William's Doll (clip)

[Sallyallie89]

When I was a little girl I always enjoyed the more boyish toys. Even adults thought that was bad, but not as bad as a boy playing with girlish toys. I remember going into McDonalds and was so happy because I got a dinosaur for a toy vs. a barbie doll. My friend's mother at the time constantly asked me "Do you want a barbie instead?" and I told her no and she kept pestering me, asking me if I was sure I wanted a dinosaur over a barbie doll. I sure won't be like that with my kids.

[rabidrabbitshuggers]

I don't understand how the "Free to Be...You and Me" version of this story can be so sweet it brings you to tears, and yet THIS version is, at times, unintentionally hilarious (not because of the subject matter--because of the creepy grandpa).

Rifftrax totally OWNED this one.

[justiceleague3000]

Don't worry, William... It Gets Better!

[lenekabry]

i have no problem with my two boys playing with dolls. in fact wen i was pregnant with my second, i used a doll and a bear to show my firstborn how to hold, cradle,kiss and hug and love on his new little brother. It really helped alot, and the fact that to this day he is still gentle with baby dolls and his little brother is a great thing, it shows that little boys can be nurturing if taught how and may one day grow up to impliment these skills when they become fathers.

[sporkgirl32c]

is this based on the song William wants a doll from Free to Be You and Me?

[tensacross]

I used to love playing with dolls. Hated army figures and guns were dull. Not enough drama! To get my male friends to play dolls with me. Id get around the idea we were playing with dolls by calling it "playing with people", and invariably there'd be a terrible car accident and someone would lose their legs.

Whatever it took, I got to play with dolls.

(After Star Wars, toy manufacturers caught on, and dolls for boys became "action figures.")

[normbates30]

Hey thats little Jonah on Little house on the prairie ! he was from the episode where Laura and her friend think they found gold in the creek

[MsEsSayYmUa]

Wow awsome book... It was on what would you do!

[Chillazilla2]

I would have no problem with my son playing with a doll anymore than I would have a problem letting my daughter play with a football.Toys aren't gender-specific. Just let the kids have fun

[elenavlada]

gay or not, parents shoud have UNCONDITIONAL LOVE TOWARDS THEIR KIDS

[iamthegame09]

@elenavlada I think most parent have got unconditional love for their kids but when it comes to matters such as this the parent is more concerned that people will (1) think there's something wrong with their child and (2) worry that people will suggest that there is something wrong with the parent. So essentially, the parent is more concerned about their own reputation as a parent than with their own childs happiness! :)

[elenavlada]

@iamthegame09 YEAH THATS THE WHOLE POINT,..you cant just have kids and love only those that you. thats the point of being a parent, accept and love your child no matter what!

[jfpinell]

I always say the day I see women being riddiculed again for wearing pants suitcoats ties baseball hats t-shirts driving pick-ups/SUV's or a hundred other things I can think of that "belong to" men then I'll agree a guy shouldn't touch anything pink or flower patterned with a 10-ft pole. Could this be the reason maybe that men rarely if ever had anything to do years ago with the care of their children? The only thing Pa was there for was discipline "just wait til your father gets home!"

[iamthegame09]

@jfpinell And that is what has destroyed so many peoples relationships with their own fathers......Thankfully I only heard "wait till your father gets home" once or twice but so many men have been assigned the role of the "bad guy" which has caused children to fear them and continue this vicious cycle :(

[stevedogan]

@iamthegame09 In some cases fear but not the overwhelming majority I'd say. I was pretty much paraphrasing before. I just mean that the way boys were raised until about the '60's.... I mean fathers weren't even allowed in the delivery room until about the late '80's, from what I was told! Almost from day 1 Pa wasn't allowed to bond with his kid anywhere near what Ma was! Even when kids were born at home Pa was "chased out" of the room. It's no wonder men's attitude is the way it is.

[AnnoyingSquib]

I may not have been a boy that wasn't allowed to play with dolls, but I was the opposite. I was a girl that was not allowed to play with action figures because that was not expected of me. I wanted a Casy Jones and Raphael action figure so badly and asked every Christmas but always got Barbies instead. Now I say to hell with dolls and figures but I still feel sorry for this kid.

[wikkidwonka]

the rifftrax version of this is hilarious

[skeilak]

@wikkidwonka

I couldn't find the Rifftrax version. But I'll keep looking. I'm sure it's hilarious.

I couldn't think of better fodder for Mike and the boys, than this insufferable chunk of 70's "touchy-feely", "PC" crap.

[kvn8907]

@wikkidwonka My favorite part was near the end when they said "Grandpa's just savoring that sweet moment before enjoying a brand-new Marmaduke." X-D

[3ritneyTV]

I'm a boy and i wanted a doll when i was younger

I got a Ken doll lol XD o well a doll is a doll

[display70]

this is a great video if only it showed either how to except William or that the sterotype that only gay boys play with dolls isn't true then it would be perfect.

[cafekkoHAVEN]

thumbs up for abc's tv show "What Would You Do?" brought you here.

XDDD

[Blackwingedbeauty]

this is so touching, unfortunately society needs to be more open minded to accept nurturing behaviors like this.

[nomadcowatbk]

As seen on Rifftrax

[joelius1]

And what about little Suzie there? Is her pink dress fooling anyone? She tossed that doll aside and dove into piling dirt into the dump truck like nobody's business. I would say William isn't the only one here whose prom date is going to be a big surprise to mom and dad...

[nomadcowatbk]

@joelius1 .

Is there a Suzie's Truck short available?

[joelius1]

@bigweeniegenie14 "Just because a boy plays with dolls doesn't make him a gay." True, he might be a budding pedophile instead.

[tubian323]

When I was a little boy I was over at my cousin's place one time and she wanted to show me with her dolls how to feed and diaper a baby. I remember being so afraid that someone would walk in her room and see me holding a doll. But why was I afraid of being seen with a doll? It's interesting though, when a plastic figurine is for girls it's a "doll" but when a figurine is for boys it's an "action figure."

[megarouge2001]

I have a newborn son, and if he wants a doll, he's going to get one. And I'll teach him how to feed it and change its diapers, etc and so on.

[Pattonfrodo]

Funny part is lots of boys play with dolls only they gave then a cool name for Boy's..and called them "Action Figures " I have all the Star Wars ones growing up.!

[VIEWTUBE00000]

I am gay and growing up in the 70's I played with dolls. I had 2 friends who were both girls and we'd play with our dolls from time to time. The families of the girls as well as the boys on the block acted like they never saw anything so bizarre as a boy who played with dolls. The girls for the most part tolerated it but not any of the boys. I was called every name you can imagine. What can you expect from growing up in a blue collar neighborhood full of Archie Bunker type dads.

[carmelprettyboi]

I played with dolls my whole life started with My Buddy, ended with Bratz! From 88-06

[bigweeniegenie14]

This story breaks my heart... I remember when I was a little boy I wanted a doll so bad. But dad was just an ass-hole about it, and my mom backed him up. Just because a boy plays with dolls doesn't make him a gay. I played with dolls and I am a straight guy with a girlfriend.

[GentleMama2Mine]

I'm sorry your mom and dad were so sexist and narrow in their views. :( I have a son and have already bought him one doll and would be glad to buy him more when/if he shows an interest.

[bigweeniegenie14]

Your son is VERY lucky to have an open minded parent like you! :)

[GentleMama2Mine]

Thanks for your kind comment. You can be there for any kids you may have in ways your parents weren't there for you. Why not buy yourself a doll now, if you still want one? :)

[bigweeniegenie14]

Haha don't get me wrong! My parents are amazing, but they ALAWAYS bought me "boy" stuff: football, hot wheels, water gun, etc. But as a matter of fact I have a number of dolls! I have 1 Barbie doll, 1 Bratz Doll, and 1 Polly Pocket Doll. I keep them under my bed so my parents don't find out about them lol! AND I just bought myself an American Girl Doll 5 minutes ago after saving up for her! I'm SUPER excited! AHHHH!!!! :D

[GentleMama2Mine]

Awesome! :D

[sofalofagus1998]

@bigweeniegenie14 I totally agree! :D There is also a song about it called williams doll :D Sung it for my musical theater preformance before

[Clemburke1111]

@bigweeniegenie14 You will probably makea better dad for going through what you went through and your honesty about it.

[joelius1]

@bigweeniegenie14 "Just because a boy plays with dolls doesn't make him a gay." By the same token, posting a Youtube comment claiming to have a girlfriend doesn't make you heterosexual.

[mwcmitchell]

@bigweeniegenie14

The description in your profile starts off with "I am a proud gay man".

Not saying its a bad thing.

But dont lie.

[Magicpotato]

@mwcmitchell fail lol.

[bigweeniegenie14]

@mwcmitchell AHA! Yeah I contradicted myself lmao! I went from straight, to bi, to gay. The only reason I thought I was 'bi' was because I lost my V-Card to my first girlfriend. lol So yeah please just ignore my comment. Isn't crazy how much changes in a year??!

[iamthegame09]

@bigweeniegenie14 It's the adult that see the sexuality in the toys, not the children.

[Jal8919536]

This story was featured as a segment narrated by Alan Alda in the Marlo Thomas special "Free to Be . . . You and Me".

[nikkidesalles]

That's my man; Hopefully my husband some day soon! Wasn't he the cutest kid? (he turned out to be a STUD!) He is truly going to make a wonderful father; he's taken my children on as his own . . . His sister was also in a Phoenix Film titled, "A New Friend". Check it out!

[FlaviaR]

Even tho' it a few awkward second when he first picks up the doll, the fatherly affection this child shows is truly heartwarming.