Toy manufacturer Hasbro has clarified the future of long standing toys Mr and Mrs Potato Head after conservative commentators had conniptions over suggestions the toy line would be going gender neutral.
On Thursday news quickly spread that the toy line would no longer be called Mr Potato Head, and moving forward would simply been known as Potato Head. The decision was welcomed by gender equality advocates, but also saw conservative commentators lining up to declare the decision was akin to the end of the world.
US advocacy organisation GLAAD welcomed the move, with Rich Ferraro, the group’s chief communications officer, applauding the move.
“Hasbro is helping kids to simply see toys as toys, which encourages them to be their authentic selves outside of the pressures of traditional gender norms,” he said in a statement.
On Sky News, Former Australian politician Cory Bernardi lamented the decision, recalling his own childhood toy.
Now Hasbro has drawn attention to their original announcement asking people to calm down. They have only announced that the overall name for the toy will be rebranded as Potato Heads, while both Mr and Mrs Potato Head will continue on with their names appearing on the packaging lower down.
The company released an image of the new packaging which also includes a Potato Head family, where children can create a family of mixed gender parents or same sex parents. The new family pack comes with two adult potatoes and one smaller potato, alongside 42 mix and match accessories.
While many media outlets are reporting that Hasbro ha backflipped on their plan following a public backlash, they company actually included the plan in their original media release.
The toy was first launched back in 1952, but back then you actually had to supply your own potato.
OIP Staff
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