The
maker
of
a
popular
series
of
children’s
dolls
“condones
lesbianism”
by
backing
a
non-profit
group’s
campaign
to
bolster
girls’
self-esteem,
according
to
two
conservative
groups
calling
for
a
boycott
of
the
American
Girl
Company.
The
Pro-Life
Action
League
and
American
Family
Association
launched
the
boycott
Nov.
1
against
American
Girl,
makers
of
eight
diverse,
18-inch
dolls
based
on
nine-year-old
fictional
heroines
who
lived
during
different
times
in
America’s
past.
The
boycott
was
in
response
to
the
toy
company’s
“I
Can”
campaign,
which
was
announced
in
August
and
began
Sept.
19.
American
Girls
donated
$.70
of
each
$1
bracelet
sold
to
the
non-profit
group
Girls
Incorporated.
“Parents
need
to
know
that
this
effort
to
promote
self-esteem
among
girls
is
not
as
innocent
as
it
seems,”
said
Ann
Scheidler,
Pro-Life
Action
League
executive
director.
“While
Girls
Inc.
has
some
good
programs,
they
also
support
abortion,
oppose
abstinence-only
education
for
girls,
and
condone
lesbianism.”
Officials
with
American
Girl,
a
subsidiary
of
Mattel,
did
not
respond
to
interview
requests
by
press
time.
American
Girl
promoted
the
“I
Can”
bracelet
to
support
three
specific
Girls
Inc.
programs:
building
girls’
skills
in
science
and
math,
developing
leadership
skills,
and
encouraging
athletic
skills
and
team
spirit,
according
to
the
American
Girl
Web
site.
BUT
IT’S
THE
Web
site
of
Girls
Inc.
that
riled
the
group’s
critics.
A
button
for
“find
resources”
on
that
site
includes
links
to
a
variety
of
fact
sheets,
including
a
section
on
“girls
and
sexuality”
that
incorporates
resources
dealing
with
lesbian
and
bisexual
issues.
Boycott
supporters
cited
two
stands
taken
by
Girls
Inc.:
an
endorsement
of
the
1973
Roe
vs.
Wade
U.S.
Supreme
Court
case
establishing
a
woman’s
right
to
abortion;
and
supporting
girls
dealing
with
issues
of
sexual
orientation.
“We
have
no
problem
with
the
reality
that
some
people
are
homosexuals,”
Scheidler
said.
“However,
we
believe
that
marriage
between
a
man
and
woman
is
the
only
proper
context
for
sexual
intimacy.”
Girls
Inc.
President
Joyce
Roche
was
traveling
and
unavailable
for
comment.
But
the
company
issued
a
statement
regarding
the
controversy.
“Recently,
our
mission
to
help
girls
develop
their
self-esteem
and
self-reliance
has
become
the
target
of
false,
inflammatory
statements
from
people
who
are
pursuing
a
narrow
political
agenda,”
the
statement
read.
“Girls
Inc.
stands
on
its
long,
positive
history
and
the
millions
of
lives
we
have
touched
speak
for
who
we
are
and
our
values.”
THE
BOYCOTT
IS
EXPECTED
to
continue
into
the
holiday
season.
In
lieu
of
buying
the
patriotic-themed
American
Girl
dolls,
Pro-Life
Action
League
is
asking
parents
to
purchase
Christian-themed
dolls,
such
as
those
offered
by
A
Life
of
Faith
and
Blessings
Expressions
of
Faith.
Shannon
Minter,
legal
director
for
the
National
Center
for
Lesbian
Rights,
blasted
the
two
conservative
groups.
“Any
group
that
would
attack
American
Girls
clearly
has
completely
lost
its
moral
bearings,”
Minter
said.
“American
Girls
deserves
nothing
but
praise
for
its
commitment
to
strengthening
the
self-esteem
of
all
girls,
including
those
from
diverse
racial,
ethnic,
and
religious
groups
as
well
as
those
who
may
be
lesbian
or
bisexual.”
The
American
Family
Association
did
not
return
phone
calls
for
comment
but
posted
a
statement
on
its
Web
site
on
the
issue.
“I
hope
you
will
take
time
to
let
American
Girl
know
they
are
making
a
terrible
mistake
by
supporting
the
pro-abortion,
pro-lesbian
organization,
Girls
Inc.,”
wrote
Donald
Wildmon,
chairman
of
the
American
Family
Association.
In
the
past,
the
AFA
has
targeted
Disney,
Proctor
&
Gamble
and
Ford
Motor
Company
with
boycotts.
The
group
recently
ended
its
nine-year
boycott
of
Disney
with
little
impact.
