Some good news for a change, Mattel releases new "Creatable World" line

[Starbuck1975]

Calm down, you sound like the nervous Nancies on the PMRC from our time.

One of my favorite videos from our time is Dee Snider’s epic takedown of the PMRC. On Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” album, there is a song called “Ode to Tipper Gore”. Ironic that the nancies were so concerned about Satan and profanity, yet could you imagine some of the rock videos of then released today? Plenty of nancies still running around.

Who cares if gay flags disappear after gay pride day.

I guess you care if you think marketing virtue signaling is disingenuous. Its no secret that Millenials want brands to stand for something. It’s lazy activism.

Who cares if they make different race/mixed race dolls with an occasion fat doll too.

The American Heart Association and pediatric care circles might care about categorizing obesity as a lifestyle choice.

Who cares if there is a same sex couple doll.

Most dolls don’t have a sex, at least not the ones made for kids

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Diversity and inclusiveness is a good thing, but I approach these things with skepticism when it comes to selling products. Marketing departments are now using virtue signaling and using social justice as branding opportunities. Pride month ends, and all the rainbow flags disappear.

Kids are also incredibly impressionable. My niece has a Han Solo play costume and prefers Star Wars legos to Disney princess ones. There is nothing wrong with that. I would however question the motives of an educator, counselor or any adult that would take that as an invitation to engage her or convince her that she falls into some gender category.

Then again, the adults of my youth didn’t understand or approve of the whole heavy metal sub-culture, which certainly had its own form of expression.

The problem is that today we have made a grave mistake of calling something diverse based on the number of shades of skin color present.

Instead of, you know.... The real important part of diversity.... Diversity of thought.

Instead the generation is indoctrinating that diversity of thought and questioning authority is evil. Soft bigotry of low expectations, etc. etc.

 

[woolfe9998]

Diversity and inclusiveness is a good thing, but I approach these things with skepticism when it comes to selling products. Marketing departments are now using virtue signaling and using social justice as branding opportunities. Pride month ends, and all the rainbow flags disappear.

Kids are also incredibly impressionable. My niece has a Han Solo play costume and prefers Star Wars legos to Disney princess ones. There is nothing wrong with that. I would however question the motives of an educator, counselor or any adult that would take that as an invitation to engage her or convince her that she falls into some gender category.

Then again, the adults of my youth didn’t understand or approve of the whole heavy metal sub-culture, which certainly had its own form of expression.

For profit corporations see market opportunities and they pursue them. You cannot assume considerations of social impact are even relevant to their decisions. The only way that ever happens is when they get outed for doing something which offends the current zeitgeist, after which they apologize and pretend to be very socially conscious.

It's fair to say that the left's recent push farther left on the subject of various "gender-bending" people has created an opportunity for Mattell. I'd say the market seems tiny - it's the subset of people who are transgender, and the subset of those who realize they are TG at the appropriate age, and the subset of those who are interested in dolls. But this is a showcase product. It raises Mattell's mindshare with people who are sympathetic to transgender rights. They're more likely to buy other Mattell toys for their kids. Clever strategy which will likely make them money.

I agree that it's wrong to put a child in a "transgender" box or even a "gay" box based on what toys they play with. They should figure all of that out on their own over time. I kind of think toys like this that - in spite of Mattell's profit motive - happen to be a good idea because they give the kids choices of different things to explore. That's how they figure things out for themselves.