- Earring Magic Ken
in 1993 as a companion to its Earring Magic Barbie figure, one of six dolls in the Earring Magic Barbie line. [cite book
last =Jones
first =Amelia
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader
publisher =Routledge
date =2003
location =
pages =338
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0415267056] This iteration of Ken 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.cite news
last =Lawson
first =Carol
coauthors =
title =Gender-bending playthings challenge industry's toys-will-be-toys tradition
work =New York Times
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =1993-02-27
url =
accessdate = ]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."cite book
last =Haig
first =Matt
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time
publisher =Kogan Page
date =2005
location =
pages =45-7
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0749439270] 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 "chromecock ring ." [cite book
last =Paley
first =Maggie
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =The Book of the Penis
publisher =Grove Press
date =2000
location =
pages =197
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0802136931]Kitsch -minded gay men bought the doll in record numbers, making Earring Magic Ken the best-selling Ken model in Mattel's history. [cite news
last =Melendez
first =Mel
coauthors =
title =Show Me Your Billy
work =Prism
pages =
language =
publisher =
date =Fall 1997
url =http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/prism/oct97/P1.Billy.html
accessdate = 2007-12-19] Despite the commercial success of the doll, public criticism led Mattel to discontinue Earring Magic Ken and recall the doll from stores.References
ee also
*
Billy doll
*Gay Bob
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