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Barbie toymaker Mattel creates gender-neutral dolls

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Sonia Elks, Thomson Reuters Foundation

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/afp/03/07/20190307-barbie-dolls.jpg"/><figcaption>Barbie dolls are displayed at a workshop in the Mattel design center in El Segundo, California. Mark Ralston/AFP/File</figcaption></figure></div>LONDON - The toymaker behind Barbie launched a range of gender-neutral dolls on Wednesday which can be styled as either girls or boys, saying children were moving away from traditional stereotypes.Mattel&#x27;s &quot;Creatable World&quot; dolls come with removable wigs allowing them to switch between long and short hair, as well as outfits including both dresses and trousers, with the firm saying they offer &quot;inclusive&quot; play for all.&quot;We heard that kids don&#x27;t want their toys dictated by gender norms,&quot; said Kim Culmone, senior vice president of fashion doll design at Mattel.&quot;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.&quot;Some parents and feminist campaigners argue gendered marketing of children&#x27;s toys and clothes limits girls&#x27; ambitions and reinforces gender stereotypes from a child&#x27;s earliest years.The growing number of children identifying as transgender and non-binary - who do not see themselves as male or female - has also boosted demand for toys which represent a wider range of gender identities.Culmone said the new &quot;gender-inclusive&quot; dolls, which cost $30 each, would allow &quot;all kids to express themselves freely&quot;.The move was hailed as a step forward by Jess Day of Let Toys Be Toys, which campaigns for gender-neutral toys, who said that children learn about the world through play and stereotyped marketing could have far-reaching consequences.&quot;It&#x27;s really nice to see a doll line that is as welcoming to boys as it is to girls,&quot; Day told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that she expected to see more manufacturers taking an inclusive approach.&quot;Toy companies have been quite slow to take on board that the world has changed. Most parents don&#x27;t really want to see their children&#x27;s interests limited.&quot;Six in 10 parents agreed that product marketing &quot;reinforces stereotypes about what girls and boys can do&quot;, a survey by British women&#x27;s rights group, the Fawcett Society, found this year.Barbie, who first appeared on the market in 1959 wearing a swimsuit and high heels, has been held up as an example of unhealthy feminine stereotypes by some campaigners - though she remains one of the company&#x27;s most popular toys.The company has successfully turned around the iconic brand by launching dolls with different skin tones, adding plus-sized and hijab-wearing models and inspiring women, including US civil rights leader Rosa Parks and astronaut Sally Ride.

The toymaker behind Barbie launched a range of gender-neutral dolls on Wednesday which can be styled as either girls or boys, saying children were moving away from traditional stereotypes.

The toymaker behind Barbie launched a range of gender-neutral dolls on Wednesday which can be styled as either girls or boys, saying children were moving away from traditional stereotypes.

Barbie toymaker Mattel creates gender-neutral dolls

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Barbie toymaker Mattel creates gender-neutral dolls

Sonia Elks,

Thomson Reuters Foundation

Published Sep 26, 2019 01:17 AM PHT

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