Home > Life
"Every girl has a story to share."
By Katie Dupere on
Credit: American Girl
Korean-American girls are finally getting some representation in their toy boxes.
American Girl announced the release of Suzie "Z" Yang last week, a Korean-American girl who loves filmmaking and vlogging. Z, as she likes to be called, is described as an "imaginative filmmaker" who uses film to understand the world around her.
SEE ALSO:
What the new American Girl doll means to black and stuttering communitiesZ was made available to purchase on April 27. The release also happens to align with Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May, though it's not apparent if that was intentional.
The doll is accompanied by a chapter book series, which follows Z as she enters a Seattle-based stop-motion film competition. Along the way, she expresses herself through vlogs featuring her dog, Popcorn.
Z's philosophy is "every girl has a story to share."
Z's philosophy is "every girl has a story to share." It's an inspiring message, especially for East Asian girls whose stories are rarely represented by toy giants like Mattel-owned American Girl.
This isn't the first time the brand has represented Asian girls in its line. Chinese-American doll Ivy Ling was released as the best friend of Julie Albright in 2007. The pair were retired in 2014. In 2011, the Girl of the Year was Kanani Akina, a young girl of Japanese, French, German, and native Hawaiian descent. East Asian dolls are also available in the brand's less popular WellieWishers and Bitty Baby collection, and in a custom doll collection called Truly Me.
Mashable Top Stories
Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.
Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Z marks the first time a doll of East Asian heritage will be available in the American Girl Collection since Ivy Ling was discontinued in 2014, and the first time ever that Korean-American girls will be represented in the line.
Tweet may have been deleted
American Girl has been under pressure in the past few years to include more diversity in its line of dolls. The brand, which launched in 1986, has a history of mainly representing white girls of both historical and contemporary backgrounds.
Even among the criticism, however, American Girl claims its brand is one of the most diverse in the toy industry today.
"American Girl is proud to have one of the most inclusive and diverse selections of dolls in the industry, and it's an area we’ve been committed to since the very beginning," Stephanie Spanos, senior PR manager at American Girl, told Mashable earlier this year.
But that representation still comes at a steep cost, with Z and her book costing $115 — not including accessories.
Tweet may have been deleted
American Girl has recently been doubling down on efforts to include girls of all backgrounds in its line. Earlier this year, American Girl announced the 2017 Girl of the Year would be Gabriela McBride, a young black activist who stutters.
It was the first time a black doll had been featured as Girl of the Year in 14 years of the title. A staggering 11 dolls out of the previous 14 Girl of the Year dolls were white.
Featured Video For You
Dinosaur expert critiques dinosaur toys
Topics Social Good
Katie Dupere
Katie Dupere was a Social Good reporter at Mashable from May 2015 to July 2017, covering activism, identities and social impact. Prior to her work with Mashable, Katie penned pieces about queerness, body positivity, sex and relationships for Gurl. She also previously contributed LGBTQ news coverage to PinkNews.
Recommended For You
What is 4B and who can participate?
Since the election, American women have been talking about the South Korean feminist movement.
By Anna Iovine
'Squid Game' Season 2 finale: Who's that other doll?
A post-credits scene reveals the games aren't over just yet.
By Belen Edwards
Who is the 'Hawk Tuah' girl, and what does it mean?
Spit on that thang, etc.
By Tim Marcin
'Hawk Tuah' girl Haliey Welch's memecoin launch went horribly wrong. Here's what happened.
$HAWK is causing controversy.
By Sam Haysom
'The Girl with the Needle' review: Denmark's Oscar entry is a haunting true crime period piece
Rigorous drama meets real history through narrative sleight of hand.
By Siddhant Adlakha
Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 25, 2025
Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #594.
By Mashable Team
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 26, 2025
Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #595.
By Mashable Team
I'm quitting Instagram. You should too.
Mark Zuckerberg's horrible changes for Instagram — and Facebook — have become untenable, writes Lennon Torres.
By Lennon Torres
Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 26, 2025
Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #1317.
By Mashable Team
X 'barely breaking even,' Musk reportedly emailed staff
Elon Musk denies sending the email.
By Anna Iovine
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!