I never saw the attraction of the Bratz dolls, those bored-looking, overly-made-up teen pretenders first released in 2001. Luckily, my girls were past the age of playing with dolls by then. I doubt I would have bought them one even if they had their hearts set on them. I think they send a negative message to girls, encouraging them to dress and act older and “hotter” than they really are, pushing them toward premature sexuality.

So I was really gratified when I saw this video on Facebook:

Amazing, isn’t it? Who knew that underneath those caricaturish faces with the Angelina Jolie lips lived the features of beautiful, real little girls from your own neighborhood? The remarkable transformation comes at the hands of Sonia Singh, a scientist in Tasmania with enviable artistic ability. She never wanted to be a toy manufacturer. She just thought she would “upcycle” a few discarded, broken dolls and give them a “make under” in a more natural style.

My favorite part of the video is when the little girls play with the dolls. It reminded me of the imaginative play with Ginny dolls so common in the 1950s. (All right, I admit, I’m basing that comment on my own personal experience.) How do little girls play with Bratz dolls? By pretending about boyfriends and going to the mall?

Sonia’s husband John mentioned his desire to influence toymakers to think about what it is they are marketing to children. Can you change the world with your art? Maybe, maybe not. But Sonia Singh has certainly altered one small part of her world for the better. Isn’t that what we all are shooting for?

Are you working on something with the aim of initiating positive change? Please share about it in the comments.