"Creatable World" sees a new line of androgynous toys cater to Generation Alpha.
The new doll line is gender-neutral in so far as the dolls don’t start out with any level of feminine or masculine characteristics. Instead, the dolls allow kids to customise their looks.
According to Time, "each doll in the Creatable World series looks like a slender 7-year-old with short hair, but each comes with a wig of long, lustrous locks and a wardrobe befitting any fashion-conscious kid: hoodies, sneakers, graphic t-shirts in soothing greens and yellows, along with tutus and camo pants".
Giving children the option of how they want their doll to look – be it more feminine-presenting or more masculine-presenting – allows them to create a doll that most identifies with them, instead of opting merely for premade dolls suggesting how certain genders should look.
"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 Culmone, senior vice president of Mattel’s doll design, noted at the launch.
She continued by saying that the way Generation Alpha – the children of millennials – sees gender is changing, and, as a whole, considered not entirely relevant on first glance.
"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.
"We’re hopeful Creatable World will encourage people to think more broadly about how all kids can benefit from doll play."
The Creatable World series will cost $29.99 per doll (€28.35 + €12.53 shipping for Irish consumers) and go on sale online only in October.
The dolls will then find their way into brick-and-mortar retailers. The first lineup will consist of six different doll kits, and each doll will come in a variety of skin tones.
The discussion surrounding gender neutrality has grown legs of late, perpetuated by landmark bills allocating for optional gender listings and gender-neutral bathrooms cropping up internationally.
It's believed that the movement snowballed from the #MeToo time of yore which saw women campaign for gender equality and protect themselves from those who had taken advantage of their patriarchal status.
READ MORE: The World's First Ever Transgender Lingerie Brand Has Been Launched
READ MORE: Would You Use A Gender-Free Sex Toy?
