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| American Girl© Gwen Thompson |
While researching for this blog I found the following, “American Girl's Latest Doll is Homeless”. In 2009 the “homeless doll” was available for one year as part of the American Girl – Girl of the Year collection. The American Girl©collection is famous for providing dolls that represent “every girl.” The Girl of the Year introduces “a brand-new character with an inspirational story of what it means to be an American girl today” (cite). My feelings were mixed when I discovered “Gwen Thompson”. On the one hand I was excited that young girls had the opportunity to gain empathy for the plight of children experiencing homelessness. On the other, I was saddened and distressed by the fact that this doll represented "what it means to be an American girl today." I could not find information on how much of the proceeds from “Gwen” went to homeless causes; nor, do I know much about “Gwen’s” story line. What I did learn was the average cost of an American Girl© doll is $100. I find it ironic that "Gwen" was financially out of reach of all the girls it was designed to represent.
The story of the doll prompted my thinking about girls and women who experience homelessness. The statistics are astounding:
· 84% of homeless families are led by females under the age of 24 (cite)
· 66% were violently abused by a caretaker before the age of 18 (cite)
· 60% have not received a high school diploma (cite)
· 44% of homeless mothers were homeless as children (cite)
· 43% were sexually molested as children (cite)
Though bleak, the story has hope. Women who complete high school earn about $100 more per week than those without a high school diploma. Their weekly earnings double if they receive a bachelor’s degree (cite). Assisting and encouraging young women to complete their high school diploma increases the likelihood of earning a life sustaining wage and decreases the chances of poverty (cite). Education does not address all of the risk factors mentioned above; however, it is a place to start when looking at changing the landscape of homelessness.
Effecting change can start with changing the life of a girl.
