JAYFORCE

Remember when Nicki Minaj used to holler ‘Barbie’ this and that? Were you mumbling (aloud or in your head) to yourself, “Cute, but not for real. Barbie ain’t shaped nothing like you, Nicki!” Well, I did. And arguments about cultural representation in our kids toys aside, I wasn’t mad about it. It just was what it was… like having a Black U.S. President. President Bill Clinton was pretty cool, and President Nelson Mandela had South Africa for us. I figured that was as close as we would get.

Then we got a Black President, but Mattel (maker of Barbie dolls) wasn’t budging. Y’all better chill with this sharp-nosed White girl with a tan and keep telling your daughters they’re beautiful. Yeah, it WAS like that. Then SOMEBODY at Mattel must have bumped their head and had a thought… Folks are REALLY not wanting to deal with ‘generic’ anything anymore, including toys. Music, Film and TV (the stuff with the characters that dolls mimic) has changed – lotta more shapes, sizes and colors in there. Parents (read: people that might stop buying Mattel’s stuff) are likely looking for that diversity in their babies’ toys, too. Looks like Mattel is back ready to do business…. and so #TheDollEvoles

(Smart business move. Miss me with any other explanation though. They changed for M-O-N–E-Y! That all. But at least our babies can play with something that looks closer to what they look like.)

Good thing, too. My Mom still collects Barbie dolls. I will be making her Christmas merry with some righteous Mattel newness!

– @ojones1