Labels. They’re everywhere, pervasive and entrenched in our society, forcing people to fit inside a box that may not capture who they truly are. Among the most definitive of these labels is gender, something that may seem dichotomous at a surface level. In reality, it’s a nuanced spectrum of identities that aren’t represented in mainstream media. Mattel’s new gender-neutral doll line is the first of its kind, defying social norms of gender and providing those who identify as gender fluid with the representation that they have long been denied. It’s a progressive step in redefining the status quo of the country, which is critical to our youth in such a politically divisive climate. 

The line, called Creatable World, comes with an androgynous doll and a wide array of options for clothes and hair letting the user decide whether to make the doll male, female, both, or neither. There’s none of the Barbie-like breasts or Ken-like shoulders that are prevalent in Mattel’s other doll lines.  After successfully testing the doll with families and non-binary kids across seven states, the line was launched on September 25th to wide acclaim. The toy primarily caters toward Generation Alpha (those born 2010 or later), a vastly untapped demographic. Children who have played with the doll have expressed their enthusiasm at having a toy they have creative freedom with. Furthermore, the toy allows kids to form their own opinions about gender roles, teaching them to think critically from a young age. 

But most importantly, the toy caters to the non-binary and gender-fluid children that don’t see themselves reflected in media, let alone in toys. Although Mattel has taken strides to be more inclusive in the past (such as Barbie dolls with different body shapes), the release of Creatable World is prominent due to the fact that it’s unprecedented. And with this unconcealed nod to this overlooked community, Mattel has gone where no other corporation has been before. There are no gay characters, let alone gender-nonbinary ones, in well-known books or movies. Even famous characters that are said to be LGBTQ+ haven’t officially come out on the page or the screen. By breaking the stigma surrounding gender nonconformity, Mattel is paving the way to greater diversity in the media.