Mattel – the toymaker who makes Barbies – is now promoting “inclusivity” through a new line of “gender-neutral” dolls.
The doll line is called “Creative World” and each doll comes with a kit of switchable items to customize the doll, like both long and short wigs, skirts, and pants.
According the the minds behind “Creative World,”
“Through research, we heard that kids don’t want their toys dictated by gender norms. This line allows all kids to express themselves freely which is why it resonates so strongly with them.”
The "gender-neutral" dolls have caused a stir on social media, with many slamming the toys as social engineering indoctrinating kids into a liberal, Godless agenda.
The New York Times said the following about Mattel's new dolls:
Mattel, the company that conquered the doll world by dividing it into idealized Barbies and Kens, is introducing a new line of gender-neutral dolls for boys, girls and children in between.
The new line, introduced on Wednesday and called Creatable World, is intended to reflect our culture “as the world continues to celebrate the positive impact of inclusivity,” said Kim Culmone, the Mattel executive who led the team that designed the new dolls.
Available in different skin tones, each doll comes with two wigs of different lengths — hair types include curly, straight and braided — and several wardrobe options that allow children to style the doll with “short or long hair, or in a skirt, pants or both,” Culmone said. Each kit, as they’re called, costs about $30.
Beliefs and opinions around gender are rapidly changing, and in the process creating new marketing opportunities, including in fashion, publishing and toys. But one thing the dolls definitely are not, Mattel says, are gender-neutral Barbies.
They are intended to be “relatable,” not “aspirational” like Barbie, said Michelle Chidoni, a Mattel spokeswoman. And they are not supposed to be adults, like Barbie and Ken, but rather they were “designed specifically to have a youthful gender-neutral appearance,” said Culmone.
Fox Business has more details on the "gender-neutral" dolls:
Toymaker Mattel announced a new line of gender-neutral dolls, claiming its research shows that kids "don't want their toys dictated by gender norms."
Kids can customize the new dolls with long or short hair, pants or skirts, or both. The dolls come in six different skin tones, and the suggested retail price is $30.
"Toys are a reflection of culture and as the world continues to celebrate the positive impact of inclusivity, we felt it was time to create a doll line free of labels," Kim Culmone, senior vice president of Mattel Fashion Doll Design, said in a statement. "Through research, we heard that kids don’t want their toys dictated by gender norms."
Summit News has more to say on this:
An ad for the new product featured a boy with purple hair and one who was wearing an earring.
Some respondents accused the company of trying to socially engineer kids, contributing to making them confused about gender.
“This is all about social engineering,” commented Robbie Starbuck. “If @Mattel wanted to make a doll without defined private parts, totally fine, its been done many times and gives kids options. That’s not what’s going on here. This is social engineering masquerading as a toy.”
One wonders how successful the new line will be.
“Get woke, go broke” is a common refrain, but the amount of free advertising any company enjoys by pandering to identity politics is usually substantial.
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