Young children are “astute observers of the social world,” and this can have pernicious effects on how they perceive race and gender, according to Danielle Perszyk, a psychologist at Northwestern University, and her colleagues. The majority of children in the study—both black and white—had a “strong and consistent pro-white bias.”
After being shown photos of children from different race groups placed alongside toys of the same hue, the study’s child participants more favorably chose to play with the lighter-toned toys.
This is something that Dr. Williams’s Fresh Doll Line is staunchly working to combat through child’s plays.
“I never want another beautiful Black to look at their skin own deeper skin tone and think it’s ‘nasty,’” she explained. “I want a representation of all kinds to start from the root: our children.”
Her line doesn’t just stop at race and color representation.
She’s also aiming to foster gender identity inclusivity with expanded accessories that encourage LGBTQ+ visibility, including gender-neutral clothing for the dolls.
“We’re going to build generations of self-assured children who truly love themselves from top to bottom, one doll at a time.”
For more information, visit https://thefreshdolls.com/,