There are certain toys that we may have played with for the majority of our lives. When we see them in the stores, they make us feel nostalgic and we might even pick them up on occasion and play with them again, just as if we were little children. Those toys may develop over time to a certain extent but they are still going to have that same, nostalgic feeling when we see them in the future. They continue to attract the new generation because of their notoriety.
One of the toys that have been around since 1959 and is easily recognizable is from Mattel. That toy, the Barbie doll, has been played with by girls around the world for over half a century. It doesn’t matter if they are playing dress-up, cruising around in a convertible or hanging out with Ken, it just seems as if Barbie is a toy that will always remain the same. Yes, Mattel has made some changes over the years and they have even added many items to the Barbie collection but now they have made the decision to take Barbie and expand her in yet another way.
The line of Barbie dolls that are now finding their way into stores is part of the Creatable World that allows kids to design a Barbie doll for themselves. In other words, it is a gender-neutral doll that is set to break the stereotypes of gender norms. They are doing their part to eliminate the idea that Barbie is stuck in a female world and can never go in any other direction.
The company says the following on their website: “In our world, dolls are as limitless as the kids who play with them. Mattel describes Creatable World as a doll line that is designed ‘to keep labels out and invite everyone in.'”
Creatable World comes in the form of a kit with many options that go along with the doll, including long and short hair and different styles of clothing. Much of it is something that could be worn by either a man or a woman. In addition, the signature curves of the Barbie doll have disappeared, along with the big shoulders of Ken.
“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 Culmore, senior vice president of Mattel fashion doll design, said in a statement.
You can purchase the gender-neutral Barbie dolls for $30 on the Amazon, Walmart or Target websites.
Source: Tip Hero
