Lock up your daughters...
Nov. 1st, 2005 12:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ciroccojWis. School: No American Girl Fashion Show Mon Oct 31, 6:58 PM ET
MILWAUKEE - A Roman Catholic school is canceling a fashion show by the manufacturer of American Girl dolls and books amid conservative groups' criticism of a girls organization that receives support from the company.
St. Luke School in Brookfield notified its parents of the decision through bulletins at Masses over the weekend.
Two national groups — the Pro-Life Action League in Chicago and the American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss. — have raised questions about the American Girl brand and its parent company, Mattel Inc., because of the company's fund-raising for Girls Inc., formerly known as Girls Clubs of America.
The American Family Association has called Girls Inc. "a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian advocacy group." Girls Inc., which has more than 1,500 centers across the country, says it provides a variety of programs to educate and encourage girls and does accept lesbian sexual orientation. Alexander Kopelman, director of communications, said it does not include abortion in its programming, though it does not control what leaders say if girls ask about it.
Money raised through ticket and raffle sales at the planned fashion show was to go toward a new playground and a refurbished library at St. Luke School.
"It's a bargain we'll just have to pass up," wrote Frank Malloy, St. Luke pastor. "The cost is too high. Our integrity isn't for sale."
American Girl spokeswoman Julie Parks said no other groups have canceled because of the issue, and the company said some groups "have chosen to misconstrue American Girl's purely altruistic efforts." The fashion shows include the company's popular historic dolls being carried by girls who dress up in the same outfits.
Link to the article: Wis. School: No American Girl Fashion Show
MILWAUKEE - A Roman Catholic school is canceling a fashion show by the manufacturer of American Girl dolls and books amid conservative groups' criticism of a girls organization that receives support from the company.
St. Luke School in Brookfield notified its parents of the decision through bulletins at Masses over the weekend.
Two national groups — the Pro-Life Action League in Chicago and the American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss. — have raised questions about the American Girl brand and its parent company, Mattel Inc., because of the company's fund-raising for Girls Inc., formerly known as Girls Clubs of America.
The American Family Association has called Girls Inc. "a pro-abortion, pro-lesbian advocacy group." Girls Inc., which has more than 1,500 centers across the country, says it provides a variety of programs to educate and encourage girls and does accept lesbian sexual orientation. Alexander Kopelman, director of communications, said it does not include abortion in its programming, though it does not control what leaders say if girls ask about it.
Money raised through ticket and raffle sales at the planned fashion show was to go toward a new playground and a refurbished library at St. Luke School.
"It's a bargain we'll just have to pass up," wrote Frank Malloy, St. Luke pastor. "The cost is too high. Our integrity isn't for sale."
American Girl spokeswoman Julie Parks said no other groups have canceled because of the issue, and the company said some groups "have chosen to misconstrue American Girl's purely altruistic efforts." The fashion shows include the company's popular historic dolls being carried by girls who dress up in the same outfits.
Link to the article: Wis. School: No American Girl Fashion Show
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 07:03 pm (UTC)Sorry I'm not more eloquent about this, this morning, but... MAN. *shakes head in disbelief*
I guess I'll not be mentioning how many leaders I know in the Girl Scouts who happen to be lesbians. Because when your daughter wants to be a Brownie and there's a need for someone to lead the troop, the council doesn't care about the gender of your partner. They care about your criminal record, your driving record, your references, your ability to work with children supportively and sympathetically... but not your partner's gender.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 08:40 pm (UTC)There are so many other, more important things to get your knickers in a twist about!
no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 08:53 pm (UTC)On the bright side, at least I can sew.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 08:52 pm (UTC)God forbid we teach our daughters anything about life in the real world. And American Girls? IS there anything more wholesome than that?
I am so filled with disgust right now that I can barely type.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 11:21 pm (UTC)Just... That's ridiculous.
I go to a Roman Catholic all-girls school myself, and I don't think (I hope) my school would ever do something so idiotic and bigoted. Then again, we're in Mass, not Wisconsin. ;)
no subject
Date: 2005-11-01 11:25 pm (UTC)But I'm so glad to hear that American Girl has some social justice-minded policies. I was quite fascinated with their books as a child, and I even have one of their dolls (somewhere ... in storage at this point). I'll have to remember to support them. Nothing like putting your money where your values are ...
Now, I must think of all the young girls I know who will be getting AG books for Christmas ... :)
no subject
Date: 2005-11-03 01:53 am (UTC)/snark