The Truth About Toys
By Hannah Harrison
Pink fuzzy hair, sparkling eyes, flower headbands, and rainbow tutus sound like any young girl’s dress-up dream. To most parents, this portrays an image of innocence. But in reality, for one toy company, it’s a dangerous picture of how the world is trying to put children in harm’s way of sexual exploitation and abuse.
In the past week, many parents were shocked to realize that some toy manufacturers are creating toys and normalizing sexual grooming for exploitation. While maintaining predator fashion, these manufacturers are also doing it right under parents’ noses.
It’s not okay.
Last week parents rejoiced over the removal of the “Giggle ‘n Sing Poppy Troll doll.” Hasbro pulled the toy from shelves after parents petitioned to remove the toy on the claims the toymaker was conditioning young children to normalize pedophilia, molestation, and worse.
After crushing the box-office in 2016, Trolls captivated a young audience. Princess Poppy, the movie’s star, went on a musically-filled journey to prove the importance of friendship. This year, the hit-movie released a sequel, and with Poppy’s resurgence, new Troll-themed merchandise was introduced. But for many moms, they faced brutal realities after inspecting the new doll.
This pink, fuzzy toy, marketed to children 3+, had a hidden button between the doll’s legs. When pressed, the button caused the doll to makes sexualized noises such as gasps, giggles, and moans. But even worse was the potential it carried to aid to the normalization of sexual abuse.
As Hasbro pulled the toy from shelves, they explained the button’s placement was because she was supposed to be “sitting down” to make the sound…but never mentioned this on the box.
Meanwhile, LOL Surprise Dolls also broke the news as moms found hidden lingerie that is activated in cold water. These dolls, also marketed to girls 3+, seem harmless to the naked eye. When submerged in water, many were found to be wearing fishnet stockings, G-strings, and pasties, continuing to normalize and flaunt a hyper-sexualized society to young kiddos. However, for LOL Surprise, nothing was changed.
As this shocking news poured, many praised the moms who discovered these nasty realities. After all, without hypervigilant moms, these secret and sexual toys would have never been discovered or made known to other parents. Without them, would anyone know?
These manufacturers are slowly but surely sneaking their sinister plans into America’s homes with ease. And before we even realize what hit us, they’ve already started to shape the young impressible eyes of the nation’s youth. It’s no longer just the media we have to worry about, its toys for 3-year-olds.
Young children are now being faced with a rough and tough reality – child abuse.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, child abuse, trafficking, and sexual assault have been rampant. USA Today reported that as the pandemic rose, so did the number of calls to the Rape Abuse and Incest National (RAINN) Sexual Assault Hotline. RAINN claims that in its 26-year history, this year, they have reached the highest demand for services needed.
Hasbro just so happened to market a toy encouraging young kids to touch private parts?
The National Center of Sexual Exploitation said, “While Hasbro pulled the Trolls doll from store shelves, we have to question how a female doll that encourages children to press a button between her legs to make the doll giggle and laugh ever made it to market. Isn’t there anyone on Hasbro’s staff that could recognize that this is grooming children to accept that it’s normal to touch someone else’s private area?”
Don’t think this is by mistake.
Often, predators use toys or communication to connect with a victim. Now, toys such as these are flooding the shelves, normalizing inappropriate touching! What else will groomers do? What else will manufacturers create? Only time will tell. But as Christ-followers, parents, church members, guardians, and concerned citizens, we must be vigilant in protecting today’s children.
Our goal as Christ-followers should be to acknowledge and help those suffering and defend their innocence. We’ve always known that the enemy was trying to steal America’s children through the internet and television, but now, we must add toys to the list. It’s time to put on the armor of God and fight. We’re fighting for the heirs to the Kingdom.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” – (Matthew 18:6)