Doll Maker Hopes to Empower Muslim Girls
Seeing a gap in the market for Muslim dolls that would empower young women, a father in Australia founded “Zileej” a toy company that manufactures the “Salam Sisters.” In an August interview with
BuzzFeed.News, Peter Gould explained how his daughters inspired him to create the line of dolls. Gould says, “As a Muslim parent and speaking with other Muslim parents I hoped for a toy that would be more representative and inclusive, at the same time super cool and fun.” The five sisters have backstories that represent a wide range of interests, such as becoming an astronaut, or a pro-surfer. According to Gould, the dolls come equipped with a removable hijab, which he hopes will empower young girls to choose how they wish to show their heritage. “It was important to us to provide the option of a headscarf to make that immediate visual link to the Islamic faith, and to show young girls that making the choice to be visibly Muslim can be celebrated in a beautiful way,” Gould says.