'Gay' dolls outed

Out of the closet and on sale, "S&M Elton" and his homosexual side-kick
"Marshall" are making friends – and enemies.

"S & M Elton" doll

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The world's first talking "gay" dolls have whipped up a frenzy in the United
States and Europe since their release 11 months ago, racking up 300,000
sales and customer boycotts alike. Their imminent debut out of the toy box in
Australia has rekindled outrage from pro-family and church groups.

"Given what a high-risk lifestyle it is, I'm against anything that encourages
kids to explore it," Bill Muehlenberg, president of the Australian Family
Association, told the Melbourne Herald Sun. "It's as dangerous to parents as
cigarette-smoking dolls or [drunk]-driving dolls. You shouldn't make light of it
and it should be taken very seriously."

The 8-inch "gay" mates are among a controversial line-up of seven racially
stereotyped toys called "Trash Talkers" manufactured by JDK Products. From
beer-bellied, red-headed, NASCAR-loving "Bubba" to gold jewelry-laden black rapper "Daddy O' the Pimp," the dolls mock African, Asian and Indian Americans, as well as Jewish women.

"Daddy O' Pimp" doll

In addition to the stereotyped accessories they carry – including a television remote-control, a beer can and a shopping bag – the dolls each utter five sexually suggestive, foul-mouthed phrases too obscene to quote.

"They are not to offend, but to be dolls that ethnic groups can call their
own," Chris Makan, vice president of JDK Products, is quoted as saying in
defense of the toys.

"It just sounded funny to all of us," added owner Jay Kamhi.

The "joke" is not lost on many who offered supportive comments on an
online petition seeking a recall and boycott of the figures. Organizers report 330 electronic signatures have been collected.

"These dolls are GREAT! Learn to laugh a little!" writes Lars Johnson of
Easton, Penn.

"The dolls are funny!" writes another anonymous petitioner.

Others liken the manufacture of the toys to a "hate crime."

"This type of humor is absolutely intolerable! And no one should be making
a market out of this racism," writes Rena Patel of Chicago, Illinois.

"Profiting off of ignorance. Nice to see how far we've come as a nation,"
comments Yen Ling Shek of Pennsylvania.

"Mr. Chan" doll

The petition, created by the Asian Pacific American Coalition at the
University of Illinois, also prompted a debate over free speech among its
signatories.

"Stop the pity party and leave this company to make a living and support
their families so we will not have to," writes a self-described American Indian.
"If anyone has a right to complain I do – but I do not."

"It's amazing to see how many people are so willing to find ways to gag
others! This is an issue of free speech and free enterprise, that's all. Ever hear
of economic boycott? If you don't like a product, don't buy it," rails another
unidentified writer.

AIDS-awareness advocate Mike Kennedy downplayed the controversy.

"Dolls essentially always deal with stereotypes and there are some gay men who look like this Elton doll but a lot don't," he told the Herald Sun. "I'm not sure who would buy this doll but kids are too rational to think it represents anything at all and adults are in a position to make choices on what they want to spend their money on."

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