Melissa Harris-Perry, a professor at Tulane University and a weekend host on MSNBC, honored Disney Channel character Dottie "Doc" McStuffins today as the first ever animated Foot Soldier at the suggestion of her 10 year-old daughter. The series follows young Dottie, who aspires to be a doctor one day like her mother. She pretends her toys come to life and treats their various ailments while donning a pink stethoscope. Harris-Perry said her daughter pointed out that the show inspires her because you don't usually see black women doctors. This claim is backed up with statistics. Black women comprise less than 2% of all doctors in America. Part of the blame for the disparity lies in the media messages that young black girls receive, which may limit their choices later in life. We commend the Disney Channel for providing a positive representation for young girls and hope to see similarly inspiring programming in the future.
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