You would think that Disney would have learned that erasing their female characters from their merchandising would not go over well after the Black Widow and Gamora debacles, but clearly they still think that a) only boys play with their toys, and b) boys won’t play with toys featuring girls because cooties. Their latest bit of erasure is happening in their Star Wars: The Force Awakens toy line, because Daisy Ridley’s Rey, despite being the films ostensible lead, is conspicuously missing from most of the merchandise.
This is unfortunately becoming an expected trend. Also expected: Twitter noticed and isn’t going to let this go without a fight, prompting #WheresRey.
https://twitter.com/special_j/status/664536252927107072
Dear @Target and @Disney: #wheresRey pic.twitter.com/qrB1rjlikX
— C.C. Finlay (@ccfinlay) November 10, 2015
Hey, @Target includes female characters in their exclusives…when they're dinosaurs. #WheresRey @HeroicGirls pic.twitter.com/0zJSQSjkbZ
— Jen Mayhew (@JenM512) November 9, 2015
Avengers set – no Black Widow
Guardians set – no Gamora
Star Wars – no Rey. She's THE MAIN CHARACTER. #WheresRey pic.twitter.com/TvYUeiA49o— Jamie Ford (@JamieFord) November 12, 2015
@aimiekrunyan Oh dear… This reminds me of when there was no Black Widow merc even though SHE ROCKS
— Mary Fan 🐲 范诗蓉 (@AstralColt) November 12, 2015
Are you INSANE @Target @Hasbro? The main characters of the film are girls! You give us random pilots?? #WheresRey https://t.co/G8WTRu8CVa
— LR Stahlberg (@LRStahlberg) November 11, 2015
The fact that Rey is exempt from the box set while a random Stormtrooper gets included feels like the biggest slap in the face. However, fans did find a few standalone Rey toys, but it all feels pretty underwhelming for the star of the film.
#WheresRey #TheresRey pic.twitter.com/3G9pBNnpxX
— Andy (@Truly_Defective) November 13, 2015
Hopefully Disney will work to make their Star Wars merchandise more inclusive in the future. Maybe Marvel will even follow suit. Either way, the antiquated notion that the nerd realm is only for boys needs to be banished to the Dagobah System.
(Via Mashable)
