'gender neutral dolls' now *MNHQ edited title*

[2stepsonthewater]

www.upworthy.com/barbies-creators-are-launching-their-first-line-of-gender-neutral-dolls?fbclid=IwAR03RYzAz8CA2ftI8HgP3x13HbQYmt4_eFMbgeku-UTqbhlMumGR2ECAW1M

Why can't they make a doll with a young girl's body (not Barbie-style ridiculous proportions) that you can dress in any clothes, from hoodies and jeans to sparkly dresses, doctor's outfit, army outfit, etc.? Not 'gender neutral' but just, you know, an average girl.

Wasn't there a previous thread on this?

Anyway, Mattel launches range of female dolls, some of which have short hair and for which trousers are available isn't exactly ground breaking.

I agree with you but I find your thread title really offensive.

Don’t see the problem.

They have made a fantastic range of dolls based on the average 9 year old. They are called Lottie dolls and are fab.

uk.lottie.com/

Not only girls play with dolls, how sexist of you to suggest that the dolls are just for girls. I thought feminists would love a toy that doesn't reinforce gender stereotypes.

Make a male one you can dress up anyway you want.

Make a female one you can dress up anyway you want.

THAT would be gender neutral. Not this weird let’s pretend sex doesn’t exist nonsense

On one hand, this board hates gender stereotypes/gender in general. On the other, it doesn't like companies that try and move away from gender stereotypes? I don't understand it.

These dolls are brilliant. A step in the right direction of teaching kids that whoever can wear whatever. Good on Mattel.

Actually I think they’re good. They’re child shaped. Not adult male or adult female but universal child shape.

I am more offended by the title of your thread, than these dolls!

so have they made a gender neutral Jesus doll?

The point is, the brand expects children to create "boys" by giving them short hair and trousers and to create "girls" by giving them long hair and dresses. As is obvious in their advertising of the product.
That's a slight problem for feminists.

That's beside the fact that all of the dolls actually have stereotypically "girl" faces, all wide eyes and pretty, then you can turn the doll into a boy by... Ta daaa gender stereotypes!

Do it is a problem
It's also a cynical capitalist decision to follow this gender ideology trend because no humans are born without a sex. The doll implies humans can be born without being one sex or another.
Problems galore.

^So not do

Apologies to the Christians I offended.

What FWRLurker said above is what I mean.

I also question the implication that you can change from girl to boy and back again just by changing your hair and clothes, as if that's what makes a girl/boy.

When I was aged about 7 I went to the house of a boy in my class and he had a collection of dolls. Which I thought was weird at the time. (Though he was Danish so maybe it's more usual there.)

He did grow up to be a vicar (make of that what you will!) - though I think he's married to a woman.

BTW I think you'll find no dolls have male/female genitalia :) (Nor teddies!) So they are all somewhat gender neutral in a way.

What sort of dolls lisah?

Action men are dolls and it's pretty normal for boys to have them.

Collecting baby dolls would be unusual for a boy though.

(and frankly I find it a weird hobby for anyone as they are creepy things that give me the heebie-jeebies)

Do odd boys grow into vicars commonly? I've never met a vicar to my knowledge so am unsure what to make of the vicar part.

BTW I think you'll find no dolls have male/female genitalia

Baby wee wee hand a penis which you clicked "On" to make him wee.

The dolls are ugly and have weird knees (from what I saw). Girly girls won’t ditch Barbies for them, Bratz fans won’t like them because they aren’t grotesque enough, Action Man fans won’t want them either. Little. It’s who want sparkles and glitter won’t find them fabulous enough.

They will be bought by Uber trendy uncles and parents who don’t want little Zoozoo growing up not believing they are special. Little Zoozoo just wants a bloody Barbie. Some kids play with Barbie, get over it!

Look out for these dolls in the 99p bin coming to a toy store near you!

So, your a feminist who likes to tackle issues where women are marginalised.

Yet, your title uses a religious figure in an offensive manner

What's the problem?

So, your a feminist who likes to tackle issues where women are marginalised.
Yet, your title uses a religious figure in an offensive manner

What does one have to do with the other?

I also question the implication that you can change from girl to boy and back again just by changing your hair and clothes, as if that's what makes a girl/boy.

Or perhaps they are just designed for children in a way that playing with gender stereotypes isn't required? A doll that is child and not woman (or man) shaped, with no genitalia?

I think the issues get really muddled on MN sometimes.

We used to put Barbies dresses on Action Man and Action Man’s wet suit on Cindy. Who’d’ve thought we were 40 years ahead of the trend?

A doll that is child and not woman (or man) shaped

Is this something children actually want?

I don't recall ever wishing for a child, as opposed to adult shaped doll myself, nor anyone of my friends suggesting they did, nor my own children or their friends suggesting they did.

It's a suggestion that comes up commonly in these kind of discussions but I'm not sure children themselves don't prefer adult shaped dolls. After all children spend a lot of time role playing adults in other ways.