Fisher Price, and when did brown hair/eyes = Hispanic?

[IDrinkaRum]

Little Mommy Baby Ah-Choo by Fisher Price, blond & blue eyed version

Little Mommy Baby Ah-Choo by Fisher Price, brunette & brown eyed version

Does anyone notice a subtle difference between the two? Both babies have white skin, but yet, the brunette baby with brown eyes is described as "hispanic". It also comes bilingual.

I have no problem with the baby coming with phrases in both english and spanish. However, why does the brunette baby only say them and not the blond?

Also, all the Little Mommy dolls by Fisher Price are described as "hispanic".

When did brunette/brown eyes = hispanic?

My dad's stepfather had brown hair (when he was younger, it's now white) and he has brown eyes. He's Italian.

I have brown hair/brown eyes. I'm Irish/English on my dad's side, German/French/Austrian/Spaniad. I'm not Hispanic. (My Spaniard family came directly from Spain ergo, I'm Spaniard, not Hispanic).

My husband has brown hair/brown eyes. He's English & Native American on his mother's side and Scottish on his Father's side. He's not Hispanic either.

Did I miss a memo that all Brunettes with brown eyes are now Hispanic?

Child Rum really wants a Baby Ah-Choo doll. Just not sure which version I'm going to buy. More than likely the blond/blue-eyed one. *le sigh*

[BroomJockey]

Did I miss a memo that all Brunettes with brown eyes are now Hispanic?

Apparently they absolutely cannot win. =\

They have one type of doll, they get labelled racist, they have a doll that they label as a different race, they get nailed on ... what? Being too vague? Generalizing? I'm not sure what you expect from them, really. It's a hunk of babified plastic. There's only so much detail you can put in to a mass-produced chunk of plastic, and they can't exactly make a doll for every nationality. They leave out one, and they get nailed again. They mess up on a "stereotypical" appearance of one, they'd get nailed AGAIN. Maybe they should just stop making dolls completely. Or do "made to order." $50 a doll, but it'll look exactly how you want.

[Nyoibo]

Well I'm offended and going to get up in arms that the blond haired blue eyed one isn't labelled caucasian.

[joe hx]

My Spaniard family came directly from Spain ergo, I'm Spaniard, not Hispanic

"Hispanic" means people who have ancestors from the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian peninsula was known as "Hispania" in Roman times. Today it is where Spain, Portugal, and a couple smaller countries are.

It just so happens that almost all the countries south of the United States are hispanic because they were once under Spanish or Portugal rule. The term Latina, or Latino, means someone with ancestry in Latin America - again, pretty much every country south of the United States.

[Kalli]

PC ALERT!

Sorry, Rum, but this is like political correctness and nitpickery had a baby, and it's made its way to fratching.

I guess I just don't understand your point. Sure, not all brown-haired, brown-eyed people are Hispanic. You illustrated that very well. But what's your point, exactly? Please explain where you think Fisher-Price has actually made an error here.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, Rum, not all brown haired, brown eyed dolls are Hispanic...but that one clearly is.

They aren't trying to say they are. Most likely, they are catering to the enormous hoards of Hispanics coming into our country.

I imagine if Swedes were coming over here in droves, all of a sudden the little blonde doll would suddenly speak Swedish.

[IDrinkaRum]

This is what I'm saying:

My daughter is brown haired/brown eyed. I like to buy her brown haired/brown eyed dolls. Nothing wrong with that, right?

But Fisher Price is probably cutting into their profit margin by having the brown haired/eyed dolls labelled as Hispanic and having them speak in Spanish. My daughter has enough problems with English, I'm not going to have her introduced to another language (even though all those Muzzy commercials on TV tell me I should 'cos if I don't, then I'm bad parent).

And as not all Germans are blond/blue eyed, not all Hispanic children are brown haired/brown eyed. So if Spanish is good enough for the brunette, it should be good enough for the blond.

Or, radical point - make some brunette dolls not speak Spanish for those non-Latino/a brunettes who don't want the other language?

Maybe I should just start my own doll line.

It's just something that hit me as being racist to a point. If you're blond and blue eyed you're "white" but if you're a brunette with brown eyes, then you're not "white" and obviously "hispanic".

I might just stick to Madame Alexander dolls and Cabbage Patch dolls in the future.

You're right RK, this one doll is. Not all doll companies call their brown haired/eyed dolls "Hispanic". And as I said up in the previous sentence, I'll go to other doll companies for dolls.

[blas87]

My father's side of the family are brown haired brown/hazel eyed GERMANS. Imagine that! I thought we were all supposed to be blonde with blue eyes!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

As someone who gets pretty sick of all the blonde haired, blue eyed dolls out there when what I really want is a doll for my own daughter that looks like my non-hispanic and dark family, I definately see your point.

My daughter has a plethora of barbie-type dolls, only one of which I actually bought her myself. The one I got her I got because she likes horses and it is an equestrian with a horse. Blonde and blue eyed because that was all that was available.

Due to people giving her dolls, she now has a handful of blonde ones (gifts), a Mariposa doll (blonde, gift), Tinkerbell, (blonde, gift), a black barbie-like fashion doll (which she picked out herself at the dollar store), and two dark haired barbies out of my parent's attic (modles they don't even make anymore). And ken, from the 70's, who also has dark hair. With the exception of the sister, hey ALL have blue eyes, though. Even Ken.

I'm right there with you on the annoyance factor, Rum. I do get what you are saying.

[IDrinkaRum]

This is the Madame Alexander doll I bought Child Rum recently

I've bought Child Rum a Theresa doll (which is a friend of Barbie's). She has brown hair/eyes. Hard to find. I was lucky to find 1 such version of Theresa with the brown eyes, now she has like purple eyes in every other incarnation. *shrugs* Then there is the Gabrielle doll from the High Musical doll line.

I'm not sure why it's so difficult to make brown haired/brown eyed dolls. Cabbage Patch does it and I don't see anyone not buying them.

The only non-brown eyed/hair baby doll is from a person I used to be friends with who was getting rid of dolls. The doll is bald and has blue eyes, but all other baby dolls are brown haired/eyed.

As I said. If the spanish language is good enough for the brunette, then it's good enough for the blond. Besides, aren't there blond/blue eyed latino/as around?

[Fryk]

I believe that many "latino" Argentinians are white.

[Kimmik]

other hair colors
Here

As to why you have a hard time it is easy... thank society. Remember for the longest time to find anything that wasnt "White" was almost impossible. I never had a doll that looked like me... rather tanish and blondeish red and frizzy. Unfortunatly in our world certain features are considered best. It is not racist but that is the way the world is slanted sadly. Blonde and strieght hair, blue eyes and thin as a rail are the "ideals"

*sighs* now that I am grown at least there are some dolls that if my daughter has my traits at least I can find something close...

[IDrinkaRum]

I used to play with Barbies. Don't get me wrong. All were blond & blue eyed.

Then, when the Cabbage Patch Dolls came along, my sister and I were excited because we could get brown haired/eyed babies that would (technically) look like us. Now I want the same for my daughter.

Maybe if enough peoples were to complain, the companies would listen? Maybe maybe not.

And here's something about the new line of black Barbies and how people are dissatisfied with them.

[Kalli]

And here's something about the new line of black Barbies and how people are dissatisfied with them.

From that article:

Where is the doll with the Afro? Where is the doll with twists? Where's the doll with the lowboy? Where's the doll with the dark brown eyes, and the flatter nose, and the voluptuous lips?

Right. I'd be willing to bet my left tit that if they made a flat nosed, afro-sporting, big-lipped black barbie, the outrage would be flying around from all angles.

Seriously. What the shit do these people expect? IT IS NOT POSSIBLE to make a representation of every person on earth. Why do they get all pissy when none of them match their features? Why do they get all pissy when one of them matches the typical features of a race too much? Why do they get all pissy when they label one as being a specific race?

Listen, if you want a dolly that looks just like your speshul snowflake, get one custom made. Otherwise, stop whining. Nobody is forcing you to buy the things. Sheeesh.

[IDrinkaRum]

My snowflake isn't speshul (well, in my eyes, she's completely special), but she is differently able.

And really, gosh darn it, if I want to complain about baby dolls that are reasonably priced and mass produced, then I'm going to complain!