American Girl Introduces the First Doll with Hearing Loss

Allot of us remember the American Girl dolls of the past dressed in quaint dresses and plaited hair. Fast forward thirty years later, as the manufacturers of American Girl is introducing contemporary characters that take into account modern struggles included hearing loss. American Girl is starting off the New Year with a message of ambition and inclusivity –and a nod to the upcoming summer Olympics. 

Introducing Joss Kendrick

On Tuesday, the doll company released its latest family member, who hails from Southern California as its 2020 Girl of the Year, in partnership with 17-year-old pro surfer Caroline Marks, who will compete in the premiere U.S. Women’s Olympic surfing team,

“American Girl has a rich legacy of creating timeless characters who encourage girls to reach for new heights and discover who they’re meant to be,” American Girl general manager Jamie Cygielman, said. “We’re proud to welcome Joss Kendrick, whose stories are sure to instill confidence and character in girls who are learning to think about the possibilities in their own lives.

Joss Kendrick is a 10-year-old surfer and competitive cheerleader from Huntington Beach, California. She has two older brothers and a pet bulldog. She has long brown hair and brown eyes and wears a swimsuit, hoodie and shorts. She also wears a hearing aid. This is huge for the inclusivity of hearing loss as Joss is the American Girl's first-ever doll to have a disability. Joss has congenital hearing loss. She was born deaf in her left ear and can hear a little bit in her right ear.

Real Life Struggles in Hearing

This year the American Girl of the Year™ 2020 Joss Kendrick is modeled  after 17-year-old Olympic hopeful surfer Caroline Marks. Working with Olympic hopeful surfer Caroline Marks adds real-world inspiration about what can happen when you go ‘all in’ on your dreams.” Caroline Marks is the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the women’s Championship Tour, and has now also provisionally qualified to represent the USA at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Marks added, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places — even to the Olympics.”

It’s Time for Inclusivity in Hearing Disability

To create Joss, American Girl worked with a team of experts, including Crystal DaSilva, Women’s Deaf Shortboard champion; Dr. Sharon Pajka, specialist in the portrayal of deaf characters in adolescent literature

In honor of the new collection, American Girl has donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) to support the nonprofit’s education and awareness programs, as well as its 2020 Walk4Hearing event.

“We’re proud to welcome Joss Kendrick, whose stories are sure to instill confidence and character in girls who are learning to think about possibilities in their own lives,” general manager of American Girl, Cygielman said.

“American Girl is always thinking about how our characters can reflect and resonate with a wide range of girls,” a spokesperson from American Girl says” We’ve long offered dolls and accessories that speak to girls in a variety of circumstances and Joss is another great example of how we celebrate inclusivity. We’re proud to introduce Joss to fans and hope her story will help broaden understanding and respect for people’s differences, as well as spark conversations around hearing loss.”

 Joss shows kids the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player despite living with hearing aids. “American Girl has a rich legacy of creating timeless characters who encourage girls to reach for new heights and discover who they’re meant to be,” General Manager Jamie Cygielman said in a statement.

“What could be more exciting than to have an American Girl character be a role model for girls with hearing loss?” HLAA Executive Director Barbara Kelly said. “I hope girls who read Joss’s inspiring story will help create awareness about hearing loss among their friends and family.”

Orange County Physicians' Hearing Services

It’s examples like this that teach us that there is no shame in hearing loss and there is no limit to what we can achieve when we use our hearing aids.  If you have a child with hearing loss contact us at Orange Country Physicians for excellent pediatric hearing services.