Not your average All-American Girl

Remember those cute American Girl dolls we all used to have that came with little books? I remember mine, Kirsten. She was supposedly a pioneer coming to the New World. I remember wanting all the accessories for her, brushing her hair, changing her clothes, etc. I suppose it wasn't the worst role model to have as a girl. It was certainly an improvement from Barbie.

Recently, in an email from my project EDEN coordinator at Oxy, I found this rather odd, yet interesting piece of information.
Meet "Gwen," the contemporary homeless American Girl doll. I didn't really know what to make of this at first, but I was certainly taken aback. From a feminist perspective, perhaps it is a good way to tell the story of some women's struggle with poverty in America. However, the way the American Girl brand markets the doll is despicable in my opinion. Gwen sells for $95, a hefty price tag for any American, let alone a poverty-stricken family. To me, it is an unfortunate marketing ploy. This is no way to teach wealthy children about real poverty, if that is the goal here of American Girl brand. Although the intent remains unclear, I don't believe it is beneficial to women or the impoverished. What do you all think?

Latest Target of Anti Healthcare Groups - WOMEN!

The Independent Women's Forum has developed the next tactic for the right wing campaign against health care reform!

Scaring women with breast cancer.

Using data from an extremely partisan source, (The "Lewin Group" is wholly owned by the UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation's largest insurers), The Independent Women's Forum has created a new ad that claims health care reform in America will mean one thing for women... DEATH.

It is deceptive, inaccurate, and appalling.

The IWF makes grand claims about the highly superior quality of health care in the United States while ignoring fact that the current health care system is failing a huge portion of American women.

Does the IWF not know that in America women are more likely to live below the poverty line and be unable to afford health care, women of child baring age spend 68% more on out of pocket health care cost than men, and 16.7 million American women are currently uninsured?

With statistics like these there can be no question that the current system is not working for American women.

Even further disproving the irrational claims of the IWF, the National Breast Cancer Coalition has made it clear that health care reform is essential to increasing preventative care for all women and decreasing the rates of breast cancer in America.

The breast cancer rate in America is one of the highest in the world! We need comprehensive care not scare tactics.

This ridiculous ad will play in 8 battleground states, including Colorado, Indiana, and Nevada. If you know anyone in these areas make sure they know about the outrageous deception this ad contains and make sure they understand the facts about health care reform and not the misinformation perpetuated by The IWF.