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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Courtney Pochin & Sophie Law

Mr Potato Head made gender-neutral and given new name for first time in 70 years

Mr Potato Head has been given a gender neutral name for the first time in 70 years as part of a "modern makeover".

The toys have been around since 1952, when families had to supply their own actual spud to play with it, adding plastic hands, feet, eyes and other accessories to the vegetable.

Made famous by Pixar's Toy Story, Mrs Potato head followed soon after, who had feminised plastic pieces in the kit, such as handbags and high heels.

Now Hasbro, the company behind the potato-shaped toy, have announced they are giving it a "modern makeover" and making it gender-neutral, The Mirror reports.

In a bid to break away from "gender norms", the toy will be dropping the 'Mr' and 'Mrs' and will simply be renamed 'Potato Head'.

This change is set to appear on boxes later this year.

Kimberly Boyd, who works on the Potato Head brand at Hasbro, explained that the company is giving the toy a makeover as they want to stop leaning so heavily into "traditional family structure".

As such Hasbro will also be selling Potato Head boxed sets that don’t present a "traditional" family structure.

These will come with two non-gendered “adult” potatoes, one “baby” potato and 42 accessories, according to Bloomberg.

They hope this change will enable children to create Potato Head families without imposing limits on gender identity, allowing them to express their own ideas and dress them however feels natural to them.

Speaking to Fast Company, Boyd 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 isn't the first toy to be given a modern makeover in recent years.

Last year, Barbie launched a fashionista range, which aims to promote diversity and celebrate the importance of inclusivity.

The range included a doll with no hair, a prosthetic limb, one with vitiligo and another in a wheelchair.

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