Mattel In Talks With Couple To Create A Same-Sex Barbie Wedding Set

A same-sex couple from Arizona recently gifted their niece a special doll set for her 8-year-old birthday that caught the attention of one of the biggest toymakers in the world.

Matt Jacobi and Nick Caprio of Scottsdale have been a couple for more than 11 years and they’re planning a May wedding for next year in which they want their niece Natalie to be a flower girl. Because Natalie loves dolls, her uncles wanted to gift her a Barbie wedding set but found the stores only feature Barbie and Ken in matrimony.

So the couple decided to buy two sets and make their own couple with the two Kens. “They look exactly like you” an excited Natalie said to her uncles about her special gift, according to CNN.

Mattel, the toymaker behind the famous Barbie brand, got wind of the couple’s gift set and Natalie’s reaction and has asked the couple to meet with officials in Los Angeles to discuss their idea.

“We have a confirmed date set in early January, and we are extremely excited, grateful and incredibly determined to make this happen,” Jacobi said. “We are over the moon with all the positive responses we have received. We really just want to thank all the people out there for believing in our message that love is love.”

The couple was really passionate about giving a toy to their beloved niece that represents them.

“This toy brought so much joy and happiness to my 8-year-old niece, and there are thousands and thousands of families just like Nick and I. I just had to do something,” Jacobi said.

Mattel has made strides over the years to be more inclusive and have better representation of its diverse fanbase. In 2015 it broadened the number of skin tones, eye colors and hairstyles available for the dolls and in 2016 the toymaker introduced Barbies with different body types.

Finally last year, Mattel introduced the first Barbie to wear a hijab.