Earring Magic Ken

Earring Magic Ken, complete with accessory

Earring Magic Ken is a model of the Ken doll introduced by Mattel in 1993 as a companion to its Earring Magic Barbie figure, one of six dolls in the Earring Magic Barbie line.[1] This generation of the Ken doll featured an updated look, including blonde highlights in its traditionally brown hair, outfits including purple shirt, lavender vest, a necklace with a circular charm and, as the name indicates, an earring in its left ear.[2]

Mattel had conducted a survey of girls asking if Ken should be retained as Barbie's boyfriend or whether a new doll should be introduced in that role. Survey results indicated that girls wanted Ken kept but wanted him to look "cooler."[3] The redesigned Ken was the result. Observers quickly noted the resemblance of Earring Magic Ken to a stereotypical gay man, from the purple clothes to the earring to the necklace, which was described as a "chrome cock ring."[4][5] Kitsch-minded gay men bought the doll in record numbers, making Earring Magic Ken the best-selling Ken model in Mattel's history.[6]

Despite the commercial success of the doll, a public exposé[7] on the secret meaning of the "circular charm" as a gay sex toy from gay-community commentator Dan Savage in the Seattle, Washington alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger, led Mattel to discontinue Earring Magic Ken and recall the doll from stores.[3][8]

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References

  1. ↑ Jones, Amelia (2003). The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader. Routledge. p. 338. ISBN 0-415-26705-6.
  2. ↑ Lawson, Carol (1993-02-27). "Gender-bending playthings challenge industry's toys-will-be-toys tradition". New York Times.
  3. 1 2 Haig, Matt (2005). Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time. Kogan Page. pp. 45–7. ISBN 0-7494-3927-0.
  4. ↑ "Ballstretcher". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  5. ↑ Paley, Maggie (2000). The Book of the Penis. Grove Press. p. 197. ISBN 0-8021-3693-1.
  6. ↑ Melendez, Mel (Fall 1997). "Show Me Your Billy". Prism. Archived from the original on February 20, 1998. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  7. ↑ Young, Bryan (24 July 2017). "How Barbie's Boyfriend Ken Became an Accidental Gay Icon". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  8. ↑ Savage, Dan (22 July 1993). "Ken Comes Out". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
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