American Girl rolls out company's first 'Girl of the Year' doll of Chinese descent

Publish date: 2024-09-05

The popular American Girl's brand introduced its first-ever Chinese-American 'Girl of the Year' doll, an Aspen-dwelling outdoor sport enthusiast who contends with racist bullies as anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The doll's backstory, written in two short volumes by 'The Great Wall of Lucy Wu' author Wendy Shang, takes place in the exclusive Colorado ski town. There, Corinne Tan and her younger sister Gwynn - the toy company's first 'little sister' doll - ski and skate, adjust to their parents' recent divorce and move to a more posh part of town with their new stepdad.

At the skating rink, a white boy tells Corinne she has the 'kung-flu,' a reference to the slur used by Donald Trump that blames China for spreading the virus.   

The nation has seen a 343 percent increase in hate crimes against Asians this year, the New York Daily News reported. 

Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition that gathered data on racially-motivated attacks related to the pandemic, received 9,081 incident reports between March 19, 2020 and June 2021.    

American Girl's Corrine Tan (pictured), the company's first Chinese-American 'girl of the year' who was announced on Thursday, contends with racist bullies as anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. have risen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

American Girl's Corrine Tan (pictured), the company's first Chinese-American 'girl of the year' who was announced on Thursday, contends with racist bullies as anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. have risen in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Corinne Tan American Girl doll, left, was announced on Thursday. Also released was the company's first 'little sister' doll, Gwynn, right

The Corinne Tan American Girl doll, left, was announced on Thursday. Also released was the company's first 'little sister' doll, Gwynn, right

In the doll's illustrated book, a boy tells Corine she has the 'kung-flu' at the skating rink leaving her speechless. Pictured is the corresponding illustration

In the doll's illustrated book, a boy tells Corine she has the 'kung-flu' at the skating rink leaving her speechless. Pictured is the corresponding illustration

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Later in the doll's book, Corinne overhears men outside their family restaurant making racist comments. Her mother takes off after the men, telling her daughter that 'bullies often stop when someone finally confronts them.'

'What I really hope is that there is some part of Corinne’s story that makes readers feel seen, whether it’s because they are Asian American, or because they’re part of a blended family, or because they love skiing,' Shang said in a statement. 

'I think when readers feel seen, they realize that they matter and their experiences matter, and that they are meant to be the stars of their own stories.' 

Jamie Cygielman, general manager at the American Girl company, wrote in a statement in TODAY Parents that the doll's story shows kids 'that they're never too young to contribute to the larger conversation and stand up for positive change.'

'We know representation matters, and we're proud to welcome Corinne Tan to our lineup of important characters who reflect what it means to be an American girl today,' she wrote. 

Jamie Cygielman, general manager at the American Girl company, wrote in a statement in TODAY Parents that the doll's story shows kids 'that they're never too young to contribute to the larger conversation and stand up for positive change'

Jamie Cygielman, general manager at the American Girl company, wrote in a statement in TODAY Parents that the doll's story shows kids 'that they're never too young to contribute to the larger conversation and stand up for positive change'

Ria Pretekin, a Filipino-American mother of two living in Illinois, told NBC that 'an iconic Amerivan Girl is more than blonde hair than blue eyes,' and that an Asian American girl 'would help to dispel the otherness' amid the country's 'wake of anti-Asian hate'

Ria Pretekin, a Filipino-American mother of two living in Illinois, told NBC that 'an iconic Amerivan Girl is more than blonde hair than blue eyes,' and that an Asian American girl 'would help to dispel the otherness' amid the country's 'wake of anti-Asian hate'

Pictured is an illustration in 'Corrine,' the doll's corresponding book written by 'The Great Wall of Lucy Lu' author Wendy Shang. The doll's backstory takes place in Aspen, Colorado. There, she and her younger sister Gwynn ski and skate, adjust to their parents' recent divorce and a move to a more posh part of town with their mom's new husband

Pictured is an illustration in 'Corrine,' the doll's corresponding book written by 'The Great Wall of Lucy Lu' author Wendy Shang. The doll's backstory takes place in Aspen, Colorado. There, she and her younger sister Gwynn ski and skate, adjust to their parents' recent divorce and a move to a more posh part of town with their mom's new husband

Coinciding with the doll's release Thursday, parent company Mattel donated $25,000 to AAPI Youth Rising, according to project consultant Greta Gessele. The group, comprised mostly of middle-schoolers, organized a rally of more than 1,200 in March to bring attention to increased rates of xenophobia against Asian Americans.

Recently, the group released a pledge challenging schools to include Asian and Asian-American history for at least one day each year in their curriculums.  

 In Aspen, Asian-Americans are the largest minority group with just over 5 percent of the population. 

American Girl has released other Asian American dolls, including Ivy Ling, another Chinese-American character who was released in 2007 and discontinued seven years later. In 2017, the company released Z Yang, a Korean-American doll, and several of the company's smaller dolls for younger children are of Asian descent.

Founded in 1986, the company introduced its first non-white doll - Addy Walter, a black girl from 1963 Detroit - in 1993. 

On social media, many lauded the company's expanded racial representation.  

'Holy guacamole!! She's Chinese-American!' wrote Josephine Cristomo-Peterson on Facebook. 'Never ever did I think I'd see an AAPI "Girl of the Year" in my lifetime. Bravo, American Girl, bravo. #representationmatters #Imnotcryingyourecrying'

Coinciding with the doll's release, parent company Mattel has donated $25,000 to AAPI Youth Rising, according to project consultant Greta Gessele

Coinciding with the doll's release, parent company Mattel has donated $25,000 to AAPI Youth Rising, according to project consultant Greta Gessele 

On social media, many lauded the company's expanded racial representation

On social media, many lauded the company's expanded racial representation

Ria Pretekin, a Filipino-American mother of two living in Illinois, told NBC that 'an iconic American Girl is more than blonde hair than blue eyes,' and that an Asian American Girl 'would help to dispel the otherness' amid the country's 'wake of anti-Asian hate.'

'An Asian American Girl is also American,' she told the outlet. 'I'd love for Asian American children to feel the pride of their identities. 

Pretekin said she wasn't exposed to the toy brand when she was growing up as the daughter of immigrants, and never saw herself represented in its characters. 

'It would have meant so much to me to have a doll that looked like me. It would have helped shaped my idea of beauty to known that brown skin and black hair was also beautiful,' she said. 'Growing up in the 80s and 90s, whiteness was and is still very much centered and it didn't allow me to see Asian Americans in any toys, shows, movies or books.'

One of Pretekin's daughters loves the American Girl brand and currently has the Hawaiian Nanea doll, who is the closest representation to her own Asian Pacific Islander heritage. 

 'We are so happy to see that there is now racial diversity among the dolls to choose from,' Pretekin said. 'We would love to see more Asian American representation among the American Girl brand. As a mom, it is important for me to celebrate Asian American identity and allow space for my daughter to embrace who she is.'

Ivy Ling was the first Chinese doll released by the company in 2007 before being discontinued in 2014

Ivy Ling was the first Chinese doll released by the company in 2007 before being discontinued in 2014

Ria Pretekin, a Filipino-American mother-of-two, gave her daughter the Hawaiian Nanea doll, who is the closest representation to her own Asian Pacific Islander heritage (pictured)

Ria Pretekin, a Filipino-American mother-of-two, gave her daughter the Hawaiian Nanea doll, who is the closest representation to her own Asian Pacific Islander heritage (pictured)

Larisa Courtien, 32, an Asian American mother of two living in New York, said she never felt connected to American Girl dolls as a child, either, although 'the cool girls in school always had them.'

'I liked reading their stories but never felt like I could relate to them,' she said. 

'By not having dolls or toys that looked like me growing up, I essentially grew up not thinking that the American story was my story. I didn't realize I could be the 'main character' until my adult life. I always felt like the side character or the best friend.'

She said that the new doll's release 'fills [her] with so much hope.'

'I hope they don't stop with just one. Having one Asian Amerivan Girl doll is not a catch all - there are so many amazing AAPI women who have made the American Dream their own, who have rich and diverse histories of how they and their families came to America and of how they continue to love their culture,' she said.

'I hope I can share this with my daughter and that she can see our family and her unique face in such a beloved brand.' 

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