American (Homeless) Girl

American Girl, the upscale multi-cultural porcelain dolls that retail for $95, have ventured into yet another hot topic: Homelessness.

Their latest doll has caused quite the stir. Is this doll a reflection of the times? A sensational and demeaning marketing ploy? Or perhaps a different form of advocacy; humanizing homelessness to children.

“I think it’s really a good idea, because homelessness affects everybody, at different economic levels,” Herb Smith, president of the Los Angeles Mission, told CBS News. “I actually think it’s a good teaching tool.”

Others disagree, saying that the dolls might give children mixed messages. Andrea Peyser at the NY POST wrote “For $95 — more than your average homeless person would dream of spending on a rather mediocre baby substitute — Gwen Thompson can be yours.”