Mattel Launches Range of 'Gender Fluid' Barbie Dolls
New 'Creatable World dolls' designed to be 'gender inclusive' and 'free of labels'
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Toymaker Mattel has launched a new range of "gender fluid" Barbie dolls, that are designed to be "more inclusive" and protect children from being "dictated by gender norms."
Mattel says their new "Creatable World" range Barbie "doll kits" are entirely "free of labels."
The dolls come with a range of clothes and wigs, including skirts and trousers and long and short hairstyles, allowing the children playing with them to switch between genders or keep the style completely "gender-neutral."
The toy giant says they are simply responding to what modern children are asking for, saying: "Kids don't want their toys dictated by gender norms."
Mattel says it consulted pediatricians on how they should look before making the dolls to appear physically gender-neutral without clothing and hair.
The child can then choose which gender to apply, if any, to help encourage gender fluidity and promote transgenderism.
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According to the Daily Mail, the Creatable World range comes with clothing options, accessories, and wigs to allow children to style the doll with short or long hair, or in a skirt, trousers or both.
Mattel says it worked alongside a "dedicated team of experts, parents, physicians and most importantly, kids" to create the six different kits in a variety of skin tones.
Each kit includes one doll, two hairstyle options and can be styled however the child chooses.
Kim Culmone, senior vice president of Mattel's doll design, said: "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."
The brand consulted California-based pediatrician and author Cara Natterson on what the dolls' physiology, proportions, and size should be.
Natterson praised the brand for creating the line, saying: "A collection like this just knocks down every barrier to play.
"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.
"We're hopeful Creatable World will encourage people to think more broadly about how all kids can benefit from doll play."
The doll kits come at a recommended retail price of $29.99 (£34.99).
Barbie manufacturer Mattel is launching a new line of “gender inclusive”dolls pic.twitter.com/tiyDbE152o
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 25, 2019
Earlier this year, "Barbie fans" praised Mattel for releasing a black doll in a wheelchair who wears her natural hair — and the inclusive toy even comes with a ramp that fits inside her Dreamhouse.
Retailing for $19.99, the doll debuted at the New York Toy Fair in February as part of the toy company's 2019 Barbie Fashionistas line.
The collection celebrates diversity as well as realistic expectations of beauty, and people have been taking to Twitter to say they're thrilled to see that Barbie Fashionistas doll #133 is not only in a wheelchair but is also a woman of color.
The Barbie and Ken Fashionistas line features dolls with different body types, skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and hairstyles as part of Mattel's ongoing bid to create inclusive toys that children can identify with.
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Barbie, whose name comes from a shortened version of Barbara, celebrates its 60th birthday in 2019 and was originally designed to show young girls that they could dream big.
The doll was invented by Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, who was inspired by her own children to create the doll.
Nathan Baynard, director of global brand marketing for Barbie said: "Her daughter Barbara was limited in the choices of her toys - the only ones were baby dolls," Baynard recounted.
"The only role she could imagine through that play was caregiver, [or] mother," whereas Handler's son "could imagine being an astronaut, cowboy, pilot, surgeon."
Barbie, whose name comes from a shortened version of Barbara, was designed to show young girls that they could dream big.
It was made to teach girls "that they had choices, that they could be anything. In 1959, it was a radical idea!" he added.
For those of you who can longer bear to hear your children complain about being "dictated by gender norms," Mattel promises their new "inclusive" Barbie range will be in stores for Christmas.
