About

Gender Inclusive Mattel Dolls or Creatable World dolls are customizable toy dolls created for all children. The gender fluid dolls were released in September 2019 and were met with praise and criticism online. Many Twitter users expressed their concern that the dolls are a form of social engineering while others thanked the company for creating a product that made all children feel included.

History

On September 25th, 2019, Mattel posted and Instagram video introducing the CreatableWorld^[1] doll line"designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in" (shown below). The video gained over 4,800 likes in a day. The doll kits include customizable hair and clothing and are priced at $29.99 each.

Reception

On September 25th, 2019, Twitter user @robbystarbuck shared the promotional video and commented that "This is all about social engineering. If @Mattel wanted to make a doll without defined private parts, totally fine, its been done many times and gives kids options. That’s not what’s going on here. This is social engineering masquerading as a toy" (shown below). The tweet garnered over 140 retweets and 375 likes in a day.

On September 25th, Time^[2] published an article on the Mattel's new doll line which outlines the process of the doll's research and development. The article quoted the company's President Richard Dickson statement:

“We’re not in the business of politics and we respect the decision any parent makes around how they raise their kids. Our job is to stimulate imaginations. Our toys are ultimately canvases for cultural conversation, but it’s your conversation, not ours; your opinion, not ours.”

That same day, Many Twitter users responded to the Time article. Twitter user @ElisaMorris712^[3] tweeted, "Of course! Let’s indoctrinate our children into believing we should all be Gender neutral. I can’t roll my eyes any harder!" (shown below, left) while Twitter user @PixMichelle^[4] explained that "These dolls are providing children with a blank canvas, free from societal expectations, and giving them the freedom to make the dolls look the way THEY want, and each one can be unique, just like children are. If that’s not “embracing our differences,” I don’t know what is" (shown below, right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References