“Baby Doll, You Made the World a Little Bit Better by Speaking Out for What You Believe In”: Narratives of Femininity and Political Action in the BeForever Collection

Abstract

American Girl characters are not in the shadows, but are agentic participants in their own lives, the lives of their families, their communities, and their country. Over the past fifteen years, stories of social action have been fundamental to the American Girl brand but exist beside a discourse of domestic and aesthetic femininity. The BeForever narratives emphasize social action and protagonists who see themselves as change agents. They offer readers models of activism as well as strategies that young readers can use to become involved in their own communities. Yet, simultaneously, the collection of accessories and clothing has become more deeply invested in normative feminine cultures such as beauty culture, food culture, and bedroom culture.