Transgender teen activist Jazz Jennings will soon get her own doll
New York doll maker Tonner Doll Co. will soon release a doll based on teen activist and TV personality Jazz Jennings — a doll believed to be the first doll based on a transgender person to hit the market.
Jennings, who stars in the TLC series I Am Jazz, posted a photo of the doll on Instagram on Friday. "This is the first transgender doll on the market," she wrote, "and guess what?! It's ME!!!"
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A photo posted by Jazz Jennings (@jazzjennings_) on Feb 10, 2017 at 5:53pm PST
The doll was designed by Tonner Co. founder Robert Tonner, who first saw Jennings on a Barbara Walters special in 2006.
"Jazz stands for everything I respect from a human nature point of view — she’s incredibly brave, intelligent, warm-hearted and creative,” he told the Associated Press.
The doll will begin its limited test run starting this July, after its debut at next week's New York Toy Fair, and will be sold in 25-50 stores for $89.99. If it does well, it will move to the mass market.
In her Instagram post, Jennings also clarified what the phrase "first transgender doll" refers to. (Like most similar dolls, the Jennings doll was created using what is called a "genderless" mold.)
"For those asking," she wrote. "the doll is considered the first 'transgender' doll because it's based on an individual who is trans. Of course it is still just a regular girl doll because that's exactly what I am: a regular girl!"
