Stuff Rachel Digs

Sui He - Vogue China December 2013

Women in Africa and the Diaspora: “Why Brown Girls Need Brown Dolls”

There have long been debates regarding Disney’s lack of diversity and further, the lack of diversity in dolls for children of color. While reading an article on this subject matter, I came across a comment that made me raise a brow.  A reader commented: “The color of these characters is not a big deal. Kids watching won’t see any difference if no difference is highlighted. They will grow up thinking anyone can fit into these roles.”

I’ve seen the sentiment expressed in this comment numerous times in an effort to brush off a call for diversity as “overreacting.” There’s this prevalent myth that kids do not see color. That they grow up colorblind not understanding race relations, but personal experience and social research has proven otherwise.

Let me start with experience:

During thanksgiving break, my 6 year old sister convinced me to play dolls with her. While brushing her doll’s hair, my sister said “Her hair is not like mine. She has white people’s hair.” Caught off guard by her statement, I asked “What do you mean white people hair Kelly?” At first she hesitated to respond but after a few minutes, she replied “Her hair is straight, not like mine.”  My 4 year old brother quickly followed “Yeah, and she’s not brown like you either.”

My sister’s comment proved that even at this young age, she noticed the differences in her doll baby and in herself. She noticed that her doll’s hair is straighter, that it has a small sharp nose, a skinny body. She noticed that her doll is white and that she is brown. Most importantly, she noticed that those characteristics listed all belonged to white women.

" Yoncé all on his mouf’ like liquor…”

guildofsaintluke submitted to medievalpoc:

Guadalupe de Caceres

Extremadura, Spain

Painted cedar

15th c. shrine with Baroque decoration

except when someone is straight/white/male/hetero except when someone insults your otp or fandom except when someone doesnt understand a joke or sarcasm except when someone mistakenly says something offensive except when someone is a ‘white girl’