A viral TikTok criticizing the outfits worn by LOL Surprise dolls prompted a debate about toy doll modesty.
Posted by user @official.patrick.johnson on Sept. 20, the video accumulated almost 11 million views and more than 42,000 comments by Thursday. Judging by the comments on the video, viewers agree with Johnson that the outfits are inappropriate.
Johnson cautioned parents to “Be careful about what you expose your children to.” He started his TikTok by showing a Princess and the Frog Barbie and Frozen Barbie while singing his rendition of the theme songs from the Disney movies.
After deeming the two Barbie dolls’ outfits “nice” and “wholesome,” he said his daughter doesn’t want those dolls—she wants LOL Surprise dolls.
Johnson said she bought her a pack of the dolls but was shocked at how they were dressed.
The four dolls were dressed in fish nets and underwear with their stomachs or legs showing. In addition to the clothing they came in, the four-pack included extra clip-on clothing pieces that didn’t provide more coverage.
Apparently that was an issue for Johnson, who said one of the dolls was “dressed like a hoochie.”
“That ain’t covering up nothing,” Johnson said about their outfits.
Then he revealed that even the miniature, baby versions of the dolls were dressed the same way, complete with miniature ripped fishnets.
He said his daughter loves the dolls, but he doesn’t feel comfortable with her playing with them.
“I don’t even know how to take them away from her, but I don’t want her thinking this the way women dress,” Johnson said of his daughter. Then he went on to clarify that, “If you in the privacy of your bedroom with your husband, that’s one thing. But c’mon now, not the kids.”
He ended the TikTok by asking “What are we doing America?” Several viewers on TikTok had the same question.
“People said Bratz dolls [were] bad, the LOL dolls are 100x worse,” one viewer commented.
Another said, “They discontinue the Monster High dolls because it was ‘scary’ for kids. But this gets left on the shelves.”
One viewer even said that the dolls’ outfits were the same thing she wears to work as a stripper.
Some viewers were much less concerned, though, saying the dolls’ clothes are just that: clothes. They said the criticism teaches kids to focus on the wrong things.
“It’s literally just clothes, let’s teach kids to not judge others based off what they have on but off their character,” one supporter wrote. Another said, “I don’t disagree that the dolls are scantily clad, but can’t we teach our kids to respect others no matter how they dress?”
Johnson did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.
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