The Cult of American Girl Doll
September 16, 2025
57 min
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182 of 222
September 16, 2025
The Cult of American Girl Doll
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Amanda Montell Episodes Around September 16, 2025
Episode 182 of 222 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
The Cult of American Girl Doll
Summary
She survived the Great Depression, she fought for women's suffrage, and for many of us, she was our first window into what it meant to be American. This week, Amanda and Chelsea are joined by culture writers and co-editors of An American Girl Anthology, Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler (@justineodashs) and KC Hysmith (@kchysmith), to unpack the cult of American Girl Dolls. Because these weren’t just toys… they were identity-shaping, history spinning, $120 personality tests. And behind the tiny teeth and perfect braids are much bigger questions: Who gets to be American? Whose stories are worth telling? And what does it mean when those stories are written by a brand who's bottom line is trying to sell you tiny matching accessories? From revisionist history to real emotional impact, this episode explores how American Girl Dolls didn’t just reflect American girlhood, they quietly helped define it.
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