MNN - Mother Nature Network

She asked. And they listened.

 

Thirteen-year-old McKenna Pope of Garfield, N.J., wanted to buy an Easy-Bake Oven for her 4-year-old brother for Christmas. But she was disappointed when she could only find versions of the toy in "girlie" colors like pink and purple. So she set up a petition on Change.org and gathered more than 40,000 signatures plus nods from celebs such as Bobby Flay — all to support her request asking Hasbro, the makers of the Easy-Bake Oven, to make a gender-neutral oven.

 

In response, Hasbro execs invited McKenna and her family to meet with them at their Pawtucket, R.I., headquarters. McKenna expected a pat on the head and a tour of the company, but instead, the company's top brass listened to her requests and unveiled the plans for their newest prototype — a gender-neutral Easy-Bake in black, silver or blue. They even have plans to feature boys in the toy's future ad campaigns.

 

The new prototype will officially be unveiled at next February's Toy Fair in New York and consumers can expect to see it on toy shelves next summer.