Barbie manufacturer Mattel wants to make the next big thing in children’s toys, and it has an idea that combines progressive gender politics with shattering beauty standards: gender-neutral dolls. It’s brilliant, if your goal is to turn absurdity into cash.
Not to be outperformed by the gender-gap-crushing Ms. Monopoly or even Barbie’s “inspiring women” collection, Mattel has introduced a line of gender-neutral dolls, with generic features and interchangeable hair and clothes, so kids can swap the doll’s appearance from male to female to both depending on their moods.
While a slight majority of Americans endorses steering girls toward boys’ toys and vice versa, Mattel isn’t just trying to break down stereotypes. In an attempt to stay relevant, it’s specifically targeting the traditional concept of gender.
To be fair, gender-neutral dolls aren’t a ridiculous idea. Kids often experiment with different forms of expression when they’re young, and some don’t even lean into gender expression until after puberty.
But this isn’t just about creating a doll that looks like its owners. It’s an attempt to make a statement that gender isn’t what it was once thought to be, and we all ought to change our minds about it.
With a gender-neutral doll, Mattel hopes to break taboos and appeal to a generation that wants activism in its brands https://t.co/e3JfsaW7vR pic.twitter.com/KRxKS5jsHS
— TIME (@TIME) September 25, 2019
According to Time, “Mattel’s first promotional spot for the $29.99 product features a series of kids who go by various pronouns — him, her, them, xem — and the slogan ‘A doll line designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in.’ With this overt nod to trans and nonbinary identities, the company is betting on where it thinks the country is going, even if it means alienating a substantial portion of the population.”
Let’s break this down. First of all, this doll costs $30, more than three times the price of the average Barbie doll. If it actually sells (and all this publicity can’t hurt), then don’t say woke capitalism doesn’t pay off.
Second, the marketing campaign for the dolls features children who have been fed so much cultural confusion that they’ve started identifying as “xem” or “them” (though the use of the latter pronoun for a singular subject now has the endorsement of the dictionary). Children don’t need strict labels; Mattel is right. But neither should they embrace absurd labels such as “xem” in an attempt to defy old norms.
Finally, the company is so confident in the direction of the country that it’s willing to alienate a portion of its consumer base just to make its progressive statement. So much for inviting everyone in.
Mattel might be be able to cash in on the gender-neutral doll, or it might flop. Either way, at least the company has been clear that its gender-neutral dolls aren’t value-neutral, and the company has a specific, radical message targeted at young kids. Maybe they should go back to Barbie instead.
