Article Link: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/02/10/us/politics/ap-us-transgender-doll.html
This article popped up in the NYT today, and announces that the first toy doll based on a transgender teen will be released next week at the New York Toy Fair. Depending on how the toy sells, they will continue to produce the doll at specialty stores. The doll is named "Jazz" and resembles a teenage subject of a television documentary series "I am Jazz." The "real" Jazz has identified as a female since she could talk!
Interestingly, this doll is being released 40 years after the release of the "Gay Bob" doll, which is supposedly the first "openly gay" doll. I did some digging into the Bob doll and found this out: Created in 1978. He comes with a flannel shirt, tight jeans, cowboy boots and 1 piercing. Additionally, his box is shaped like a closet. Bob was very controversial at the time, but was embraced by gay rights activists.
I just thought it was neat that Jazz is entering the toy market, given how gendered toys are these days. Just goes to show how intersectional sexual identity and personal identity are. It will be interesting to see what she looks like/comes with, and how she is received!
Thanks for sharing this, Zoe! I saw this article, as well, and found it fascinating in conjunction with our discussion of the new model, like the "Genderbread diagram" used in health classes. I found myself wondering: To what extent can social/cultural phenomena like the Jazz doll of the Genderbread diagram push forward policy movements within the political context? How do the two interact and how can we celebrate the Jazz doll while still realizing we have a long way to go in terms of trans-inclusive policy?
ReplyDelete