American Girl refuses to apologize for pushing advice for pre-teens to obtain puberty blockers from doctors if they feel ‘different’ – and says it’s meant to make children ‘feel informed and confident’
- American Girl has come under renewed fire after it refused to apologize for its controversial new book that teaches girls how to change gender
- Parents and former American Girl supporters have slammed the company and flooded its website with negative reviews in recent days
- But the company said in a statement on Friday it was ‘committed’ to helping readers feel ‘informed’
- A passage in the book advises: ‘If you haven’t gone through puberty yet, the doctor might offer medicine to delay your body’s changes’
American Girl has stuck to its guns and refused to apologize for pushing advice for pre-teens to obtain puberty blockers if they feel different – despite widespread outrage over its controversial new book.
The doll collection company has faced a huge backlash since the launch of A Smart Girl’s Guide: Body Image, by American Girl author Mel Hammond.
One passage in the 96-page book, marketed to girls aged 10 and older, advises: ‘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.’
The contentious book – billed as a guide – also provides young readers with a list of resource organizations children can turn to ‘if you don’t have an adult you trust.’
But despite the contents being slammed as ‘deceptive and dangerous’, American Girl has doubled down and said it is ‘committed’ to helping readers feel ‘informed’ and confident.’
The popular American Girl doll brand is facing a major backlash after the launch of a book that teaches children about changing their gender
The book’s writer, Mel Hammond, graduated from university in 2014, and lists on her website that some of her ‘favorite things are trees, rainbows, and dairy-free ice cream.’
In a statement to TMZ, it said: ‘We value the views and feedback of our customers and acknowledge the perspectives on this issue.
‘The content in this book, geared for kids 10+, was developed in partnership with medical and adolescent care professionals and consistently emphasizes the importance of having conversations and discussing any feelings with parents or trusted adults.
‘We are committed to delivering content that leaves our readers feeling informed, confident, and positive about themselves.’
Meanwhile, furious customers continue to flood American Girl’s website with criticism under the book’s comment section.
Some reviewers said they regretted spending thousands on the company’s products in the past.
Another said: ‘Children should be playing outside, not worrying about what gender they think they are. It’s ridiculous to think this is appropriate for children.’
One reviewer added: ‘I love that the book encourages to be yourself and positive body image. But what’s not okay is pushing hormonal blockers- and ways to go about it BEHIND parental guidance- to young girls averaging 4-10 years of age.’
The 96-page handbook is marketed to girls aged three to 12 and explains gender expression
The book also tells children as young as three: ‘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’
The book also provides a list of resources for organizations the children can turn to ‘if you don’t have an adult you trust’
Another excerpt from the book read: ‘Parts of your body may make you feel uncomfortable and you may want to change the way you look,’ one excerpt deemed problematic by parents online reads, before asserting ‘That’s totally OK!’
It goes on to advise children: ‘You can appreciate your body for everything it allows you to experience and still want to change certain things about it.’
On the very same page, the book promotes the use of puberty blockers, telling girls to seek them out from their doctor if they feel confused about their gender but are not physically ready to undergo hormone therapy.
The book then tells readers that ‘if you don’t have an adult you trust, there are organizations across the country that can help you. Turn to the resources on page 95 for more information.’
The release comes amid a wave of increasingly woke content from the American Girl brand. Earlier this year, its parent company Mattel, put a transgender Barbie doll on the market.