P&G develops campaign for black women around image

[The Straight Story]

P&G develops campaign for black women around image
CINCINNATI (AP) -- There's a little-girl memory that Najoh Tita-Reid recounts, as a way of explaining what's behind a new campaign by the nation's biggest advertiser, Procter & Gamble Co.

In suburban Pittsburgh, she goes to play dolls with her neighbors, all of them white. Her doll stands out with its black color and features, and one girl says pointedly: "Najoh, our dolls can't play with yours."

Why not? "Because your doll is ugly," comes the reply. And, it looks like Najoh.

Parents take action for their tearful daughter: a "Black is Beautiful" poster on her bedroom door; black-oriented Ebony and Essence magazines in the house; trips to her father's native west Africa.

Fast-forward 30 years, and Tita-Reid is helping lead a P&G campaign called "My Black is Beautiful," which combines marketing with forums meant to foster dialogue about black women and the way they are portrayed in popular culture.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OH_MY_BLACK_CAMPAIGN_OHOL-?SITE=WBNSTV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[cyberswede]

1. what to do?

My 5-year-old daughter has 2 "Groovy Girl" dolls - one with a darker complexion. The darker one is always the one who gets in trouble - has to have a time-out, etc. I have no idea why - is it natural for her to "favor" the caucasian doll (we're of nordic/european descent)? How to I broach the subject with her? I don't want to ask her if she likes the light-skinned doll better, for example, and plant an idea that isn't there. Any ideas, oh wise DUers? :)
thx - cs

[Berry Cool]

2. You know, I think this stuff is so deep in the culture that kids don't even know

where they get it from. And I wouldn't worry about planting an idea she doesn't already have. She'll eventually learn about prejudice, whether you bring it up or not. Best you should be first to teach her about it.

I'm no expert on kids, but maybe just asking some questions would provide some insight. Next time she's playing, and she pretends the darker one is in trouble again, you might say to her "Seems to me that (name of doll) is always the doll of yours who makes trouble. Does (name of lighter doll) ever act naughty? Or is it always (darker doll)?"

If she says it's always the darker doll, ask her what the darker doll "does" that's so bad, and why she thinks the doll "does" those things and the other doll doesn't. This will make her think about why she has them playing the roles she does. She may say "I don't know" or "'Cause she just does." You might say "But they seem to have so much in common. Why would one act so bad and the other never act bad? They look about the same to me. Except one of them has darker skin than the other." Then you might move to "Do you think (darker doll) is bad because her skin is darker? Do you think people with lighter skin act better than people with darker skin?" That gets her at least thinking about the issue. The next question, if the answer is "Yes" or "I guess" is "Why?" From there, you can have a conversation about that assumption. Over the course of that, you can communicate to her your values regarding the wisdom of prejudging others by skin color, personal appearance, etc.

What you say now can have positive effects that last a lifetime, even if your assumptions about why your daughter plays this way are wrong. How do I know? Because once when I was very young, I called one of my sisters by the N-word--not having any idea what it meant. I thought it just meant some hideous monster or something. I had heard other kids use the term against each other to call them something bad, and I was angry at my sister and wanted to call her the worst possible name I could think of.

My mother, rather than flying off the handle, or just yelling at me for using the word, asked me what I thought the word meant. When I told her, she corrected me, and explained that it was not a word she ever wanted me or my sisters to use against anyone, because it was a way to demean other people because of the color of their skin, which was wrong. It was a lesson I never forgot.

If you broach this subject with your daughter, before you know it, the behavior of her darker doll may start improving markedly, and the lighter one may actually get a little naughty.

[cyberswede]

4. Thank you!

I truly appreciate your thoughtful (and wise) reply. I'll try to gently bring up the subject, if I notice the pattern continue. Kudos to your mother for her wonderful handling of your childhood situation. (On a side note, I once called my sister a "penis" when I was about 5 - I thought it meant "stupid" (wait a sec...) - LOL! I kid!)

I wish I could remember what my parents did to raise us with an awareness that prejudice and bigotry are wrong. It seems like osmosis to me - I don't remember anything specific. I'm more worried about helping my kids develop a strong moral compass than I am about any other facet of parenting, actually. Helping them read is a piece of cake, teaching them manners is fairly easy, while the philosophical issues are much more difficult.

Thanks gain for your advice!

[AspenRose]

3. It's about damn time

I just hope ALL shades and hues are represented, so as not to spark another "School Daze"-esque battle royale....