Another year, another budget, another disappointment for India’s 80+ million disabled folx < Back Disability, News The heartbreaking reality of budget allocation for disability in India Another year, another budget, another disappointment for India’s 80+ million disabled folx MMS Staff 2 Feb 2025 3-min read Despite making up 7 - 8% of the population, disabled individuals have once again been pushed to the margins of India’s financial priorities. While the Union Budget 2025 boasts record-high spending, disability allocations remain shockingly low — a mere 0.025% of the total budget. Even more concerning? The little that is allocated isn’t even fully used. When numbers speak louder than words India’s total budget grew from ₹30 lakh crore in 2020-21 to ₹50 lakh crore in 2025-26 — a massive 66% increase. Yet, instead of rising with it, the budget for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has actually dropped from ₹1,325 crore to ₹1,275 crore. T he Scheme for Implementation of the PwD Act (SIPDA) — which funds accessibility projects across the country — has been slashed to ₹115 crore, even after a Supreme Court ruling in November 2024 (Rajive Raturi judgement) mandated that public spaces and services be made accessible. The numbers paint a grim picture of chronic underfunding: In 2022-23, SIPDA received ₹240.39 crore In 2023-24, it was cut to ₹135.33 crore In 2025-26, it has been further reduced to ₹115 crore This isn’t just a funding cut — it’s a systematic failure to enforce disability rights. Underutilization: The Silent Crisis Even more infuriating is the fact that the budgeted money is not even being fully used. Government records show a shocking underutilization of funds over the past four years: 64% of funds were left unused in 2020-21 86% were unused in 2021-22 79% were unused in 2022-23 93% were unused in 2023-24 What this means: Even the meagre amount allocated for disability support is not being spent. In practical terms, this results in schools, public transport, workplaces, and even government buildings remaining inaccessible — despite legal mandates for inclusion. Disability Pensions: Stuck in 2012 While Prices Skyrocket For millions of disabled people, the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) is their only source of income. Yet, it remains stagnant at ₹290 crore, with the central share still ₹300 per month — an amount unchanged since 2012. The absurdity of this is clear: ₹300 today barely covers a week’s worth of groceries, let alone rent, medical care, or assistive devices. Meanwhile, the pension scheme remains highly exclusionary, covering only 3.8% of disabled people as per the 2011 Census. Mental Health: A Crisis Ignored The Economic Survey has raised concerns about India's growing mental health crisis for two consecutive years. Despite this, the budget for the Telemental Health Programme has been slashed from ₹90 crore to ₹79.60 crore. Given the alarming rise in mental health disorders, suicide rates, and lack of accessible mental healthcare, this cut signals a complete disregard for one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. No Relief for Disabled Job Seekers Employment remains one of the biggest challenges for disabled people in India. Yet, the budget offers little to address this crisis. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which provides vital work opportunities, has not seen any increase in funding, making it harder for disabled individuals to find employment. New government schemes, such as the Manufacturing & Skill Development Boost, offer potential — but will they prioritize inclusion? Opportunities (If Done Right) Amidst the disappointments, the Finance Minister announced some key initiatives that could benefit disabled people — if they are implemented with inclusion in mind: ✅ Credit Guarantee for MSMEs – Will disabled entrepreneurs get access to capital and business growth opportunities? ✅ Manufacturing & Skill Development Boost – Will disabled workers be given equal access to training and jobs? ✅ Jan Arogya Yojana for Gig Workers – Will disabled gig workers, who often struggle to get insurance, be included? Disability Rights Activists Call for Action The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) has strongly condemned the government's continued neglect of India’s disabled population. On February 10, 2025, NPRD will hold a protest in Delhi, demanding: ✔️ A Right to Pension Act ✔️ An increase in disability pensions from ₹300 to ₹5000 per month ✔️ Expansion of pension coverage to include all disabled individuals under the RPD Act Disability is a human rights issue. India cannot become an economic powerhouse while ignoring 80+ million disabled citizens. Inclusion isn’t just about budget allocations; it’s about dignity, accessibility, and economic participation. Yet, year after year, the Union Budget continues to treat disability rights as an afterthought. Until the government matches words with action, accessibility, employment, and financial security will remain a privilege, not a right, for millions of disabled people in India. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

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A series featuring people with different backgrounds discuss important topics through personal experiences and expert opinions. < Back Series Unheard Stories A series featuring people with different backgrounds discuss important topics through personal experiences and expert opinions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSvoxPJjh8 To celebrate International Women's Day ‘23 we featured 11 incredible women who shared their honest and unfiltered experiences of ableism, gender bias, microaggressions, and exclusion. From autism and ADHD to disability and caregiving, these women give voice to the discrimination and challenges that women with disabilities encounter every day. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back ORIGINALS

Honouring the legacy of Helen Keller on her birth anniversary < Back Disability Deafblind Awareness Week: Significance, history and advocacy Honouring the legacy of Helen Keller on her birth anniversary MMS Staff 24 Jun 2024 2-min read Deafblind Awareness Week (June 24 - June 30) is a week dedicated to raise awareness about individuals with multi-sensory impairments, also known as deafblindness. This week focuses on learning about the lived experiences of those who are deafblind, challenging misconceptions, celebrating achievements, and finding ways to support and advocate for the deafblind community. It also coincides with Helen Keller ’s birthday on June 27th, honouring her legacy as a pioneering disability advocate. Understanding deafblindness Deafblindness is a disability characterised by the combined loss of sight and hearing, which significantly impacts daily life. Being deafblind does not necessarily mean complete deafness and blindness. Most people who are deafblind have some degree of both sight and hearing. There are two main types of deafblindness: Congenital Deafblindness: When a person is born with both sight and hearing impairments. Acquired Deafblindness: When a person develops sight and hearing impairments later in life, often due to illness, injury, or age-related factors. People with deafblindness can lead fulfilling and successful lives with the right support and resources. Life with Deafblindness People with deafblindness use various methods to communicate and interact with their environment, such as tactile signing, braille, assistive technology, and support service providers. Celebrating Helen Keller Deafblind Awareness Week marks Helen Keller’s birth anniversary, June 27th. Helen Keller was an influential author, educator, and disability rights advocate. Born in 1880, Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months old due to an illness. With the help of her teacher Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to communicate using tactile sign language and braille. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Keller travelled worldwide, delivering lectures, working to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Advocating and supporting the Deafblind community Here are some ways you can advocate for and support individuals with deafblindness: Learn about deafblindness and share accurate information to help dispel myths and raise awareness. Advocate for accessible public spaces, transportation, and digital content to ensure inclusivity. Encourage educational institutions and workplaces to implement accommodations and inclusive practices, creating opportunities for individuals with deafblindness. Offer your time and resources to organisations that support the deafblind community. Push for the development and availability of assistive technology that enhances independence and communication for those who are deafblind. Listen to the experiences of the deafblind community and help amplify their voices in public discussions and advocacy efforts. Deafblind Awareness Week is also a time to celebrate the remarkable contributions to society that individuals with deafblindness have made in various fields such as education, arts, advocacy, and technology. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

Love, disability, and representation took center stage at 2025's Creative Arts Emmys < Back Disability, Media, News Disability-led stories win big at the Emmys Love, disability, and representation took center stage at 2025's Creative Arts Emmys MMS Staff 9 Sept 2025 3-min read In a world where disability is often erased, sidelined, or reduced to a side plot, two groundbreaking shows that center disabled lives and love stories just won top honours at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2025. Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum and Patrice: The Movie, a powerful Hulu documentary, both walked away with major Emmy wins this weekend. Besides being great TV, these shows are cultural milestones. They’re redefining who gets to be seen, celebrated, and loved on screen. Love on the Spectrum: Dignity, not drama Love on the Spectrum won two Emmys: for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program and Casting, marking a continued recognition for a show that has already collected five Emmys in past seasons. Created by Cian O’Clery, the series follows autistic adults in the US as they navigate dating and relationships, portraying the full range of human emotion: nervous laughter, awkward silences, budding chemistry - all with radical empathy and zero pity. “From the beginning, our aim has been to create a series that treats our participants with dignity and respect while offering genuine insight into their experiences,” said O’Clery. “These awards celebrate not only our production team’s efforts but also the courage of our participants who have touched millions with their personal journeys and helped reshape the public’s understanding of autism.” The show, a spinoff of the original Australian version, has been renewed for a fourth season. It's a clear sign that audiences want more stories where neurodivergent people are shown as complex, lovable, and worthy of screen time. Patrice: The Movie: Love isn't always a legal right In the same awards ceremony, Patrice: The Movie won the Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. The Hulu film follows Patrice Jetter, a disabled woman who dreams of marrying her long-time partner. There’s just one catch: if she gets married, she could lose her Medicaid and Social Security benefits, essential lifelines for disabled people in the United States. It’s a chilling reflection of how the system penalises disabled people for daring to pursue intimacy, independence, and joy. The film doesn’t just spotlight this injustice, it humanises it with tenderness and rage in equal measure. A shift in the room where it happens This year’s Emmy ceremony was as much about who won as it was about who was present. Marlee Matlin and Nyle DiMarco, two Deaf icons in entertainment, were among the presenters. DiMarco, also a producer of the AppleTV+ doc Deaf President Now!, has long been an advocate for more authentic disabled representation across media. Their presence signals a broader cultural shift: disability is not a theme to be explored once a year. It’s a community, a culture, a lens through which millions experience the world. And now, finally, Emmy voters seem to be paying attention. Beyond the awards: why the wins matter Representation is not the same as liberation. But it’s a start. For too long, disabled people have only seen themselves on screen as either tragic heroes or magical savants. These Emmy wins mark a move away from outdated tropes, and toward something more honest: the messy, beautiful, deeply human experience of disability. That includes dating. That includes joy. That includes wanting to be seen, and being worthy of love. Not in spite of disability, but alongside it. What we hope comes next Stories like these are not just entertainment. They’re political. They challenge ableist systems. They make visible what society would rather hide. And they remind us that love, agency, and self-expression are basic rights, not luxuries reserved for the non-disabled. As disabled creators, advocates, and storytellers continue to claim space, our hope is that this moment sparks loud applause and even louder action. Because disabled people don’t just deserve to be on stage when it’s time for awards. We deserve to be in the writers’ room, behind the camera, and holding the mic. And when we are, the stories hit different. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

Online misogyny is moving from boys’ feeds into classrooms, homes and real-life attitudes < Back Gender, News, Media Manosphere content is teaching young boys to hate women offline Online misogyny is moving from boys’ feeds into classrooms, homes and real-life attitudes MMS Staff 11 Jun 2026 4-min read The manosphere is no longer staying inside boys’ phones. Its language is turning up in classrooms. Its ideas are surfacing at dinner tables. Its contempt for women is being repeated by children who are still young enough to need help understanding the weight of their own words. For years, misogynistic influencers have sold toxic masculinity as confidence, discipline, success and “male self-improvement.” Through short videos, podcasts, gaming spaces and algorithm-driven feeds, Andrew Tate-style content can reach boys long before they are old enough to question what it is teaching them. And it is handing out a script where women are inferior, mothers exist to serve, female teachers can be disrespected and violence against women can be mocked, excused or treated as normal. That is why online misogyny is no longer only an internet safety problem. It is now a parenting problem, a classroom problem and a gender-based violence problem. When online hate leaves the screen Misogyny rarely arrives in a child’s life looking dangerous. It often comes dressed as a joke, a viral clip, a podcast line, a gaming insult, a gym video or a blunt “truth” about women. To a boy scrolling after school, it may look like entertainment. But repetition has power. A phrase becomes funny. A joke becomes familiar. An attitude becomes behaviour. In Australia, teachers have warned that Andrew Tate-style misogyny is already entering classrooms. Some female teachers have said sexist language and behaviour from boys have made them feel unsafe at work. The issue is not simply bad manners or teenage rudeness. It is boys challenging women’s authority, repeating online misogyny and treating female educators as people they do not have to respect. A classroom cannot function if girls are expected to absorb sexism and women teachers are expected to manage misogyny as ordinary misbehaviour. When contempt for women becomes a performance of masculinity, the damage does not stay online. Now, a similar warning is coming from inside Irish homes. The warning from Ireland Sonas, a domestic violence charity in Ireland that supports women and children through refuges and safe homes, has warned that boys as young as eight are repeating degrading views about women. In one reported case, an eight-year-old boy called his mother a “dish pig” and threw objects at her after he disliked his dinner. The phrase is being discussed here as an offensive insult aimed at women and care work. It is not a comment on people who do dishwashing work. The deeper concern is how cooking, cleaning and domestic labour are being turned into tools to humiliate mothers. This points to a worldview being sold to boys online: that care work is women’s duty, that mothers are there to serve and that boys are entitled to punish or degrade women when they do not get what they want. The child’s mother reportedly had parental restrictions on his social media. Yet masculinity influencer content was still accessible. For many parents, that is the most frightening part. They may be checking phones, setting limits and trying to monitor what their children watch. But misogynistic content does not always come from obvious extremist accounts. It can travel through reposted clips, meme pages, reaction videos, gaming communities and accounts that appear harmless at first. Algorithms do not need a child to search for hate. They only need him to pause long enough for the next video to arrive. When survivors hear misogyny at home Sonas has also raised another painful concern. Some women escaping domestic violence are now facing hostility from their own children after leaving abusive homes. In one case, a woman was describing the physical abuse she had experienced from her husband when her teenage son said she “deserved it.” For a survivor trying to rebuild safety, that sentence can be devastating. It can make the violence feel as if it has followed her into another room, in another voice. This is where online misogyny connects to coercive control. Coercive control is not only physical violence; it can include humiliation, intimidation, emotional abuse and the belief that one person has the right to dominate another. A child who repeats misogyny should not be written off as dangerous or evil. But adults cannot ignore what those ideas are teaching him. Boys need guidance, boundaries and support before online hate hardens into a worldview. The responsibility cannot sit with parents alone Sonas is urging Ireland’s media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, to strengthen online safety rules. The charity wants platforms to reduce the algorithmic promotion of misogynistic content, improve age-gating and limit children’s exposure to material that normalises coercive control, violence against women or hatred of women. But regulation alone will not be enough. Parents, teachers and caregivers also need to treat sudden hostility towards women, mothers, girls or female teachers as a warning sign. Jokes about women belonging in the kitchen, contempt for feminism, anger at boundaries or claims that women are inferior should not be brushed off as harmless internet humour. The response does not have to be panic. It has to be attention. Where did you hear that? What do you think it means? Why is that funny? How do you think your mother felt when you said it? These questions are not small. They are the beginning of intervention. Boys deserve better than algorithms that turn insecurity into resentment. They deserve better than influencers who sell domination as strength. They deserve better than a culture that tells them masculinity must come at the cost of women’s safety. The goal is not to fear boys. The goal is to reach them before misogyny does. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

Fans reflect on the lasting impact of Linkin Park's music and Chester's legacy < Back Health, Media, Neurodiversity Remembering Chester Bennington: 7 years later Fans reflect on the lasting impact of Linkin Park's music and Chester's legacy MMS Staff 20 Jul 2024 2-min read July 20 marks seven years since the tragic, sudden death of Chester Bennington, the frontman of rock band Linkin Park. Bennington lived with a history of abuse and addiction, and had on many instances spoken openly about his depression. Many of Linkin Park’s songs were written by him, and allude to depressive thoughts and suicidal ideation. In this article from last year, Linkin Park rapper and Bennington's bandmate Mike Shinoda mentioned they were about his condition but "nobody knew the depths of it." "I've never heard such a crazy upbringing, such a crazy childhood. Like, running wild in the streets and doing hard drugs on the roof of his high school, just like barely staying out of jail. That's what made our dynamic what it was... He was outside because he was scrawny, he was like picked on, he was bullied all the time," Shinoda said. At the time of his death, reports also mentioned he had a hard time dealing with the suicide of his friend Chris Cornell, frontman of the band Soundgarden. Listen to Bennington's heartwarming eulogy to Cornell below: Bennington's difficult childhood experiences growing up, his parents' divorce, followed by rampant bullying in school caused him major emotional distress. He also grappled with substance abuse throughout his early adulthood and into his 20s, until he joined Linkin Park as lead vocalist and the band shot to fame with their 2000 album Hybrid Theory. The rest, as they say, is history. Bennington was found hanging in his CA home this day in 2017, survived by his wife Talinda and six children. A year after his passing, Talinda said in an interview about his depression: “I am now more educated about those signs, but they were definitely there: the hopelessness, the change of behaviour, isolation,” she told CNN during an interview with Anderson Cooper. On his seventh death anniversary, we spoke to some of our readers for whom Linkin Park and Chester’s music have been a constant companion through tough times. Swara Swami: As a kid, I was bullied heavily and it took a huge toll on me. And, listening to Linkin Park would help me channel all my aggression. Just listening to their music, their lyrics was a huge release. Pranav Sethi: I learned that poetry will make sense only when you start living those moments, those words will mean nothing to those who have not experienced any of it. That’s why poetry is so confusing for everyone. People don’t get it, they don’t understand because their experiences won’t allow them to grasp the meaning behind it. For many people around me they will never know the meaning of your songs nor will they understand the trauma I have lived through. I guess I connected with you so closely because I know we share a similar history. This tribute is a few years late but I guess I was figuring out what to say and how to say it. I guess I am breaking the habit tonight. Venkat Baliga: Being always at odds with the world, not understanding the ways of the world as a teen, the sheer rage towards bullies and people who constantly brought me down - 'Numb' made me feel like I wasn't alone. Now, after my autism and ADHD discovery, and understanding my mental health struggles, when I watch the music videos of Linkin Park and when I watch Chester Bennington sing (old videos), and observing the lyrics of most of their songs being so relatable - it all makes so much sense. Farhad Samiwalla: Hybrid Theory got me through some really tough times back when it came out. It was the first album that really hit me at the perfect time and every single song just spoke to where I was at mentally. Chester’s passionate screaming coupled with Mike’s poetic lyricism also blended so perfectly to express some really deep emotions. Allan D'souza: "Your friends all plead for you to stay Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple Sometimes goodbye's the only way" What is your favourite Linkin Park song/ lyric? Tell us in the comments below. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

An explainer series that demystifies neurodiversity & disability for a broad-based audience < Back Explainers The Chatter An explainer series that demystifies neurodiversity & disability for a broad-based audience The Chatter is hosted by Aditi Gangrade, Co-founder Much Much Media, filmmaker, entrepreneur, creator, and an Indian neurodivergent self-advocate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUBBkYKgc0g कई लोग ऑटिस्टिक लोगों को कहते हैं "लेकिन आप ऑटिस्टिक दिखते नहीं"। इस विडीओ में जानिए ऑटिज़म के बारे में ऐसे 6 सच जिनके बारे में ज़्यादा बात नहीं होती। इस एपिसोड में हम लेट डाइयग्नोस्ड ऑटिस्टिक अडल्ट्स के बारे में बात करेंगे। यह जानना ज़रूरी है कि ऑटिज़म दिखायी देने वाली डिसबिलिटी नहीं है। https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1isBtu1EhOA कई लोग हमें कॉमेंट्स में पूछते है कि उनके ऑटिस्टिक बच्चे कब बोलना शुरू करेंगे। इस विडीओ में हम बात करेंगे कम्यूनिकेशन के अलग अलग तरीक़ों पर और आपके इन ही कुछ सवालों का जवाब देंगे। https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCAbi2_GKR8 इस एपिसोड में हम ऑटिज़म के बारे में सभी अफ़वाहों और मिथ्याओं के बारे में बात करेंगे। ऑटिज़म के बारे सभी सही जानकारी के लिए ये विडीओ पूरा देखें और अपने दोस्त, परिवार, कॉलीग्ज़ के साथ शेयर करें। Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back ORIGINALS

GST 2.0 still taxes assistive devices, accessibility, and disabled live < Back Disability, Health, News GST is simpler now, but living with a disability in India remains costly GST 2.0 still taxes assistive devices, accessibility, and disabled live MMS Staff 5 Sept 2025 3-min read On September 3, 2025, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stood before the press and announced what she called a “next-generation” overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The reform was billed as a landmark moment: four tax slabs collapsed into two, compliance simplified, daily-use items made more affordable. Headlines across media platforms hailed it as a win for the “common man.” But for millions of disabled people in India, the celebration felt oddly distant. Because once again, disability didn’t feature in the fine print. What the GST council got right There’s no denying some of the changes are meaningful. GST on individual life and health insurance premiums - previously taxed at 18% - has now been removed entirely. 33 life-saving drugs are now fully GST exempt. Medical kits, diagnostic reagents, and corrective spectacles have seen tax cuts that make them more accessible for families navigating rising healthcare costs. Still taxing independence: the silence on assistive devices One of the most glaring omissions in the new GST structure is assistive technology, the very tools that enable disabled people to live, move, work, and communicate with dignity. Wheelchairs, prosthetics, hearing aids, Braille printers, screen readers - all of these remain taxed between 5% and 18%. No new exemptions. No tax rationalisation. Not even a mention. This isn’t just about money. It’s about what our systems choose to prioritise. When entertainment electronics get tax cuts but essential mobility devices don’t, it reveals how disability is still seen as a side issue, not a mainstream concern. As disability rights advocates have long argued: access isn’t a luxury. It’s a right. When insurance isn’t inclusion Another headline win from the GST 2.0 reform was the removal of tax on health and life insurance policies. It’s a major shift in making financial protection more affordable, but only for those who can actually access it. For many disabled people, insurance remains inaccessible or discriminatory. Pre-existing conditions are often flagged. Chronic illnesses lead to exclusions. Neurodivergent and mentally disabled individuals routinely face rejection or unreasonably high premiums. So while GST-free insurance might sound like relief, for many disabled households, it’s relief they can’t even access. Disability is expensive. Policy rarely acknowledges that Mainstream conversations about the cost of living rarely account for the added costs of disability, from hospitalisation and rehab to caregiving, therapy, and the everyday cost of inclusion. And because most of these are either under-covered or excluded from public and private insurance, families are often left to pay out-of-pocket. These hidden costs - financial, emotional, social - add up. As a result, disability is often seen as a “burden” not because of the person, but because of how unsupported the system makes their existence. Reform is not just about slabs. It's about who we include The Finance Ministry has called this the most “people-centric” GST reform yet. But if your definition of “people” doesn’t include disabled communities, chronically ill individuals, caregivers, or those who rely on assistive devices, then your reform is only half done. You can’t talk about “ease of living” and still make independence more expensive. You can’t celebrate inclusion while taxing accessibility. What real disability-inclusive tax reform could look like If India is serious about “inclusive growth”, here’s what a truly progressive GST reform would do: Exempt assistive devices from GST, just like life-saving drugs. Recognize accessibility tech as essential, not optional. Reimagine insurance access for disabled and chronically ill individuals. Center disability in all economic and fiscal policies, not just social welfare. Until we’re named, we’re not protected At Much Much Spectrum, we believe that policy must be accountable not just to markets and margins, but to lived realities. GST 2.0 may have simplified slabs, but it did not simplify life for millions navigating disability. And that should concern all of us. Because until disability is explicitly centered in policy conversations - not as an afterthought, but as a starting point - reforms will remain cosmetic. And the cost of being disabled in India will remain far higher than any GST slab can calculate. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS

The Witch Weaver redefines identity and inclusivity in the toy world < Back LGBTQIA+, News, Media Mattel teams up with Harris Reed to debut first-ever gender-fluid doll The Witch Weaver redefines identity and inclusivity in the toy world MMS Staff 10 Dec 2024 2-min read In a bold move towards fostering inclusivity and self-expression, Harris Reed, a celebrated fashion designer and gender-fluid activist, has teamed up with Mattel to unveil The Witch Weaver — the first-ever gender-fluid doll in the Monster High series. This collaboration transcends mere toy design, signaling a powerful cultural statement about identity, representation, and the transformative potential of creativity. Growing up, Reed often felt unseen in the world of toys. Their options at Toys “R” Us were limited to G.I. Joe or Barbie — neither of which reflected their evolving sense of self. However, the Monster High dolls stood apart, their campy, otherworldly aesthetics offering a rare space for self-recognition. Reed recalls how these dolls inspired hope and curiosity during their formative years. “The combination of otherworldly identities made me feel seen,” Reed shared. With The Witch Weaver, they aim to provide the same sense of belonging to a new generation of children navigating their own identity journeys. The Witch Weaver embodies transformation in every sense of the word. Donning fiery red hair, fangs, spiderweb tattoos, flared jeans, and ornate accessories, the doll merges gothic flair with Reed’s signature avant-garde design sensibilities. The doll’s aesthetic celebrates the fluidity of identity, mirroring Reed’s own journey as a gender-fluid individual. Reed explained, “This doll isn’t just about style — it’s about showing kids they can be anything they want, weaving through their identities as they grow.” For Mattel, The Witch Weaver marks a significant milestone in promoting diversity within its toy lines. While the Monster High series has long championed individuality and bold self-expression, this collaboration elevates the brand’s commitment to inclusivity. Reed's personal connection to the project — spanning over two and a half years — infuses the doll with authenticity and purpose. The collaboration also resonates with a larger societal need: toys that reflect the full spectrum of human experience. By normalizing diverse gender identities in a medium as universal as children’s toys, The Witch Weaver challenges outdated norms and sparks meaningful conversations about self-discovery and acceptance. At its core, The Witch Weaver is more than just a doll — it’s a symbol of hope, creativity, and limitless possibilities. Reed’s collaboration with Mattel encourages young people to embrace their uniqueness, dismantle societal expectations, and dream big. “With everything going on in the world right now, it’s so important that the next generation knows they can do anything they want — and more importantly, be anything they want,” Reed emphasized. Available to the public starting November 22, 2024, The Witch Weaver stands as a beacon of progress in the toy industry. Through this collaboration, Harris Reed and Mattel are not only rewriting the narrative of childhood play but also empowering young people to explore, express, and celebrate their truest selves. Much much relate? Share it now! WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link < Back SHORTS