Seow 2022

Abstract

• Doll play is critical in the formation of young Black girls’ identities related to gender, race, and class.

• The study employs textual analysis and qualitative research involving ten Afro-Caribbean girls in Toronto.

• Examines how dolls' physical changes reflect societal shifts over seventy years and how this influences play and understandings of racial and gender norms.

• Highlights the impact of racist and classist representations on the experiences of Black girls in a multicultural context.

Keywords

• Afro-Caribbean, Barbie, Bratz, material culture, racial inequality, sexualization.

Introduction

• Toys are crucial in exploring social constructs of race, gender, and class among children.

• Ethnic dolls often criticized for perpetuating racial stereotypes, with Black dolls facing scrutiny for sexualizing Black girls.

• Focus on Black Barbie and ethnic dolls to analyze how Black girls perceive their reality compared to white girls.

• Review of historical and contemporary black doll materiality illustrates dominant perceptions rooted in doll culture.

Historical Background of Black Dolls in North America

• Black dolls contrasted with the ideal white dolls, reflecting colonial legacies.

• Robin Bernstein’s research discusses white children’s interactions with Black dolls impacting perceptions of Black children.

• Kenneth and Mamie Clark's 1947 study demonstrated Black children's preference for white dolls, revealing internalized racial inferiority.

• Despite market challenges, efforts to create positive representations in Black doll culture continued (e.g., the introduction of African-American Barbie in 1980).

• Maureen Trudelle Schwarz notes that ethnic dolls signify African American upward mobility in the 1980s and 1990s, challenging the perception ties to less constructive social beliefs.

Contemporary Ethnic Dolls

• Ethnic dolls contribute to societal stigma and are linked to media criticism regarding sexualization (e.g., Bratz dolls).

• Research highlights the problematic promotion of urban lifestyles and hip-hop culture connected to minority groups.

• Ann duCille critiques Black Barbie as merely a commodified version of white Barbie, reinforcing otherness rather than inclusion.

• Current literature engages in addressing how race, class, and ethnicity shape diverse girlhood experiences, advocating for the perspectives and values of the girls themselves.

Methodology

• Methodology based on qualitative research influenced by Elizabeth Chin and Rebecca Hains, focusing on inner-city Black girls' experiences.

• Conducted participatory surveys and interviews with 10 girls from various socio-economic backgrounds in Afro-Caribbean communities.

• Ethical considerations were paramount, ensuring informed consent and confidentiality.

• Participants actively contributed to the research and discussions on doll play, assisting in understanding their navigations of race and identity.

Black Girls and Doll Play in Urban Toronto

• Participants owned a mix of dolls, with white Barbie and ethnic dolls like Bratz and American Girl being popular.

• Discussions reveal awareness of racial representation; many see little difference between Black and white Barbies.

• Thoughtful critiques reveal frustration with binary racial representations and a desire for diverse representation.

Personal Accounts and Discussions

• Individual responses highlight the limited scope of Barbie culture; older participants contextualize the significance of Black dolls historically and culturally.

• Responses depict a journey through identity, with contrasting perspectives on doll ownership and cultural representation.

Analysis of Doll Play and Identity Formation

• Doll play empowers participants to navigate their identities and societal norms.

• Younger girls demonstrate their understanding of race and self-worth through preferences in dolls.

• Girls repurpose dolls (e.g., styling hair) to foster positive representations of their identities in a predominantly white marketplace.

• The complexity of race, class, and gender nuances is central to participants' understandings of their positions.

Conclusion

• Doll play is instrumental in shaping girls' self-esteem and identity due to the intersectionality of race, class, and gender.

• Older girls use doll narratives to affirm Black identity, while younger girls navigate aspirations through their play.

• Further research is necessary to explore the experiences of Black girls with dolls in multicultural cities like Toronto.