesn’t matter what the toy looks like; they have a story in their head and need something, anything to act it out with. (That was me). Some children have probably looked at Barbie and said “She’s perfect and I need to strive to become that.” Others have said “She’s so delightfully cartoonish, no one could ever be this way. I’m going to play my game and move on with myself.” Other kids say “Well, I don’t have enough dolls/figures of this sex and gender, so therefore this doll is now the boy/girl.”

    Or if you’re like me, you play quietly in your head with Crayola markers and they’re your dolls now, but you should probably be listening to the teacher.

    The point I’m trying to make is this– does having a doll who is preemptively awesome affect the child who is playing with it? Do children have the ability to, on their own, assign these strong and clearly very important characteristics to their toys…or do they need American Girl to tell them that “You should want to be more like Luciana because she’s smart, creative, artistic, confident, and by the way, she likes science”?

    I’m sure countless hours of market research goes into these topics; I’m not so smug that I’m going to pretend I have the answers. Clearly, advertising works on everybody. Even if you think you’re above the norm and nothing in pop culture affects you, surprise– I bet you got excited when Arby’s gave Naruto the nod or something. We all have something that gets us there. Maybe you thought Geico’s Cavemen were funny, or you have a shirt with the Kool-Aid man on it. Ironic or literal, we can all be swayed and influenced somehow.

    Perhaps some of us DO need to be told how amazing we can be. Maybe some children need to be told that confidence exists in order to glean some of it for themselves, to absorb it from dolls and non-living sources because they’re not nurtured into knowing how special they are. They need someone to help them believe. And if a beautiful doll packaged to resemble a girl is the one who can do it…then I can only wish she was around to help others when I was young, too.

    “With creativity, confidence, and a serious science streak, I can launch my dream of landing on Mars. But my teamwork skills still need work. I’ll have to learn how to reach others if I want to reach the stars.” – Luciana from the American Girls website.

    Do You Want to Know More?

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleSophie Turner Gives Ambiguous Insight Into the Finale of Game of Thrones
    Next Article ‘Game of Thrones’ Filming Locations To Become Tourist Attractions
    Loryn Stone
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • Instagram

    Loryn Stone has dedicated her life to the written Word of the Nerd. Her writing has also been published on other pop culture websites such as Cracked, LoadScreen, PopLurker, and Temple of Geek. Her debut young-adult novel "My Starlight" (a contemporary love letter to fandom, friendship, anime, cosplaying, love, and loss) is out now by Affinity Rainbow Publications. When she's not writing, Loryn's other interests include collecting robots (Megazords, specifically), playing bass, and blasting metal.

    Related Posts

    A 101 Dalmatians Dream Come True: Unique Vintage’s Blue Dalmatians Swing Skirt

    July 18, 2025

    The Modern Geek’s Weekend: Gaming, Fitness, and a Little Indulgence

    July 17, 2025

    Everything That is Important to Know Before Betting on Boxing

    July 17, 2025
    Halloween Fruity Pebbles

    Fruity Pebbles Cereal Brings Back Beloved Halloween Edition

    July 16, 2025

    Top 5 Channel Manager Features That Improve Hotel Efficiency

    July 12, 2025
    DEVO's "Whip It" Music Video

    “DEVO” Documentary Will Hit Netflix in August

    July 8, 2025
    • Latest
    • News
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Reviews

    Exploring ThinBorne’s Slimmest Galaxy Z Flip 7 Case: You’ll Want to See This!

    July 18, 2025

    How to Protect Your Business from Alcohol-Related Claims

    July 18, 2025

    The Role of Linear Motion Systems in Modern Manufacturing

    July 18, 2025

    A 101 Dalmatians Dream Come True: Unique Vintage’s Blue Dalmatians Swing Skirt

    July 18, 2025

    “Life After” Impartial Exposé on Complex, Important Issues [Review]

    July 15, 2025

    Nominations for the 77th Annual Emmys

    July 15, 2025

    UNO Denies Las Vegas Casino but Announces Social Clubs

    July 14, 2025
    Human Skin Bear

    A Teddy Bear Seemingly Wrapped in Human Skin Found

    July 14, 2025

    Taika Waititi, Drew Pearce to Tackle “Judge Dredd”

    July 17, 2025

    NEW Official Trailer for “Tron: Ares” Hits

    July 17, 2025

    “Mortal Kombat II” Gets Official Trailer

    July 17, 2025

    Link, Zelda Cast for Live-Action “Legend of Zelda” Film

    July 16, 2025

    CBS Announces the End of “The Late Show” in 2026

    July 17, 2025

    Netflix Officially Greenlights “Assassin’s Creed” TV Show

    July 17, 2025

    “Stranger Things” Final Season Gets Official Teaser

    July 16, 2025

    HBO Reveals First Look at New Harry Potter Actor in Costume

    July 14, 2025

    “Life After” Impartial Exposé on Complex, Important Issues [Review]

    July 15, 2025

    “Superman” Big, Beautiful Mess Bursting With Color, Hope [Review]

    July 11, 2025

    James Gunn’s “Superman” Brings Updated Meaning to the Man of Steel [Spoiler-Free Review]

    July 8, 2025

    The F11PRO 2 Drone – Pro-Level Performance Meets Sleek Design

    July 3, 2025
    Check Out Our Latest
      • Product Reviews
      • Reviews
      • SDCC 2021
      • SDCC 2022
    Related Posts

    None found

    NERDBOT
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Nerdbot is owned and operated by Nerds! If you have an idea for a story or a cool project send us a holler on [email protected]

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.