Nick and I made a deal with Sophia that if she used the potty for a whole month, she could pick out a special gift from Target. Naturally, she picked a new doll. The obsession is real.
While we were at the checkout, the cashier asked about Sophia’s attendance at a birthday party. We both looked at her confusedly. She then pointed to the doll and asked Sophia if she had chosen her as a friend.
Sophia kept staring blankly, so I explained to the cashier that this was a reward for Sophia being fully potty trained. The woman looked at me in confusion and then turned to Sophia asking, “Are you sure this is the doll you want, sweetie?”
Finally finding her voice, Sophia answered, “Yes please!” The cashier responded with, “But she doesn’t look like you. We have many other dolls that look more like you.”
I felt angry right away but Sophia interrupted me saying, “Yes she does! She’s a doctor just like I’m going to be one day! And I’m pretty and so is she! Look at her pretty hair! And see her stethoscope?” Luckily, the cashier decided not to push it further and simply said, “Oh that’s nice.”
This moment made me even more sure that people aren’t born thinking color matters.
Skin colors are just like hair or eye colors; they come in many shades and every single one is beautiful.