Toy Giant Invites Gay Couple To Help Create Same-Sex Doll Set
A same-sex Arizona couple has been asked to work with the creators of the iconic Barbie doll to make LGBTQ-inclusive figures for the line, KNXV-TV reported.
The engaged couple caught the attention of Mattel, creators of the doll, after one of the men, Matt Jacobi, posted a picture on Instagram of a set of dolls that he and partner Nick Caprio had put together for Jacobi’s 8-year-old niece.
Jacobi is an E! reality TV personality and a contributor to Instinct Magazine.
The pair were looking for a birthday gift for the youngster, who will serve as a flower girl at their May wedding.
Jacobi posted the picture with a message to Mattel that said, “I hope this inspires you.”
Jacobi received an email from Mattel days later, requesting that the couple come to Los Angeles to help the company develop more diverse options for the Barbie line.
“For them to reach out and take to social media shows the power of your voice on social media,” Caprio said. “It was great to be able to contact them and we’re really excited to see where this goes and work with them.”
Caprio believes if kids are exposed to these types of toys while they are growing up, it will help make being around same-sex couples seem normal.
“They’re a big part of our culture and it’s something that if kids are always exposed to this and they can see their own family,” Caprio said.
“It gets rid of the question of ‘what is this?’ and the explanation and long story you have to go through, because it’s something that will just be what it is and it’s just people that are in love.”
A spokesperson for Mattel confirmed that the company had reached out to the couple to set up a meeting.
“Mattel has been wonderful and we are meeting with the head of Barbie design, their design team, and marketing — either next Friday or the first week of January,” Jacobi said. “Just sorting out travel details and schedules. We are so grateful!”
If Mattel moves forward with its line of same-sex wedding dolls, it wouldn’t be the company’s first nod to the LGBT community.
The Barbie creators created an Instagram post in November 2017 where two of their dolls featured shirts with the LGBT “Love Wins” mantra on them.
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