It became the best-selling Ken doll up to that point, thanks in large part to the number of gay men who bought one. “Queer Ken is the high water mark of, depending on your point of view, either queer infiltration of popular culture or the thoughtless appropriation of queer culture by heterosexuals,” he wrote. While McKendall tried to maintain that the design simply mirrored “what see their dads, brothers, and uncles wearing” and that Mattel “was not in the business of putting cock rings into the hands of little girls,” Savage argued that Earring Magic Ken was an unmistakable reflection of queer culture. From a chain around his neck hung an oversized silver ring that looked a lot like a certain sex toy especially popular among gay men.Įarring Magic Ken and company. In 1993, consumers met this cooler version of the character: Earring Magic Ken-the counterpart for Earring Magic Barbie-flaunted an earring (naturally), black jeans, and a purple pleather vest over a purple mesh crop-top. “They wanted Barbie to stay with Ken, but wanted Ken to look a little cooler,” a Mattel spokesperson Lisa McKendall told journalist Dan Savage. In the early 1990s, Mattel polled young girls for their thoughts on whether Barbie needed a new flame. It was love at first sight.” Though Ken has blithely taken a backseat to his more famous girlfriend for most of their shared history, he’s made headlines on his own at least a couple of times. In doll Ken’s words, per the Barbie media site, “Barbie and I met in 1961 on the set of our first television commercial together. Pat.In 1961, Barbie introduced her new boyfriend, Ken Carson (named after the Handlers’ son, Ken). and Growing up Ginger: #9222 ©1967 Mattel, Inc. They are marked: #7259 Growing up Skipper: © 1967 Mattel Inc. She was only available in 1976, which makes her much harder to find on the secondary market, and especially in the box. In 1976, the brunette Growing Up Ginger was offered as well. In 1975 she had pale blonde colored hair, and when the 2nd version was available in 1976 she had slightly shorter, golden colored hair. Mattel received numerous letters from women’s groups and parents complaining about the doll and her ability to grow breasts. Once she was for sale in stores newspapers all over the country had a heyday writing articles about this Super Teen Skipper. The box she’s packaged in reads: 2 dolls in 1 for twice as much fun! She went from a cute little girl to a tall, curvy teenager, according to the packaging. Growing up Skipper debuted at the New York Toy Fair in February 1975. To return to a little girl, merely turn her arm all the way around clockwise. As you turn her arm her breasts would develop as well. In 19 Mattel released two interesting and controversial dolls: #7259 Growing Up Skipper, and #9222 Growing Up Ginger.īoth dolls had blue eyes and the ability to grow from 9 inches tall (9 ¼ inches was the height of the original Skipper) to 9 ¾ inches in height simply by turning her left arm all the way around counter clockwise.
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