New American Girl book gives gender changing tips
NY Post columnist Karol Markowicz joins 'Varney & Co.' to discuss her op-ed on how Twitter colluded with the Biden campaign and law enforcement, and how American Girl is receiving backlash over its new book on gender changing tips.
The American Girl doll brand is facing backlash over a book targeted at prepubescent girls that promotes gender transition seemingly without parental consent.
The book, titled "A Smart Girl's Guide: Body Image," which is marketed to girls ages 3 to 12, encourages children to talk with a doctor if they are questioning their gender identity.
"At first, you and the doctor might talk about wearing the clothes and using the pronouns (like he, she, or they) that make you feel most like the true you," the book reads. "If you haven't gone through puberty yet, the doctor might offer medicine to delay your body's changes, giving you more time to think about your gender identity."
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The book also points the young girls to resources and organizations that can help them if they don't have an adult they trust.
"Parts of your body may make you feel uncomfortable and you may want to change the way you look." "That's totally OK," one excerpt of the book reads. "You can appreciate your body for everything it allows you to experience and still want to change certain things about it."
"While gender expression is what you show on the outside, gender identity is how you feel on the inside – a girl, a boy or someone who doesn't quite fit into either category," the book continues. "Someone whose gender is different than the sex they were assigned at birth is transgender."
American Girl’s book "A Smart Girl’s Guide: Body Image" explains gender expression and defines cisgender and nonbinary. (American Girl)
Cat Cattinson, a detransitioner who lost her singing voice after receiving "gender-affirming" treatment, said the message behind American Girl's book, "that a girl can be born into the wrong body and need drugs or surgery to be herself contradicts the message of the body acceptance movement."
"We should instead strive to convey to young girls is that they can be whatever kind of girls they want to be in the bodies they have," she added.
The book also explains the definitions of "cisgender" and "nonbinary" individuals, who "might use a pronoun like they instead of he or she."
"Your gender expression can be feminine, masculine, or somewhere in between – and it might change!" the book reads.
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Kelsey Bolar, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Independent Women's Forum and creator of the "Identity Crisis" series, said the idea that girls should alter themselves if they feel uncomfortable in their bodies is "backwards and wrong," but described the message behind the American Girl book as "even worse than that."
"American Girl is actively promoting the idea to children that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and irreversible surgeries are the solution to any body image issues they face," Bolar told Fox News Digital. "For those who don’t understand how harmful these so-called ‘treatments’ are, listen to the many stories from detransitioners documenting the lifelong complications they now face."
"It’s a shame that a classic American company would betray parents with this message," she added.
One section labeled "body image in distress," discusses "body dysmorphia" as a mental health condition that takes over their lives and "causes them to obsessed over an aspect of their body they dislike," which "can be serious, and it doesn't go away on its own."
Another detransitioner, Luka Hein, described the book as "really sad." She said she had an American Girl book when she was younger, titled "The Care & Keeping of You," which included "age appropriate information regarding development and taking care of the body you have."
Luka said it was "troubling" that the brand, which "once seemingly prided itself on making sure girls were able to take care of and love their bodies for what they are, and build their confidence about being a young girl" would promote such a book. She called out the company for promoting the message that if girls are "uncomfortable with what should be considered normal teenage issues, that they should seek out medicalization and alter their bodies because there’s something wrong with them."
Luka argued that young preteen and teenage girls need to be allowed to grow, develop, and build confidence in their bodies through unbiased and appropriate information about how development works. She also said young girls should be aware that it's both normal and okay to feel uncomfortable about some of these things, "but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with them."
"Gender ideology has become increasingly predatory towards young girls' moments of discomfort during puberty, and books like that are only adding to the predatory nature of that." Luka added.
American Girl’s book "A Smart Girl’s Guide: Body Image" discusses "body dysmorphia" and encourages young girls to seek help from a doctor if they experience discomfort with their gender. (American Girl)
Another section labeled, "making space for everyone" asks readers to think about the last time they used a public restroom and followed up with questions such as "Was it easy to find one you felt comfortable using? Could you use it easily? Did you feel safe? How would your day have changed if using the bathroom meant going all the way home?"
The book goes on to compare women, minorities and disabled people who previously had no right to use any restrooms to the plight of transgender and nonbinary people who "are fighting for their right to use restrooms where they feel comfortable."
Angela L. Morabito, spokeperson for the Defense of Freedom Institute, said American Girl is going to learn that "Americans don't want companies or schools pushing gender ideology on kids."
"The brand became a phenomenon by celebrating American womanhood throughout history," she said. "But now, it has moved from historical fiction to biological fantasy. Medical intervention in minors is far from the risk-free process the book describes."
American Girl’s book "A Smart Girl’s Guide: Body Image" compares the civil rights movement to the push by transgender and non-binary people to use bathrooms they feel comfortable in. (American Girl)
The book concludes with a list of resources on "gender-inclusive schools," "anti-racism" and "diverse books," which includes organizations like the Trevor Project, GLSEN and "We Need Diverse Books."
The book prompted outrage online from parents, media personalities and detransitioners, who argued the guide's message was not age appropriate for young girls ages 3 to 12.
"A 3 year old should be playing and learning instead of encouraged to alter her body. My goodness," District Media Group President, Beverly Halberg, wrote on Twitter.
"A book for girls about body image that tells them they should make permanent and catastrophic change their to bodies if they’re unhappy with them. Healthy message," Bethany Mandel, editor of children's book company Heroes of Liberty, wrote on Twitter.
"American Girl using girls’ love of dolls as a Trojan horse to teach them to destroy their bodies deserves same level of scrutiny as Disney," journalist Megan Basham wrote on Twitter. "If you work for @Mattel and can offer insight on how/why the company embraced trans activism, please DM."
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"Parents should know that American Girl guide books — which used to be pretty good — now promote dangerous gender ideology to little girls as young as 3," Mollie Hemingway, Fox News contributor and Editor-in-Chief of the Federalist wrote on Twitter. "If you love your daughters, protect your daughters by avoiding this company."
American Girl did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.