Today, toys and dolls have become more inclusive. Barbie has changed from being just a tall blonde doll who was fixated on shopping to being a champion of marriage equality and a boxing champion.
However, despite the progress that has been made, toys still lag behind when it comes to being able to represent people with disabilities.
Amy Jandrisevits, who used to work as a social worker in a children’s oncology ward, knows how important toys are to kids who are fighting illness.
She says that she used dolls in therapy to help the kids express themselves.
While she loved the toys, Amy soon realized that the dolls didn’t look like her patients.
She says that the health and appearance of the dolls were doing a disservice to the kids who were often sick.
It can be hard to tell a kid that they are beautiful, but you will never see them in anything that looks like them.
Four years ago, Amy made dolls that were non-Raggedy Anns. One of her favorites was a girl who was transitioning, who had green cropped hair and a ninja turtle outfit.
Amy got the first request from a friend after she saw the photo of the doll. She then reached out to a woman who had just lost a leg to cancer.
She asked if she could make a doll for the girl. Since then, she has made over 300 dolls. The dolls are usually made for around $100 each, and she can usually cover the costs for the families who can afford them.
In her blog, Amy writes that she will make a doll for every child who needs one, regardless of the cost.
Doing so is the right thing to do, and it allows her to combine her passion for social work with her love for dolls.
She has always been disappointed with the lack of diversity in the toys.
Amy’s mother taught her to always do something about the things that she doesn’t like.
She said that it’s important for kids to see themselves in dolls, as they can help them develop their self-esteem.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell a child that they are perfect, and they will never be able to receive anything that looks like them.
Each of the dolls takes around seven hours to complete, and Amy has to study photos of the kids sent in by their parents to make them the perfect match.
She is so happy that these toys are able to make a positive impact on the lives of children.
Amy is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to get more dolls for kids who need them.
