Slow and steady wins the race.
American Girl, the iconic doll brand that millions of children have grown up with, has finally given one of its beloved dolls a backstory that includes the LGTBQ+ community.
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Meet Kira Bailey!
She’s the American Girl Doll of the Year for 2021, and she’s adorable! Kira is a Michigan-born adventurer with a deep love for animals, and she especially loves taking care of them.
Kira’s story is told in her book, “Kira Down Under.”
Written by Erin Teagan and illustrated by Millie Liu, American Girl says Kira Down Under aims to teach children about conservation, the environment, and how to handle family health problems.
In the book, Kira sets out with her mom to spend the summer in Australia.
Kira’s love for animals leads she and her mom down under, where she’s going to spend the summer helping care for animals at the Bailey Family Animal Sanctuary and Vet Clinic.
And she has two gay aunts!
Her aunts, Mamie and Lynette, run the sanctuary in Australia. Aunt Mamie is the sanctuary’s veterinarian and becomes the focus for how Kira deals with tough issues when Mamie suddenly falls ill.
The reviews for Kira and her book are great.
“As someone who swore that I would never buy an AG doll for my niece, I changed my mind. It’s great to see that I can give my niece a gift that reflects her world. Thank you AG!! Thank you, from all the lesbian aunts that love their nieces,” one reviewer wrote.
People love that American Girl is trying to include all types of love.
“… good for children as a learning experience if they don’t have family members who are lesbian/gay. (Shame on people who think it’s ‘inappropriate.’)” said another review.
And while some reviewers have been critical of the doll…
… Even more people are fans of the news, since they recognize that seeing a brand embrace the story of an LGBTQ+ couple is an act of acceptance and love.
People love that American Girl is evolving.
“When I think of my experience with American Girls I always think what a great way to teach children about real struggles from history without making it depressing or too adult,” one reviewer said.
“This doll is the next step, teaching children about all kinds of love and if I had children I would buy this for them.”
As a future gay aunt, I’m thrilled with the addition.
I can’t wait to buy the Kira doll and story for my future niece! She’ll grow up reading stories of love and acceptance, and that’s the greatest gift a child could have.
