“With a new doll, the iconic American Girl lineup is for the first time telling the story of a girl with a developmental disability.

“The brand’s 2020 Girl of the Year has congenital hearing loss. Named Joss Kendrick, the character is deaf in her left ear but can hear a little in her right ear using a hearing aid.

“While American Girl has previously featured issues like stuttering and offered accessories including a wheelchair, hearing aids, service dogs and arm crutches, Joss is the brand’s first character to have a physical disability as part of her story, according to Julie Parks, a spokeswoman for American Girl.”

Click here to read this article at Disability Now.