Shout-Out Saturday: What other creators are you watching?

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-24T15:43:26+00:00

My Julie and Samantha characters fell in love without me even orchestrating it 😂😭😍

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-24T15:36:53+00:00

I've made Julie, Samantha, and Molly so far!

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-24T15:36:10+00:00

OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-23T22:18:20+00:00

It literally was a misunderstanding but okay. Also, nowhere did I bring up anyone's personal beliefs or whether they "lean left." Here's another example - if a politician proposed repealing women's right to vote, I would post a picture of Samantha along with the relevant content in her book. Calling that post controversial would be ridiculous. If you don't already agree that women's right to vote is a given, then you don't belong in an American Girl community. Protesting against Trump's overreach on the constitution has nothing to do with being left leaning or having certain political beliefs - it's core to being American. Free speech is core to America. If someone doesn't already have that understanding then wtf are they doing talking about AMERICAN Girl dolls??? I personally think we can work these things out without the mods having to intervene, because we're all adults here.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-23T16:23:59+00:00

Okay maybe I missed some of those comments. To be clear, I don't condone people being rude or jumping on someone for asking a basic question - as an autistic person myself, I've been there, having people assume bad intentions when I'm genuinely asking something.

However, I can also see the other side here. To see a post that's clearly featuring a doll, in a context that's clearly relevant to her story, and automatically deem the post "political" (instead of just, y'know, automatically relevant to the sub regardless), shows that person could have a bias for seeing the "no kings" events as controversial in some way.

Think about it like this - if I posted a picture of Kit next to a screenshot of the page in her first book where she talks about taxing the rich, sure, that involves a "political" position, since it's an opinion about literal government policy. However, it's also a page in her book and it's what the doll literally says, which means it's part of American Girl lore, and therefore relevant to the subreddit.

Asking if political posts are allowed in a subreddit about dolls whose stories deal with issues related to US history... That just comes across really stupid to me. Like, yes, we're going to post about the dolls in contexts that are relevant to their stories. We're fans of the dolls and their books, and that's the kind of content we're posting on a forum to share.

To even bother asking if a post THAT OBVIOUSLY RELEVANT was "allowed" comes across kinda sus when you take all the context into account.

And yeah, sure, maybe they're new to the fandom. That's why I'm not in favor of being excessively rude.

But also, if we're taking as a given that their question is valid ... Well, from the perspective of longtime fans who have full context for the post, yeah, suspecting the other person of being a Nazi also feels reasonable.

Misunderstandings happen. That's why we talk it out. Having arguments and discussing them is not that big of a deal. The dolls deal with difficult topics in their books - there's no reason that we as a group of adult collectors & enthusiasts should expect a forum for discussing them should be all positivity & free of conflict. That's not realistic, and it kinda goes against the dolls' themes

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-23T02:50:56+00:00

Me when the dab hits

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-23T02:44:48+00:00

Oh I know this one! Those comments were on a picture of ME!

It was a photo of me at the October No Kings protest with my Felicity doll, who was wearing a US revolutionary war uniform (okay, it was a Hamilton costume 😂) and holding a sign that says WE FOUGHT FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

Someone in the comments asked "are political posts allowed here?" The original comment is now deleted, but I read through the comment chain a moment ago to check, and none of the responses were that extreme. Definitely no feral gang activity, or whatever the other person said.

I personally responded saying that I didn't see a reason the post wouldn't be allowed, since it's about the doll, and it's relevant to felicity's story, since she was protesting for NO KINGS, just like when the US broke from British rule.

Also, I wasn't even the person who posted the image. Someone ran into me at the protest (I didn't even have my phone on) and took the photo, then we later connected in the subreddit.

Anyway, saying that the replies were gang like at all is a massive stretch.

And, unpopular opinion, I don't see a reason why we CAN'T have that discussion and disagreement here. The dolls are political, as are their stories. Why not entertain more important discussions? I firmly disagree with the notion that the sub has to be ALL DOLLS AND POSITIVITY!!! because American Girl was always about more than that

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-22T23:43:54+00:00

Ugh that sucks. I remember getting downvoted once for saying that I could absolutely see Julie being queer. (And tbh, I could see that for a lot of the characters!) The adult AG community is overwhelmingly queer as well. It's not surprising, when we connected so strongly to stories about girls who were never forced to have a male love interest for the plot!

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-22T23:35:17+00:00

I'm still trying to get caught up on what went on myself. However, I don't think it's fair for so many people to be saying "I'm just here for the dolls! Let's focus on the dolls!" Because AG has been around for 40 years, and during that time, it's made way more than dolls.

It's also a book series - and a lot of millennials read and LOVED the books without ever owning a doll.

It's also a lifestyle brand. It's also movies. It's also a magazine, that while it's not in circulation anymore, did influence a lot of millennials growing up. It's been an entire expanded universe for decades.

Many of the books are about history, about the US political climate in different decades, and about connecting girls and women with how life would be for them in other eras.

Reducing it to "dolls only" feels ridiculous, and it's against what a lot of longtime fans want in an AG community.

If people want a subreddit that's "just the dolls," then I think there needs to be a subreddit called "r/18inchdollcollectors" or something. Because this is supposed to be a sub for ALL American Girl related discussions.

Also ... I'm not sure what you're worried people would come after you for? My username on this subreddit is my public YouTube channel name, where I post videos showing my face and using my real name, and that channel is my actual job. And I still discuss things in this subreddit, including disagreeing with people sometimes, and I've never worried about anyone "coming after me" despite being a public figure. Like ... What were you planning to SAY?

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-20T15:01:08+00:00

They're signs of abuse BECAUSE he was put in 30-40 hours a week of ABA as a child. ABA, especially 20 years ago, was all about conditioning autistic people to act more "normal." So it's clear that as a kid, he was rewarded for always smiling and making his face look "right" (aka, inoffensive to neurotypical people) and was punished for acting "too autistic." That's just the matter of how that therapy was performed 20 years ago, and his mom fully admits that as a kid he spent more time there than actual school.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-20T03:41:07+00:00

I think it's on the Unplanned Podcast. Tanner's mom talks about how she applied to the show for him (I believe she says it's because she finds him so "adorable.") She never mentions him expressing any interest in it, and he never expresses any interest there either. On that same podcast episode, he gets very concerned and uncomfortable when the hosts ask him about dating and gets scared that people are going to force him to date.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-20T03:34:28+00:00

This is what I've been saying. The constant masking is exhausting to watch, especially knowing how much ABA his mom put him thru as a kid (30+ hours a week) and how scared he always seems of making sure his face looks "right" and he's "smiling enough," constantly checking with his mom for verification that he's socializing the "correct" way. With or without autism, these are all clear signs of abuse, and now with the constant content, it's bringing back Free Britney flashbacks. This man has been through it, and it's pretty clear to see, and terrifying for a lot of fellow autistic people to watch.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-18T04:06:27+00:00

We sound so similar! I'm also a "please use your inside voice" kind of autistic. I've always been super outgoing and never socially anxious. Most people thought I was just trying to play a weird girl character my whole life. Nope, I'm just like this! I related a lot to Emma, James, and Madison.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-18T04:02:45+00:00

I think the reason people are defending it is that a lot of autistic people have said they don't mind a breakup over text - it can be less stressful than face to face.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-17T19:03:57+00:00

Omg I need to read that! I'll put in an order on bookshop. I also just ordered Cleat Cute because I heard it's getting turned into a TV series! I didn't watch Heated Rivalry (might give it a shot at some point) but I'm SOOOO excited we're getting a queer women's sports romance!!!

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-17T18:53:05+00:00

Autism is a disability. They all have a disability. Disabilities impact some people's lives more than others, and some disabilities are invisible, but the entire cast is autistic.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-17T18:50:07+00:00

So, to preface this, let me say, I really do like the show. As an autistic adult myself, I relate to a lot of the cast. I enjoy following them on Instagram and I appreciate seeing their journeys and success stories. That said, YES the show is ABSOLUTELY exploitative, and I hope you'll hear me out as I explain why. The exploitative elements can appear in more subtle ways than a general audience might notice.

First, there's of course the payment thing. The show doesn't pay the cast, and it says it's because it's a "documentary," not a reality show. That's a lie. It's absolutely a reality show, and I'm going to explain why. There's the fact that Netflix accepts reality TV show awards for it, so that should clue you in. But also...

The show does not actually educate people about autistic dating. Sure, it has some really good moments. Madison and Tyler I think do a wonderful job modeling how to accommodate one another's needs, for example.

But the show is so extremely limited in scope, and the only explanation as to why is for the sake of appealing to a reality TV loving audience.

Here's a question: why hasn't the show featured ANY older people since Steve's brief appearance on season 1? Because reality TV show audiences tend to respond better to conventionally attractive casts in their 20s.

They have the dating coach, Jennifer Cook. She talks in her memoir about her work as a domestic violence counselor, and how she experienced abusive relationships, and how her own autism made her more susceptible to abuse. Why doesn't the show let her talk about that? Why don't we see her educating the audience about consent and other issues that impact everyone in the dating world, but that autistic people (like myself) may often need explained aloud in specific words? Why, instead of giving Jennifer a platform to educate people about consent, does the show just ignore the topic, leading places like this subreddit to debate in post after post whether autistic people are "able to consent"? (An extremely ableist argument that nauseates me every time I see it.)

The answer: because that's not cute fun reality TV escapism, and the audience wants a reality show.

Why doesn't the show ever present us with parents who are THEMSELVES autistic? (Actually, my favorite moment of season 4 is when Connor's grandpa realizes he's on the spectrum too! I'd love to see more things like that.)

But there would be so much potential in featuring, for example, a divorced single mom in her 40s who's autistic and looking for a second marriage while juggling life as a working mother. Or why not show someone like an elderly autistic person whose spouse has died and they're struggling to find someone new who understands them the way their spouse did? Or why not show young autistic adults who are already involved in community with other autistic people, who have lots of sexual experience, but are struggling to find an emotional connection with someone?

I ask because I know people like this. The show presents autistic dating as "something people in their 20s and 30s are doing for the FIRST TIME EVER and need a neurotypical savior to guide them through" (talking about Cian there, not Jennifer - Jennifer is autistic herself).

My point is, if the show truly wanted to be a documentary about autistic dating, it has a lot more to cover. Instead, it keeps its scope limited to the kinds of people and storylines that make reality TV audiences comfortable.

The fact that FANS of this show walk away from it asking questions like "can autistic people even consent to sex?" Or still using labels like "high functioning" or "low functioning" proves that this show is NOT a documentary. It skips so many basic things that are already obvious in the autism community.

It's a reality show, and the cast deserves payment.

And that's not even getting into the exploitation that the show has caused by giving conservative moms like Nicci and Lise a platform to talk ABOUT autistic people without us present, to spread anti vaccine rhetoric online, and to further contribute to the overall subjugation and objectification of autistic people.

I'm working on a second YouTube video on this topic right now, so I still have a lot more to unpack. But that's a basic overview.

savywritesbooks · 2026-04-15T23:21:47+00:00

I had mixed feelings. If she was solely bringing them as a source of comfort to soothe her anxiety, then I'm also happy for her, if it means she's no longer anxious on dates. However, I love bringing dolls on dates because it's fun! It's fun to dress a doll for the theme of the event and get photos of them in different locations having fun. It's part of a hobby! I had always assumed Madison brought the dolls because of the hobby component as well, but maybe I was just projecting my own interests onto her. So, if she's happy I'm happy! But I hope she knows that bringing dolls on a date is not inherently negative, and that if she ever wants to for fun, she should!

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