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Little subway rider and her baby doll |
This little darling was seen holding her black baby doll on the 1 train during the morning commute. While she was completely indifferent to the judgment being passed around her choice of toys, many heads turned. Everyone including myself was thinking "Why that doll?"
Needless to say some things just can't be ignored because studies have shown that for children of all races, black dolls are one of the very least desired toys on the market. Some may have heard about a documentary called “A Girl Like Me” wherein black children are asked to define beauty using two dolls - a test originated by Dr. Kenneth Clark in the 1950s' after the desegregation of schools. The results were shockingly consistent. However this little girl in the picture defies this and all subsequent case studies. But why?
It has been said to me that "Racism" is a learned behavior and to learn it one must first be taught. Perhaps our little commuter skipped that class - kudos.
What do you think NY?
Shocking, yes, a little, but I don't think this test says or defies how black children view beauty. I think it just says that black parents need to buy dolls that look more like their kids. It just says that 15 out of the 21 parents who let their kids participated in this study didn't think it was a big deal to let their kids play with white dolls. I think, as a result the children associated the white doll as being the nicer doll -- since it is what they often play with. I think it's just that simple. This is much to do about nothing. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteout of the mouths of babes..in this case out of the actions of babes...maybe we ALL need to pay attention...refreshing!
ReplyDeleteBabes? Well, it's a good thing I believe vaguely saying something is like saying nothing at all.
ReplyDeleteSaying ANYTHING at all vague or not definitely opens up the flood gates and in this case makes people either ask more questions, make more comments, or just shrug it off.
ReplyDelete