By Leola Dublin
Someone had to be the first to attempt to capitalize on our collective fascination with the First Daughters, and the Ty Corporation has that dubious honor.
Ty is responsible for the Beanie Baby craze and the questionable TyGirlz line of plush celebrity dolls.
Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia join a collection of dolls that include Lucky Lindsey, Bubbly Britney, and Precious Paris.
Following First Mother Michelle Obama’s disapproval along with public criticism, the dolls have already been “retired.”
A spokesperson for the Ty corporation insists that the dolls, despite being two of only three brown-skinned dolls in the collection (the third is Supercool Serena), are not based upon the youngest members of the first family. The dolls are named Sasha and Malia simply because the names are “so beautiful.” Yup. Apparently, we are supposed to buy that along with the dolls.
Michelle Obama’s spokesperson, Katie McCormick Lelyveld expressed the first lady’s sentiment in a statement that read “We feel it is inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes.”
I couldn’t agree more. Is nothing sacred?
Others, like authors of Packaging Girlhood are upset that Ty inappropriately and unnecessarily sexualized the 7- and 10-year-old Obama daughters by making the dolls with breasts.
“TY has made two dolls, Sasha and Malia, to match their other dolls. They’re the same height, look very teen, and even have breasts. What’s going on here? And they surround them with butterflies and hearts… typical little girls, soon to be partying little teens?”
The authors of Body Impolitic, feel Sasha and Malia dolls could be a healing thing for black girls especially.
“They represent black dolls that all kinds of people will want to own–and that bit of doll magic can also be a good thing.”
Sasha and Malia are making a difficult transition from girls who earned a weekly allowance of $1 to overnight celebrities and fashion icons. When the girls appeared in CrewCuts outfits during the Inauguration of their father, viewers quickly turned to the J. Crew website hoping to buy coats identical to those seen on televisions around the world. J. Crew’s website crashed.
Michelle and Barack Obama have gone on record as saying that they will try to maintain a sense of normalcy for the girls.
In an interview with Barbara Walters, Michelle explained her conversation with White House housekeeping staff:”I said, ‘You know, we’re gonna have to set up some boundaries,’ ” she said. ” ‘Don’t make their beds. Make mine. But skip the kids’ – let ‘em make their own beds.’ They have to learn these things.”
Perhaps President and Mrs. Obama have the political muscle to bring stop Ty from mass marketing dolls of their daughters. But, for how long?
Americans are fascinated by Sasha and Malia, as they have been by other First Children.
How do we celebrate Sasha and Malia for who they are – two adorable little girls – without rewarding those who seek to inappropriately profit from them?
Leola Dublin is a third year doctoral student in the Program in American Studies at Washington State University. Leola’s interdisciplinary research examines the effects of mass media on identity development in adolescent girls, investigating the ways that gender, sexuality, race, and beauty are constructed and marketed. She is especially interested in the representations of African-American women’s bodies and the ways that young African-American girls negotiate these images as they attempt to define themselves. A native of North Carolina, Leola grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. She is currently preparing to take her preliminary exams this spring, and hopes to successfully defend her dissertation by May 2010.
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Thank You Leora.
Ainsley is fascinated by the Obama Girls. She thinks it’s pretty exciting that Sasha is also 7 years old. She looks at them and thinks, “that’s a family like mine, but their life is very different and interesting.”
I would consider buying dolls of Sasha and Malia. I wouldn’t automatically rule it out. They are just sweet girls and good role models.
The issues that concern me are how unnecessary and inappropriate it is to give the dolls breasts. It feels very disrespectful to me. Ty was probably just too lazy to change their patterns or machines to make the dolls, but they should have gone to the effort.
Also, I would prefer to see Michelle and Barack involved in the process. They are their daughters. They are “private citizens.” It’s bizarre and crosses a lot of boundaries that Ty would do this without their input and then tell such an unbelievable lie about it.
I think Sasha and Malia dolls – put out for educational purposes – with their parents’ input and consent – would be an idea I like as a parent of a similar-aged girl.
I think it’s a toy Ainsley would enjoy.
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