So last Thursday night at about 9:30pm, as I was on my way to pick Andrew up from work, I heard a very interesting story on the NPR program "This American Life". Elna Baker related a very revealing experience that she had while working as an "adoption nurse"-she was in charge of doll adoptions-at FAO Schwartz. I love how a story about something as simple as picking out a toy for a child gives so much insight into our society and real prejudices that still exist. I definitely recommend taking 16 minutes to listen to the story. I hope it will make you think about your views of other people, just like it did for me. I would love to read your comments on the story...enjoy!
The link:
www.elnabaker.com/stories.html and click on the play icon under Babies Buying Babies.
P.S. the picture in this post is of Chloe with an FAO Schwartz asian baby that she got for Christmas. I would have been thrilled to have an asian baby doll as a child since my dream (that I came up with after watching "Big Bird Goes to Japan") was to marry a Japanese man so I could have cute babies. Now that I have my cute asian babies, I am so glad that my parents never implanted the idea that such a thing was unacceptable.
That is so funny that you had that little dream as a kid! : ) And yay for having cute little asian babies!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. Tobin has heard it before and is a fan. I am so glad that your dream was fulfilled and you have cute little Asian babies. I hope you get feeling better really soon!
ReplyDeleteChloe is so cute. What a great story!
ReplyDeleteI thought that essay was so sad.
ReplyDeleteNicole's first Christmas doll(at all of three months) was a black baby doll. We were poor and it was so cute and on sale and since my favorite doll as a child was a "colored" (that was socially correct at the time) doll it made my Christmas as a young mother. this year when I was at Macy's and realized that I had a grandaughter to buy a doll for I headed straight for the toys. When I saw the beautiful little Asian doll it looked so much like that darling Chloe, that I had yet to hold, that I bought it! Chloe is just lucky that I sent it instead of rocking it in secret until I see her in her own little sweet person.I could not, in my best dreams,for my dear Laura have asked for anything better than Andrew, Clancy and Chloe and whoever they bring into their family!
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ReplyDeleteWhich one is the doll? Chloe is the CUTEST and the girliest little baby.
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