barbie manufacturer mattel has launched a new line of ‘gender inclusive’ dolls that its creators say will allow children to ‘express themselves freely.’ called ‘creatable world’, the line of dolls comes with extensive wardrobe options, accessories so that kids can style the doll with short or long hair, or in a skirt, pants, or both.
images courtesy of mattel
mattel worked alongside a dedicated team of experts, parents, physicians and most importantly, kids, to create the new collection. it decided that an array of different choices, which are affixed to no gender in particular, would give kids the chance to create their own characters.
‘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,’ said kim culmone, senior vice president of mattel fashion doll design. ‘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,’ she adds. ‘we’re hopeful creatable world will encourage people to think more broadly about how all kids can benefit from doll play.’
the creatable world doll line consists of six different doll kits that are available in a variety of skin tones. each kit includes one doll, two hairstyle options and endless styling possibilities. the product has a suggested retail price of $30 and can be purchased at major retailers online including amazon, target and walmart.
in recent years, the toymaker has introduced several new barbie lines that contribute to a more diverse range of dolls. these include the barbie fashionista line, released in early 2016, which featured curvy, petite and tall models.
earlier this year, barbie debuted two additional models: a doll with a prosthetic leg and another that comes with a wheelchair. the ‘creatable world’ series aims to continue this diversification.
project info
company: mattel
name: creatable world
price: starting from $30
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Gender neutrality should not be about blending appearances to the midpoint between female and male’s gender stereotypes. Instead this blending of stereotypical gender identity needs to happen on the perceptual level. You can have long hair and identify as male and vice versa.