Hasbro says it will soon reveal a gender-neutral Easy-Bake Oven after meeting with a New Jersey girl who started a campaign calling on the toy maker to make one that appeals to all kids.
Thirteen-year-old McKenna Pope of Garfield, N.J., met on Monday with officials at the company's Pawtucket, R.I., headquarters after the girl appealed to the company on change.org.
“I found it pretty appalling that they did not feature males of any sort in any of their packaging and promotional materials or anything,” McKenna first told NBC 4 New York.
McKenna said she felt this was not the message Hasbro should be sending to kids.
“Why are women in the kitchen and guys working? That's basically what Hasbro is saying,” McKenna said. “This company that I've grown to love so much would resort to conforming to societal gender rules? I don't see why.”
At the meeting Monday, Hasbro showed off a prototype of their newest Easy-Bake. It's black, silver and blue, rather than purple and pink.
McKenna says the company is doing everything she asked, including putting boys in the ads.
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Hasbro says it's been working on the new color scheme for about 18 months. It says it could be on store shelves next summer.
An online petition McKenna started got support from celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay.
McKenna's mother, Erica Boscio, said her daughter has "always been an activist. Whenever there’s something that she really cares about, she goes all out to make sure that she gets her views across.”
