The American Girl Company has had its triumphs (the introduction of Rebecca, a historically accurate Jewish girl!) and its defeats (the discontinuation of the line’s classic Samantha). But the recent controversy over Gwen, the newest AG doll, has us just downright confused.

It appears that Gwen was released back in February 2009, but is just now seeing all kinds of hype; the HuffPo recently ran an article about the doll’s most prominent characteristic: homelessness.

Wait, what?

Though many commenters, both on and offline, have tried to make the “Oh, she’s just a doll!” argument, the fact is the issue at stake goes beyond the toy. At $95 a pop, with not a penny going toward fund-raising for homeless children and teens, Gwen becomes a joke. While the intention to teach children about homelessness, a very real problem, is noble, selling that lesson for $95 in the form of a shiny doll that an actual homeless girl could never afford doesn’t exactly have us running out to Fifth Avenue to pick one up.

Gwen will continue to stir up controversy, but we can’t help thinking both sides of the argument should take a breather from discussing the American Girl dolls and start focusing on all the real American girls out there. Maybe if we put as much effort into solving the problem of homelessness as we do into arguing about a homeless doll, these “lessons” would become obsolete.

And you thought Tickle Me Elmo was bad! The Huffington Post just dubbed these items the most cringe-worthy toys for kiddos; the list includes a pole-dancing doll (and no, it’s not Miley), a hirsute baby who can be shaved (private parts and all), a wacky breastfeeding doll we’d already wondered about, and the not-so-subtle plush STDs. I don’t really understand the problem with the stiletto-wearing doll or the fake tattoo gun. Little girls walk around in play heels all the time, so why not a doll (yes, it’s a baby doll, but still, what’s the big deal?) And temptoos are part of kiddie culture these days. What’s the harm in a fake tattoo gun? Better that than a fake handgun! Weigh in: Would you buy any of these things for your kid?