Barbie and Ken have no genitals, and they’re known as gendered stereotypes, despite the fantastic, tearjerking speech in the Barbie movie by America Ferrera: “I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women.” We grew up with Barbie and some pretty tough comp het ideals she set up for us and what we’re supposed to want in life. She said we could be anything we wanted, so I pick and choose my Barbie moments. I love Barbie in her 1970s stoner/acid era where she’s in a groovy “country camper” with a dude and a chick on the box which says “a home for Barbie where she explores the great outdoors .. the swinginest camper on wheels!” Barbie’s sexuality was always speculated upon, as Ken can come off as a beard, and Mattel did release its first official lesbian Barbie. The Barbie movie had many references to Barbie’s queer journey.
The history of queer dolls is a fascinating intersection of LGBTQ+ culture, representation, and activism. While mainstream doll lines ignored queer identities for decades, artists, eventually toy companies began creating dolls that reflect the diversity of gender and sexuality.
The first significant gay doll was the anatomically correct Gay Bob in 1977. Gay Bob was created by an advertising executive named Harvey Rosenberg who said, “We had something to learn from the gay movement, just like we did from the black civil rights movement, and the women’s movement and that is having the courage to stand up and say, ‘I have a right to be what I am’.” Rosenberg put $10,000 of his own money into getting Gay Bob manufactured through his company, Gizmo Development. His packaging read:
"Hi boys, girls and grownups, I’m Gay Bob, the world’s first gay doll. I bet you are wondering why I come packed in a closet. ‘Coming out of the closet’ is an expression which means that you admit the truth about yourself and are no longer ashamed of what you are... A lot of straight people should come out of their 'straight closets' and take the risk of being honest about what they are. People who are not ashamed of what they are, are more lovable, kind, and understanding. That is why everyone should come out of “their closet" so the world will be a more loving, understanding, and fulfilling place to live. Gay people are no different than straight people. If everyone came out of their closets, there wouldn’t be so many angry, frustrated, frightened people... It’s not easy to be honest about what you are; in fact it takes a great deal of courage. But remember, if Gay Bob has the courage to come out of his closet, so can you!"
During the 1960s–1980s there were subversive art dolls like the ones made by transgender artist Greer Lankton that challenged gender norms and reflected queer experiences. These weren’t toys for children, but rather statements about identity, body politics, and beauty standards. LGBTQ+ individuals often made their own queer dolls or customized Barbie and Ken dolls in zines, drag shows, or protest art. Dolls were queerified by giving them new clothes, genders, relationships, or genitals. I follow an account called Rolliedolls on Instagram that makes hilarious queer scenes with dolls.
Mattel introduced a line called Creatable World gender-neutral dolls with mix-and-match clothing, skin tones and hair types and introduced a Laverne Cox Barbie modeled after transgender actress Laverne Cox. There’s a line of RuPaul drag dolls. Queer dolls challenge gender norms in childhood play, offer validation for queer kids, and serve as cultural artifacts. They also educate, provoke dialogue, and provide representation that was long denied in mainstream toys.