Mattel has responded to anti-Asian racism by creating its first ever Girl of the Year doll of Chinese descent.
The Mattel-owned doll maker celebrated the New Year by unveiling Corinne Tan, a Chinese-American skier, as its 2022 Girl of the Year on Thursday.
Girl of the Year dolls, which were introduced in 2001, differ from other American Girl dolls by being based on modern characters with contemporary stories, rather than characters linked to different periods of American history.
In a released statement, American Girl provided a product description outlining the intent of the new doll, and the storyline behind it. “Growing up with her Chinese American family in Aspen, Colorado, Corinne loves hitting the slopes, being a big sister, and training her new puppy to be a search-and-rescue dog,” the description says. “Although surefooted and brave on the mountain, Corinne must find her balance as she adjusts to her new blended family and the courage to speak up when faced with xenophobic comments. Through Corinne’s stories, young readers learn that home means being surrounded by the people they love and to be proud of who they are, while advocating for positive change.”
According to American Girl general manager Jamie Cygielman, that role of toys creating positive change in the world was central to the creation of the Corinne Tan product.
To develop Corinne, American Girl drafted children’s author Wendy Wan-Long Shang to create two books on the character called “Corinne” and “Corinne to the Rescue.” Shang said she hopes others see themselves in the new doll.
“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. “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!”
American Girl brought Corinne and her stories to life with an 18-inch doll, featuring brown eyes and long, straight black hair with turquoise highlights. To create the doll, American Girl designers consulted with the author and advisers on several exclusive features, including Corinne’s hair style and color, skin tone, and newly designed eyes. The Corinne product collection has everything she needs for an afternoon on the slopes, including her signature outfit complete with a white cable-knit sweater, iridescent leggings, and faux-fur trimmed boots, plus an accessory set that includes a knit hat, sunglasses, legwarmers, and backpack. There’s also Corinne’s Ski Outfit and Ski Accessories, and a plush version of her adorable puppy.
The designers also created a younger sister for Corinne, a 14½-inch Gwynn doll that features brown eyes and long braided black hair with bangs. In addition to her introductory outfit, additional accessories are available that reflect Gwynn’s love of ice skating. To further bring the sisters’ Aspen adventures to life, there’s a premium Ski & Snack Shop and Ski Lodge Fire Pit, complete with flickering LED flames, plus a stunning 35-piece bedroom set—featuring a 360-degree play structure that converts from the sisters’ ski-chalet-themed bedroom to a doll-sized ski slope.
To help amplify young voices like Corinne’s, American Girl says it is partnering with AAPI Youth Rising (AYR), a student-led nonprofit that’s bringing awareness to the rise in xenophobia against Asians in America and calling for positive change through education. To support their mission, American Girl is donating $25,000 toward their ONE/180 pledge, which asks schools and teachers across the country to include at least one classroom lesson about Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture during the school year.
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