Category: mattel

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The New Barbies Include Dolls with Vitiligo, No Hair, and Prosthetic Legs

Normalizing inclusion of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and walks of life for kids is extremely important, especially when they’re very young.

That’s why it’s so commendable that Mattel has launched a new line of Barbies – it’s “most diverse doll line” yet, covering a broad spectrum of different body types, hair types, skin types, and disabilities. The new line includes several dolls of color, a doll with the skin condition vitiligo, a hairless doll, and a doll with a prosthetic limb.

Posted by Barbie on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Barbie Fashionistas line of dolls now has 176 dolls with 35 skin tones, 94 different hairstyles, and 8 body types. I’d say they’ve come a long, wouldn’t you? Mattel said the Fashionistas line is “designed to reflect the world girls see today.”

A spokesperson for Mattel said, “For 2020, Barbie is continuing the journey to represent global diversity and inclusivity in the fashion doll aisle by showcasing a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion.”

Heck, even Ken has long hair now!

In order to design the doll with the skin condition vitiligo, Mattel worked with a dermatologist to make sure the condition was depicted in an accurate manner. A Mattel spokesperson said, “As we continue to redefine what it means to be a ‘Barbie’ or look like Barbie, offering a doll with vitiligo in our main doll line allows kids to play out even more stories they see in the world around them.”

These dolls are great – keep them coming, Mattel!

And keep expanding your Fashionista line to include more and more people of all kinds because kids who can now see dolls that look like them really appreciate it.

The post The New Barbies Include Dolls with Vitiligo, No Hair, and Prosthetic Legs appeared first on UberFacts.

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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Mattel Has Launched a Gender-Neutral Doll Collection

Long gone are the days when a child’s only options were the standard Barbie and Ken. And dolls got even more inclusive recently when Mattel, the company that makes Barbies, launched a gender-neutral doll collection.

This new line of toys from Mattel is meant to erase existing preconceived notions about what gender means and how it is ingrained into us from a very young age. Kim Culmone, the Senior Vice President of Mattel Fashion Doll Design said, “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.” The line is called Creatable World.

Creatable World

In our world, dolls are as limitless as the kids who play with them. Introducing #CreatableWorld, a doll line designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in. #AllWelcomeShop now: http://bit.ly/CWMattel

Posted by Mattel on Tuesday, September 24, 2019

First off, the dolls come in a variety of skin colors. They can be styled with a variety of hairstyles, different clothes, and accessories such as sunglasses. TIME magazine noted that the “lips are not too full, the eyelashes not too long and fluttery, the jaw not too wide. There are no Barbie-like breasts or broad, Ken-like shoulders.”

In recent years, millennial parents have voiced their grievances about gender stereotypes in toys, and it seems like big companies such as Mattel are listening. The new, gender-neutral dolls are 11″ tall and they sell for $29.99 each. The official slogan for the new product is “A doll line designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in.”

It will be interesting to see how these products are received by the public and if other companies will follow Mattel’s lead. Stay tuned.

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This Illegal Uno Move Has the Potential to End Your Friendships

Did you know that Uno was developed in 1971 by Merle Robbins of Ohio, a barber by trade. The game caught on quick, and weirdly enough, Robbins went on to sell the family game quickly to a funeral parlor for a whopping $50,000 + a $.10 royalty per game sold. I’m guessing he did pretty well for himself after the game eventually sold to Mattel.

Anyone who’s ever played the game is probably familiar with the “draw” cards that force your opponent to draw additional cards from the pile (2 or 4, depending on the card). It’s a strategic play that can help you slow down your opponents in later stages of the game.

Well, it appears using a Draw 4 and immediately stacking a Draw 2 card has caused a ruffle, so much so that Uno has stepped in to clarify the rules. It is now official: “double stacking” is cheating!

Sure we’ve all tried it. I mean, this was how we were taught. No one reads the “official” rules booklet, rather the game rules were passed down from your brother, aunt or another family member. Stacking made the game more fun!

Uno’s clarification caused an uproar on Twitter, where users combatted the makers of the game. What do they know?

Apparently, a lot. They did make the game after all.

Some Twitter users tried “going around” the rules by questioning Uno:

While other Uno enthusiasts denied the makers of the game altogether.

And what Twitter debate is complete without commentators chiming in about the insanity?

My advice? Play by house rules – if you can keep this sneaky move hidden from your Uno mates. They may ban you from the game indefinitely if they find out you’re a cheater.

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