THEY HAVE NO GENITALIA THUS NO GENDERThe real issue with the Mr. Potato Head drama

When it comes to inclusivity for all, a gendered potato might not necessarily help eradicate discrimination against people for who are they are.

February 26, 2021

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JULY 27: Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head attend Variety's Power of Youth presented by Hasbro, Inc. and generationOn at Universal Studios Backlot on July 27, 2013 in Universal City, California.

(Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Variety)

Breanna Robinson

Although this character hadn't crossed my mind since Toy Story, the classic Mr. Potato Head is making headlines. Why?

The toy will adopt a gender-inclusive identity by dropping the "Mr."

As of Thursday, Hasbro announced that they are ensuring "all feel welcome in the Potato Head world by officially dropping the Mr. from the Mr. Potato Head brand name and logo to promote gender equality and inclusion."

Some people thought this recent statement meant this would change the entire Mr. Potato Head character. Then, Hasbro made a whimsical yet clarifying statement to say that Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head will keep their customary titles.

"Hold that Tot — your main spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn't going anywhere!" said the company. "While it was announced today that the POTATO HEAD brand name & logo are dropping the 'MR.' I yam proud to confirm that MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD aren't going anywhere and will remain MR. & MRS. POTATO HEAD."

Despite this, I've always wondered why an inanimate object like a potato would ever really need to be gendered in the first place.

Mr. Potato Head was created in the early 1940s by George Lerner, an inventor. Lerner created the "funny face man," aka Mr. Potato Head, for his litter sister out of fruits and vegetables from their mother's garden. He thought that adding some character and personality to vegetables would make it more fun for kids to eat.

However, when Lerner wanted to sell the idea to companies, he faced controversy.

READ: Marjorie Taylor Greene's despicable transphobic display proves she has no understanding of the Equality Act

Marjorie Taylor Greene's despicable transphobic display proves she has no understanding of the Equality Act

Just because someone may be different from what you believe doesn't mean that they aren't human beings that deserve to be treated with fairness and integrity.

Some companies thought that using potatoes as toys seemed problematic given World War II and food rations. His invention In 1952, Hasbro, Inc. (formerly known as the Hassenfeld brothers) bought the creation's rights.

Eventually, Mr. Potato Head went on to become the first toy to have a commercial advertisement. In 1964, a plastic potato head body was created to accompany the 28 plastic facial features.

Now decades later, this toy, among others, is being rebranded to not leave anyone out of the equation.

As great as this is when it comes to inclusivity for all, a gendered potato might not necessarily help eradicate discrimination against people for who are they are. Regardless, companies' strides to become more inclusive for others irrespective of race, gender, and sexual orientation is an amazing start.

Daisy Ridley had the perfect response to Ted Cruz's tweet about her 'Star Wars' character

"I am very happy to be an emotionally tortured Jedi, who doesn't leave their state when it's having a terrible time."

February 24, 2021  

Daisy Ridley attends the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 After Party at The Grosvenor House Hotel on February 02, 2020 in London, England. 

 (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

Sandra Salathe

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz really isn't in the position to be hurling insults at anyone. Especially after he fled to Cancun, Mexico while his state grappled with a widespread snowstorm, that resulted in 70 deaths, and almost 3 million homes and businesses without power or heat. But alas, that is exactly what Cruz is doing.

On Feb. 11, Cruz defended The Mandalorian co-star Gina Carano, who is from Dallas, Texas, and was fired from the Star Wars spinoff over several offensive social media posts. In doing so, Cruz took additional aim at other female characters from the franchise - including Daisy Ridley.

"Texan Gina Carano broke barriers in the Star Wars universe: not a princess, not a victim, not some emotionally tortured Jedi," wrote Cruz. "She played a woman who kicked ass & who girls looked up to. She was instrumental in making Star Wars fun again. Of course Disney canceled her."

Because comparing conservatives to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust equates to breaking barriers, right?

For those who are fans of the Star Wars franchise, understand the "emotionally tortured Jedi" portion of Cruz's tweet was in reference to Ridley's character Rey, who was orphaned after the murder of her parents during the latest Star Wars trilogy. The "princess" and "victim" part could be a jab Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia Organa and Natalie Portman's Padmé Amidala.

If you couldn't already tell, I'm a proud Star Wars fan.

On Tuesday, when Ridley sat down with Yahoo! Entertainment to promote her new sci-fi thriller Chaos Walking, she was asked about Cruz's comments, and responded like the badass heroine she plays on screen.

"I did not know, and I am very happy to be an emotionally tortured Jedi," Ridley said, "who doesn't leave their state when it's having a terrible time."

Oouuff!

Wouldn't be the first time Cruz made himself look stupid. It's kind of his forte at this point. Let the senator's error be an example to future politicians who think it's acceptable to mess with a powerful female Jedi.