Hasbro has announced that Mr. Potato Head, the beloved Toy Story-featuring spud, will be replaced with a gender-neutral Potato Head this year.
Associated Press reports that the name change will be reflected on boxes later this year, becoming the latest toy to update its image. Other companies have made similar changes to reflect modern times in the past, such as Mattel’s Barbie shedding its skinny-blonde image and increasing diversity of skin tones. The change will only impact the toy, with the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head living on with the Toy Story films among other forms.
“Your main, spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn’t going where,” Hasbro clarified in a tweet. “While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the ‘MR.’ I yam proud to confirm that MR. MRS. POTATO HEAD aren’t going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD.” Once again, it’s a brand name change, not a change to the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
Potato Head will allow children to model a family that represents their own. By dropping the “Mr.” from the products name, the Toy Insider editor in chief Ali Mierzejewski said the move could encourage other companies to not assign gender to toys, which are otherwise inanmiate objects. “It’s setting this new standard,” he added. The change has been welcomed by many, but right-wingers incapable of critical thought (including Piers Morgan) have been struggling to grasp the idea of a toy not being labeled a man.
LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD praised the name change. “Hasbro is helping kids to simply see toys as toys, which encourages them to be their authentic selves outside of the pressures of traditional gender norms,” said chief communications officer Rich Ferraro. The toy first arrived on store shelves in 1952, but it was only later down the line that it included a plastic potato as it was originally just a set of pieces to use on real potatoes.
Check out reactions to the news below.
If you’re upset about mr potato head, you’re not a serious person
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) February 25, 2021
They're really throwing a fit over Mr. Potato Head pic.twitter.com/psXtijLiJG
— KnowNothing (@KnowNothingTV) February 25, 2021
Seen a lot of shit in my time but never thought I’d live to see a grown adult demand they add a dick to Mr Potato Head pic.twitter.com/XtxGzVyXZr
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) February 25, 2021
the culture war stuff is so funny. imagine having to have an opinion on mr. potato head. pic.twitter.com/x31hjZz64s
— 9 V O L T (@9_volt_) February 25, 2021
if you're gonna get upset about Mr. Potato Head, maybe focus on the fact that it teaches kids to rip his legs off and jam them in his arm holes. seems like a problematic lesson.
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) February 25, 2021
