Hasbro Announces That Mr Potato Head Is To Become Gender Neutral

Hasbro, the company that makes Mr Potato Head toys, has announced that as of this year, the toys are to become gender neutral.

This means that Mr Potato Head will no longer be a mister.

It's not unusual for toy manufacturers to update classics from the past for the kids of today, and along with other popular toy lines - such as Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engine and American Girl - Hasbro has decided to bring Mr Potato Head up to speed.

The company said that after 70 years, it's time for a change.

So, going forward, the toys are to simply be called Potato Head.

The changes will appear on the boxes of toys at some point this year, so expect to see people attempting to flog the originals on eBay for exorbitant amounts of cash.

The Mr Potato Head toy first it the shelves in 1952 and would have cost just 98 cents, which is about $10 in today's currency.

If you're unaware of the figure, or have never seen any of the Toy Story movies, it's just a round potato-like body that has a heap of accessories - including hands, feet, hats and moustaches - that kids stick onto it to create their own character.

However, back at the very beginning, the families had to provide their own potato.

Just a year later, Mrs Potato Head was launched, providing exactly the same experience but with accessories like bows and high-heeled shoes.

They flogged more than one million kits in that first year after launch, and it's been going ever since then.

However, they now want a clean break from that in order to stop leaning on the stereotypes of the past, according to Fast Company.

Kimberly Boyd, a GM at Hasbro, said: "Culture has evolved. Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences.

"The way the brand currently exists - with the 'Mr' and 'Mrs' - is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure."

This new move means that kids will be free to do whatever they want with the toys, rather than having the gender of the toys imposed on them.

They can make whatever Potato Head they like, without being told what to do, especially by the constructs of the past.

Whether or not this will see a marked rise in sales, or whether it's just indicative of the fact that children's toys have moved on since 1952, only time will tell.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Toys, Entertainment

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

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