Meet Logan. He’s American Girl’s first-ever boy doll. Logan Everett is the first male doll to be sold by the 31-year old brand. The 18-inch pricey boy doll is a super chill drummer from Nashville, Tennesee. The male doll performs in a band with another new American Girl doll named Tenney Grant, who is a promising country western singer. The American Girl website says Tenney and Logan will challenge each other artistically, and “their partnership teaches girls the importance of being open to collaboration and compromise.”

why does this doll look like he's about to ghost you https://t.co/lC57Y3arw5 pic.twitter.com/oxBhoIgdFu — Heather Schmelzlen (@anchorlines) February 14, 2017

“A boy character has been a top request from our fans for decades… We’re hopeful Logan will appeal to both girls and boys… For boys, we know Logan can speak directly to them and give them something unique and special to call their own.”

Logan is a brown-haired, gray-eyed doll that stands 18-inches tall. He wears a plaid shirt over a “Play Loud” tee and has a set of drums to accompany Tenney. According to Us Weekly, Logan will sell for American Girl’s standard retail price of $115, which includes the doll and a book.

The new American Girl doll is not a girl https://t.co/j9cc2HC74e by @emilyjashinsky pic.twitter.com/ruvNDO48a4 — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 15, 2017

American Girl spokeswoman, Stephanie Spanos, announced that the brand would bring out a larger number of dolls with modern story lines, according to USA Today. In the meantime, Felicity Merriman, a young colonial girl who was archived in 2011, makes her return today. Felicity is one of the classic American Girl dolls.

“We do an enormous amount of research with girls and their parents, and the one thing we’ve heard loud and clear is a desire for more—specifically more characters and stories from today—with more experiences, more diversity, and more interests.”

American Girl Introduces their first boy doll named, Logan Everett. [Image by Shutterstock]

American Boy Doll Sparks Outrage

Reverend Keith Ogden of Hill Street Baptist Church sent a message to more than 100 of his parishioners on Wednesday titled, “KILLING THE MINDS OF MALE BABIES.” He sent the message after viewing a segment on Good Morning America about American Girl’s newest addition.

American Girl is adding a Boy Doll to its collection. His name is Logan and he is a drummer. Really? https://t.co/8umPiSBDSO — Paul Konrad (@PaulKonrad) February 15, 2017

“This is nothing more than a trick of the enemy to emasculate little boys and confuse their role to become men… Now you are going to have little boys playing with baby dolls and that’s not cool. We need to get back to our old values and morals.”

Ogden asserted that he has no plans to stay quiet and told the Citizen-Times that he doesn’t think that boys should play with dolls, as the male doll’s presence will confuse children.

“There are those in this world who want to alter God’s creation of the male and female… The devil wants to kill, steal and destroy the minds of our children and grandchildren by perverting, distorting and twisting (the) truth of who God created them to be.”

The Wisconsin-based doll company is owned by Mattel. American Girl is widely known for creating dolls with detailed stories against the backdrop of historical events, books, and movies.

Diversity In Dolls Yield Big Profits

Regardless of the protest of American Girl’s boy doll, the company maintains they are meeting customer demands and expanding its market. Mattel’s earnings in 2016 were helped by having expanded its selection of Barbie dolls. The dolls became multiracial and arrived in a wider range of women’s body shapes. These changes resulted in Barbie sales jumping 16 percent compared to the same period last year.

American Girl line of dolls benefited from the shift as well. In 2016, sales were up 14% for the quarter. That compares to a 2 percent decline in sales in 2015, according to USA Today.

“Barbie and American Girl helped power Mattel to net income of $236 million in the third quarter, up 5.3% from $224 million last year. Still, Mattel, fell below Wall Street’s expectations of $244 million, according to analysts polled by S&P Global Capital Intelligence.”

Mattel saw sales surge last year after they introduced a more diverse selection of dolls. The Barbie Fashionista line branched out from the earlier Barbie types to include three new body types. The line also included an array of skin tones, hair textures, and hairstyles.

The 18-inch figures sell for $115 each. Or one could pay about $140 for the doll, a collection of accessories and the doll’s book, according to CNN Money.

According to USA Today, revenue came in at $1.8 billion, which was slightly ahead of Wall Street’s expectations.

It's a boy! American Girl announces first boy doll. His name is Logan and he plays the drums. https://t.co/kZFfHALwmd pic.twitter.com/1r8kXry4MU — NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) February 14, 2017

The American Girl’s “TrulyMe” doll line also offers over 40 combinations of complexions, eye tints, and hair colors, according to USA Today. In an effort to communicate to and about children dealing with disabilities or chronic illnesses, American Girl’s doll accessories include medical items like a wheelchair and diabetes care kit.

American Girl will also offer two new dolls in 2017. In the Spring, a contemporary doll named Z Yang, who’s a filmmaker, will be released. In the Fall, Nanea, a historical doll who lives in Hawaii during World War II, will follow.

What do you think of American Girl’s newest addition, Logan Everett? Are American Boy dolls welcomed?

[Featured Image by American Girl/Mattel 2017 Promotion]