If you know a young girl who wants a doll

Or for that matter a young boy--see, all those playings of the Free To Be You And Me record when I was six or seven didn't go to waste--may I suggest you get them one of these for Christmas?

Why? I'll let the TGW explain. Egalia?

The anti-feminist fury of the radical right seems to be getting more intense with the efforts to promote a Christmas boycott of American Girl dolls. The Pro Life Action League says it has received "over 500 boycott pledges since announcing the boycott of American Girl."

The rightwing groups spreading the news of a call for a boycott include: The American Family Association, Priests for Life, Operation Rescue, Stand True Ministries, Aid for Women and Illinois Right to Life, Focus on the Family and Concerned Women of America and, of course, the Southern Baptists.

The doll company's sin is that it has partnered with the non-profit Girls Inc., in a campaign to promote high self-esteem among girls. The radical right has a problem with Girls Inc. The nonprofit supports birth control and freedom of choice. Girls Inc., also supports girls who are lesbian or bisexual [gasp].

Kathryn Hooks...director of media and public relations for the American Family Association...charges that Girls Inc., "supports abortion as a 'woman's freedom of choice, a constitutional right' and 'convenient access to safe, effective methods of contraception.'" Girls Inc. offends Ms. Hooks further because it offers books on the subject of sexual orientation.

God forbid that our daughters should have birth control and books too!

Thanks, Egalia. So you see what I'm talking about. It's a chance to do something nice for a child while flipping off the radical right at the same time, and how often does that come up? If it weren't for the fact that he'd only be interested if the dolls were of dinosaur firemen, I'd order one for my nephew.