Why do we still act like Jesus was white and the search for diverse toys

Last week there was heavy media coverage of two more Black men shot by police  and an attack at a Washington mall.  Last night, the first presidential debate.

There are some big issues and hot topics in our country.  They are often painful issues.

A friend once told me that people care about the things they consider "life and death."  For me, right now, there are very few political, global, or national issues that are "life and death." My life consists mostly of caring for our 10 month old son.  So while I absolutely CARE about so many things that are going on in the country and the world and they are definitely weighing on my heart, there is very little that falls into that "life or death" category for me.

So, what do I care about as a mom?  Do I throw my passions behind baby wearing, cloth diapering, or breastfeeding?  Nope.  I really don't care about those things*.  You do you, mama.  Rock on.

While motherhood has definitely shifted my focus, it is difficult for me to jump on most of the "mommy wars" topics when my heart isn't in it.  Instead, what I really care about (right now) is providing my son with toys and books that expose him to diversity and multiculturalism.  Seems kinda like a weird thing to care about.  But I think that the best way for me to make even the smallest difference in the world (with what my life is right now), is to actively pursue non-white toys and books for our son.  I promise, it doesn't happen on its own.

Whiteness is often the default.  Yes, being white still puts me in the majority in America** but far from the majority in the world.  It is challenging to find books that adequately represent many ethnicities and cultures, especially ones that don't also feel antiquated and stereotypical.  It is also challenging to find toys with people that are not overwhelmingly white.

Thankfully, the books do exist.  I have found quite a few which I'll be posting later, thanks to some awesome blogging children's librarians.  (I'm just talking about picture books with white and/or non-white characters/illustrations.  If every book I check out is a mirror to my child as opposed to a window, I feel like I am doing him a disservice.   

Diverse toys are harder to find.  I was looking at adding Duplo Legos and Fisher Price Little People on my son's Christmas list.  Duplos are overwhelmingly white.  He already has many of my old Duplo sets, so I was simply looking for a people add-on set with other-colored people.  The 21 piece DIVERSE (about half the people are still white) community people set... $59.95 and only available through educational supply companies or Amazon.  This should be sold everywhere that Duplos are sold!

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Little People were a little better in that I can buy specific non-white people individually (but then I feel like I'm adding in the token minority and that's not my goal either).  However, I was looking at the Christmas set- seems cute.  But WHY is Jesus white?  Y'all.  Jesus wasn't white.  The shepherd and wise men do add in a little color, but the issue is still the same.  Jesus was not a little blonde-headed white baby.  He just wasn't.

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I put out a question on the Facebook parenting group I am in, asking for multicultural toy suggestions, explaining the dilemma I had encountered.  Hape dolls and the Lakeshore people sets were the only two suggestions I got.

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This. Is. A. Problem. Multi-ethnic toys should be the norm.  Available at Target, Toys R Us, and Walmart.  Why can they only be found online and in "educational" toy stores?

We have got to stop whitewashing in America.  It does a disservice to non-white children, but it does a disservice to white children too.  Toys and books have to be mirrors AND windows.  We have to quit sending the message that white is the norm, the default, the best.  We can't hope to improve race relations or eliminate systemic racism when we aren't teaching our toddlers that people come in all colors... and they are all PEOPLE.  

We have to start having difficult conversations about race and bias and representation.

And we have to start changing the messages we send our children through their toys.




In my searching I did find this great post with five awesome toy ideas if you are looking for other ways to incorporate diverse toys.  I also found "My Family Builders" which was started by a KickStarter campaign and definitely a product I hope to get when Little Man is older.

*Anti-vaccine people though are dumb.  And I cannot be neutral on that topic.
**About 62% of Americans identify as white, non-Hispanic as of 2014.