I
Island_Oak
Guest
Contained in the wrapper of my morning paper today (10/14) was a very polished booklet from American Girl with the cover that says “SAVE GIRLHOOD.” Get a load of the text inside:
**"The way we see it, girls are growing up too fast. From every angle, today’s girls are bombarded by influences pushing them toward womanhood at too early an age-at the expense of their innocence, their playfulness, their imagination. **
We’d like to change that.
Saving girlhood is what American Girl is all about.
Everything we do and everything we offer is designed to preserve the wonder of youth. To teach, to inspire, to challenge girls to dream. And thus, become more exceptional girls.
This all started when we realized that many products targeted to girls were designed to make them grow up faster. We don’t think that’s right. Not because we want girls to stay young forever, but because we want them to grow up properly. And that takes time…"
This pitch is then followed up with a coupon for a free book from AG that you can get by calling 800.580.9786.
I called and told them EXACTLY what I thought of their efforts to help girls “grow up properly” and that their association with Girls Inc. and the “I CAN” fundraising effort was incompatible with “preserving the wonders of youth.” The operator was very polite and listenend to my opinion. She offered the explanation that the monies raised for Girls, Inc. were specifically targeted to literacy-type programs. However, I told her that the philosophy of Girls, Inc., by including education on contraception and abortion to minors, was so contrary to the values that promote the best interests of girls that AG could not avoid the stain merely by directing its contribution. My comments were noted and my call was forwarded to a Customer Service operator who took my contact info.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO CALL AND LET AG KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THEIR ATTEMPT TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
**"The way we see it, girls are growing up too fast. From every angle, today’s girls are bombarded by influences pushing them toward womanhood at too early an age-at the expense of their innocence, their playfulness, their imagination. **
We’d like to change that.
Saving girlhood is what American Girl is all about.
Everything we do and everything we offer is designed to preserve the wonder of youth. To teach, to inspire, to challenge girls to dream. And thus, become more exceptional girls.
This all started when we realized that many products targeted to girls were designed to make them grow up faster. We don’t think that’s right. Not because we want girls to stay young forever, but because we want them to grow up properly. And that takes time…"
This pitch is then followed up with a coupon for a free book from AG that you can get by calling 800.580.9786.
I called and told them EXACTLY what I thought of their efforts to help girls “grow up properly” and that their association with Girls Inc. and the “I CAN” fundraising effort was incompatible with “preserving the wonders of youth.” The operator was very polite and listenend to my opinion. She offered the explanation that the monies raised for Girls, Inc. were specifically targeted to literacy-type programs. However, I told her that the philosophy of Girls, Inc., by including education on contraception and abortion to minors, was so contrary to the values that promote the best interests of girls that AG could not avoid the stain merely by directing its contribution. My comments were noted and my call was forwarded to a Customer Service operator who took my contact info.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO CALL AND LET AG KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THEIR ATTEMPT TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
