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Joy

Little girl's rant about why things are 'man-made' is hysterical and on point

She's asking the tough questions.

@desirously.ambitious/Instagram

What CAN'T is be "people-made," though?

Language evolves as humanity evolves. We know this. History has proven it over and over again.

And yet, there’s still so much resistance when certain linguistic changes are tied to gender issues. The introduction of they/them pronouns comes to mind as an example. Many well-meaning, grammar nerds (myself included) bristled at the thought of incorporating this kind of language, even if they fully supported the idea behind the concept.

But when we get too stuck in the weeds of semantics, we miss the opportunity for vital transformative conversations.

Take for instance a video that came out around 2021—and the debate it sparked—when a little girl questioned why things were “man-made,” rather than “people-made.”

In the clip (whose source is undetermined but shared across several platforms) the girl passionately explains to her mother how she heard the term in her social studies class, and how much it irked her, since it seemed to only regard men as creators.

“Aren’t women building the Eiffel Tower or something? Aren’t women allowed to build stuff?!” she exclaims.

She then refers to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which stated that “all men are created equal.”

“Aren’t women created equal too? Why don’t they say all people are created equal?!” she prods.

Down in the comments, people applauded the little girl’s hilarious gusto.

“You go girl. Little genius,” one person wrote.

Another added, “keep that critical thinking cap on, little mama.”

As to be expected, many people also commented on how the little girl’s argument was unjustified, since, linguistically speaking, it is implied that both men and women are included in the word “man.”

“She is missing the point! Man in this sense is a plural word, meaning man and woman,” one person wrote.”

Another added, “I am so over this. Man made = huMAN, woMAN, MAN! The term is already inclusive of all genders. Stop looking for problems where there aren't any. I'm so sick of this nonsense.”

But is it really nonsense? After all, we need only look to our Constitution to know that women have certainly not always been included in language that pertains to “all men.” Or we could look to all the many instances throughout history in which patriarchal values (that is, values which undermine a woman’s inherent and equal worth) silently shaped the way we lived our everyday lives.

Not to mention that this argument denies language’s true nature—to change along with our own levels of awareness. Perhaps the reality is that this little girl is performing her job as a member of the younger generation, by questioning things older generations might take for granted. After all, we don’t create change by not asking uncomfortable questions.

Bottom line: we have not always been an inclusive society. It is reflected in our language. As we collectively continue to become more inclusive, so too will that be reflected in our language. That’s a good thing. It’s a marker of progress. Think of all the energy we spend combating these inevitable changes when we could instead allow them to help us grow as people.

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Joy

Mom wanted her son to see toys that looked like him. Fisher-Price delivered.

"If you ever decided to design a Little Person with brown skin and red hair, please let us know."

Courtesy of Niki Coffman

Fisher-Price creates new toy to look like a young customer.

When kids look around at television shows or toys on the shelves, they instinctively look to see if there's someone that looks like them. It's a natural desire to want to see yourself represented in different areas of life, and for kids, play is life. Mom Niki Coffman knew that, so she decided to go out on a limb and write to Fisher-Price to gently hint at a favor.

Coffman has a 5-year-old son named Archer, whom she adopted as an infant. The mom explained to Today.com that her family is white and her son goes to a predominantly white school, so there was very little representation of Black people, let alone Black people with red hair, like Archer.

"The thing is, if you feel like, 'you should just be grateful to have a toy,' it's probably because your toys did look like you. It's probably because my princesses did look like me, and once you know someone it matters to who doesn't have that, how could it not matter to you?" Coffman told Upworthy. "Archer identifies with all the toys with brown skin, but to have something that looks like him so that he sees himself in the world, it's not just about a toy. It's really about the rest of the world seeing you, too."

So Coffman went on a mission to make sure her son felt represented in the world around him, even going as far as asking for donations of diverse books and dolls to be sent to the school.

The Coffman Family

Courtesy of Niki Coffman

Coffman explained to Upworthy that they knew going into the adoption that they would have to do everything they could to make sure Archer felt represented in a white household. They stay in close contact with Archer's first mom and his younger sister, and Coffman emphasizes that while the pre-schooler is living with her, she doesn't think "its better than if he got to be with her [his first mom]."

The family has hard conversations about how unfair it is for Archer not to have been able to live with his first mom. But, Coffman doesn't shy away from acknowledging his emotions and tackling the disparity of diversity in her community for her son. In fact, the mom told Upworthy that she first began writing letters to companies when Archer was just a year old, and while most don't respond at all, some have told her they're going to work to do better.

Framable letter from Fisher-Price

Courtesy of Niki Coffman

But after seeing how inclusive Fisher-Price Little People are, Coffman decided to write the company a thank you letter. She explained the family's predicament and her love for how diverse the Little People collection was.

"It hasn't always been the easiest thing to find toys & books that reflect the incredible diversity of the world we live in," Coffman wrote. "But man, oh, man do your current Little People offerings deliver on that diversity. We were so thrilled to find Black firefighters and doctors, girls with braids & and teacher with locs."

The mom continued her letter by explaining how important it was for non-white kids to see themselves represented. As her praise of the company's diverse dolls continued, she threw in a tiny request.

"'If you ever decided to design a Little Person with brown skin and red hair, please let us know,'" Coffman told Today.com about her P.S. at the end of her letter.

To the mom's surprise, she received a reply from Gary Weber, the Vice President of Design at Fisher-Price. He told Coffman that he shared the story with everyone that works on Little People.

"You and Archer have inspired us! We know that when kids play with Little People they are playing out scenarios they see in the world around them, and feeling like they are a part of that world is critical," Weber wrote.

Archer holding Little People "Archer"

Courtesy of Niki Coffman

The VP ended the letter by asking for the family's address, and shortly thereafter, a surprise for Archer arrived on their doorstep. Little People that looked just like the red-headed 5-year-old wearing a perfect replica of one of Archer's outfits. The gift even came with a colorful letter with a picture of the boy inside that was signed by the entire Little People team.

"I immediately burst into tears," Coffman told Upworthy. "He has shown every single person we know. He carries it in his pocket, his little person, so he can show everyone that it looks just like him."

"By having a toy that looked like him, he was really seen and that's what was so moving about this gesture from Fisher-Price is that they really saw him," she continued.

"There’s truly so much goodness in the world, and Gary, Dafna, and their entire team are that goodness personified," the mom wrote on Facebook.

Maybe one day those dolls will make their way into stores so other kids can have their very own Archer figurine.

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Identity

This gorgeous oracle card deck offers valuable wisdom based on African culture

From ancient deities to well-known icons.

Amazon

Each suit represents the "inner temples" one must face.

In all my friend groups, I am considered a bit of a woo ambassador. Whether it be from a crystal, intention-setting candle or meditative bath bomb, I love seeing the look of fascination and intrigue on a loved one’s face after receiving a bit of magic.

My favorite thing to do is gift someone their first oracle card deck. You’ve probably heard of tarot cards—oracle cards are like tarot’s laid-back younger sibling. Each card has a symbolic picture along with a simple, yet poignant message, usually of the empowering variety.

Sure, they’re a common staple of a modern-day spiritual practice, but the main reason I adore them, and why these little cards have become so mainstream over the years, is that they can be valuable self-reflection tools, helping us to make new connections, break old patterns and creatively work on personal development. Plus they’re endlessly fun and who doesn’t love pretty things?

There is, however, one issue. Oracle card decks can be given pretty much any theme you can think of—be it unicorns or angels or pop music icons—and yet, very few feature diverse images or delve into minority cultures. Understandably, when a person cannot even see themselves authentically reflected in the cards, it can leave them feeling missing from the equation. Assuming that it wasn’t created for them, some don’t explore the cards at all. Which is a shame, considering what a powerful tool they can be.

Being a seasoned cardslinger, I was egregiously aware of this during my recent search for an appropriate deck to give my friend as a birthday present.

Luckily, I found the perfect one.

inclusive tarot, black owned oracle cards

You'll find deities, queens and other powerful people to connect with in this deck.

Amazon

The African Goddess Rising Oracle deck contains 44 cards (works of art, really) that focus on prominent figures of African culture. From deities like Oshun—the Yoruba goddess of love—to real-world icons like Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau, each character helps the reader connect to what deck creator Abiola Abrams describes as the “foundational beliefs” of African spirituality: ancestral veneration, reverence for elders and community, respecting natural phenomena, and the power to transmute obstacles.

Abrams’ bio will inform you that she is an award-winning author and first-generation American daughter of multigenerational healers, seers and farmers in Guyana, South America, who are descended from several West African nations. But truly, one glance through her gorgeous deck will just as easily reveal her impeccable knack for storytelling and personal connection to the myths passed down in her family.

Because of its rich historical context, this deck has a much more grounded quality than other more fantasy-based cards—it feels a bit more like receiving wisdom from a wise elder than a heady, esoteric concept. Because, well, that was all by design. As Abrams explains, her creation is “faithful to our sacred truths and secrets passed down through oral tradition.”

In case you were curious—my friend loved it. The very next day after receiving it, she told me how validating it felt to “see even my ancestors telling me I’m on the right track.” It’s that kind of insight and affirmation that oracle cards can help cultivate, which is why it’s so important to have diverse representation. Everyone needs that sort of thing now and again.

To be fair, there are other highly honorable mentions for more inclusive oracle card decks, but something about African Goddess Rising hits different. It helps that Abrams is also a recognized leader in the personal growth space—the empowering messages come from a sensible, well-founded place with simple, actionable steps.


Also—in case it wasn’t obvious, the African Goddess Rising deck can be for anyone. Each message is universal, rooted in humanity and able to speak to us all. I have since procured my own copy, and you can do the same here.

Upworthy may earn a share of proceeds from items purchased on this list.

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Pop Culture

Hobbit actors share perfect response to racial grumblings over 'Rings of Power' casting

They made their statement in Elvish.

commons.wikimedia.org

These hobbits know a thing or two about handling trolls.

The Fellowship of the Ring has banded together once again in the name of solidarity and standing up for what’s right.

In response to racially centered backlash for the diverse casting choices in the new Amazon series “Rings of Power” (a situation disappointingly common for many modern fantasy franchises) the trilogy’s original Hobbits Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan took to social media—about as treacherous as Mordor, some might say—to show their support.

Each actor wore a clothing item displaying a row of elf ears in different skin tones along with a message in Elvish that translates to “You Are All Welcome Here.” The coolest, most LOTR way to rebel possibly ever.



The design was created by LOTR aficionado Don Marshall, otherwise known as “Obscure LotR Facts Guy” on TikTok. On the merchandise website, Marshall noted the exact Elvish language used (Sí de maedyl), which paints a pretty clear picture of this guy’s impressive knowledge base. Fifty percent of the proceeds for every “You Are All Welcome Here” T-shirt and hat go to helping charities that benefit the POC community.

His reaction to seeing the hobbit gang wear his merch is a heartfelt delight for nerds everywhere.

@donmarshall72 Replying to @tara_cards_ I am speechless. Thank you all. The translation was done by @WizardWayKris. The merch is available at the link in my bio! #lotr #hobbits #lordoftherings #tolkien ♬ original sound - DonMarshall72


Wood, Astin, Boyd and Monaghan have certainly reunited before to give us a nostalgic laugh, like their incredibly silly rap video on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” but this homecoming took on a different tone.

“Rings of Power” features people of color in central roles, including Silvan elf Arondir, played by Afro-Latino actor Ismael Cruz Córdova, and his human lover Bronwyn, played by British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi, as well as Princess Disa the dwarf, played by Sophia Nomvete, a Black British actress of African-Iranian heritage.

Since their casting announcement, the actors and the show have received an influx of hateful comments and harassment online. And despite Amazon's claims of streaming records on its debut day of Sept. 2, the Prime Series was the target of “review bombing,” when disgruntled fans inundate the internet with negative reviews based on a social or political reaction rather than to the show’s quality, which distorts and misrepresents how a show is actually being received by audiences.

Members of the current cast have defended each other, calling the claims that a diverse ensemble strays away from Tolkien’s original ideas “nonsense,” but getting support from Frodo, Samwise, Merry and Pippin was next level in terms of denouncing vitriol. For as we know … it takes an army to defeat a horde of trolls.

Tolkien himself, though accused of having racist rhetoric in his novels, was certainly no stranger to defending against bigotry. Back in 1938, Nazis demanded to know if the fantasy author was Jewish (in an attempt to purge anything non-Aryan from German culture). Tolkien clapped back in the classiest way possible, regarding Jewish people as “gifted” and correcting the assumption that Aryans are even of German descent. Tolkien was, after all, a gentleman and a scholar.

With a story that depicts orcs, goblins and other gruesome creatures, it’s tragic to think that something much more monstrous lurks in our everyday life. Though racism is an ugly reality, having a united voice helps overcome that insidious foe. The beauty of fantasy is that it is limitless, going as far as imagination beckons. That is a magic meant for everyone.

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