Conservatives Are Losing Their Minds Over Mr. Potato Head’s New Gender-Neutral Name

The original Mr. Potato Head did not involve a potato or head. The toy was invented by George Lerner in the late 1940s, but because the United States had just come out of World War II and it seemed wasteful to use produce as a food, he couldn’t find a buyer. But he did find a cereal manufacturer who would “distribute his plastic parts as prizes” in their boxes. That proved popular enough that in 1952, the Rhode Island-based Hassenfeld Brothers bought the rights to Mr. Potato Head — now in potato and head form — for $5,000, along with a $500 advance and five percent royalties on every toy sold. Hassenfeld Brothers was later re-named Hasbro, and Mr. Potato Head helped turn the company into a multi-billion dollar American success story. Decades later, the same people who value profits over people are now super angry about Mr. Potato Head.

Why? Because the spud has a new name.

The Associated Press reports that Mr. Potato Head is now Potato Head, a gender neutral “modern makeover… Toy makers have been updating their classic brands to appeal to kids today. Barbie has shed its blonde image and now comes in multiple skin tones and body shapes. Thomas the Tank Engine added more girl characters. And American Girl is now selling a boy doll.” Hasbro’s decision came after noticing “how toddlers frequently play with the toy,” according to Fast Company. That’s why, when a line of potato head is introduced in the fall, “kids will have a blank slate to create same-sex families or single-parent families. It’s a prime example of the way heritage toy brands are evolving to stay relevant in the 21st century.” I can’t possibly imagine being furious over a potato toy becoming more inclusive, but I am also not Ben Shapiro (thank god), or any of the other conservatives who are currently losing their minds over Potato Head.

It’s only a matter of time before Donald Trump, Jr. weighs in…

(Via Fast Company)