Joeydolls purpose is to create culturally accurate Asian dolls and the founder is an Asian Australian

Being Asian Australian Editorial

May 7

Growing up Asian/Asian Australian, finding dolls which look Asian and represents the Asian culture is and has been almost non-existent. So when a brand like Joeydolls comes onto the radar, that is always great news. This brand of dolls made headlines back in 2023 for its doll line which is marketed at the "World's Most Diverse Asian Dolls" line which resonated with a global audience. It has been selling all across North America and one of the most awesome thing about Joeydolls is that its founder and CEO is an Asian Australian named Samantha Ong. She is also the mother of two little daughters and wanted to make something which would create a sense of belonging and cultural education for them as little girls and as they grew up.

"It really began as a passion project to fulfil a need for my own daughter but then I realized Hann needed this was for many other children. I couldn't believe how difficult it was still to this day to find Asian dolls that were representative. The dolls were often stereotypical and monolithic - fair skinned with black hair. Some were called "Asian" but had no resemblance and still looked Caucasian. I wanted my daughter to connect with the dolls in the way we celebrate our culture at home," Ong discussed in an interview with Being Asian Australian.

"Around the time when I began with the idea my daughter was around one year old and we celebrated by putting her in her Korean traditional dress, the Hanbok, and a Chinese traditional dress the Cheongsam or Qipao. We loved taking photos of her in these dresses as she represented her heritage. It was then that I realized that I wanted dolls to also celebrate our culture through their outfits too so she could relate and connect with them, but also learn about the many different ethnicities and cultures within Asia".

During the pandemic, she suddenly lost her income as a wedding photographer, and with the rise of anti-Asian hate during that period ( FYI anti-Asian hate still hasn't ceased), she wanted to do something in contributing to changing the narrative. Dedicated two raising confident girls who are and all grow to be proud of being Asian and being in their own skin, Ong reflects on how important the message a brand like Joeydolls sends to all other young girls who are Asian and who live in the West.

"I remember watching a study where they asked 3 to 4-year-old children from a variety of backgrounds to select a doll for themselves. They each had a selection of a blonde doll, a black doll, and an Asian doll. Every child chose the blonde doll even though it didn't look like them. And when they asked them why they always said that they were the prettiest. It's really sad to think that children of such a young age develop this idea that fair skin and blonde hair are preferred", Ong expressed.

"Also, our world is filled with so much hate and xenophobia. I really believe it is up to us to help change the narrative for the next generation. That everyone deserves to be loved no matter how they look or where they come from. In this way, these dolls aren't just for Asian children but for all children to have a better understanding of different cultures so we can foster a world that truly embraces diversity".

The Joeydoll collection is one which is superb and culturally accurate. It allows young to old Asian girls, women and even boys and men to really connect and in many ways engage with their "Asian" inner child. In saying all this, what is the statement Ong wants to send to the world about the Joeydolls collection?

"It really goes back to our mission - to celebrate Asian culture and diversity! I hope that we can bring more education and awareness to how beautiful and diverse our Asian community is. That we deserve to not be treated as one monolithic group. There has been so much hate towards the Asian community, especially during and after the pandemic. We are here to deconstruct racism and colorism for not just the Asian community but for all people. Our goal is to foster a world that fully embraces the beauty in all our diversity".

"We made all the dolls with a simple but joyful face. This is because I really hope that these dolls will bring joy to many in light of all the hate. When my daughter was young, she didn't even know how to speak at the time. But she would point at the computer as I designed the face and giggle - every single time! There was something very innately joyful when seeing the doll's joyful face that brought her so much joy too. I sincerely hope that we can bring this same joy to many."

So, if you can, it is time to open your wallets and order the dolls. If you are interested, please go to: https://joeydolls.com/shop/ - to check out the collection and purchase your own collection!

All images provided by Joeydolls.