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Kids

Mattel's New Merman Ken Doll Is Wearing a Harness & He's So Beautiful

If you want to add a beautiful merman Ken doll to your collection, you need to vote!

Raffy Ermac

Digital Director, Out.com

Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Read Full Bio

Raffy Ermac

byraffy

December 03 2020 1:21 PM EST

December 09 2022 9:12 AM EST

In case you need more proof that the beloved Ken doll is an inadvertent gay icon, may I introduce you to his latest iteration: a harness-wearing, pink-tailed, long-haired, muscular AF, totally accessorized hunk of a merman.

Yes, we're officially simping.

This new himbo Mer-Ken is a part of Mattel's 2020 Barbie Signature Doll Design Showdown, where the long-running and inclusive doll brand's biggest fans get to vote in an online poll to choose the next doll in Barbie's Signature line. The theme was apparently merfolk this year, and the final two designs to pick from (which were dreamed up by designer Angel Kent) include our aforementioned Sea Daddy Ken and an equally beautiful Barbie who is serving mermaid looks even Ariel couldn't fathom!

\u201cMattel is planning to make whichever of these merperson Barbie dolls wins a user poll. \n\nI can't tell you how to use your vote, but I can tell you that I think the world NEEDS Harness Himbo AquaKen to become a reality. https://t.co/fnqrXssyhB\u201d
— Wheeler (@Wheeler) 1606860108

The winner of the online poll (which is open from now until December 6) will become an actual doll that paid Barbie Signature members will be able to buy in the near future, but as our friends at The Mary Sue point out, the decision between Queen of the Sea Barbie and her aquatic bestie Ken is actually quite a difficult one, since both dolls are absolutely stunning!

While we wouldn't be mad at having a new mermaid Barbie in our lives, we're definitely rooting for Ken in this race, since the world can definitely use more pure-hearted, good-looking himbos who wear sea-shell harnesses. And we're not alone in thinking that!

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\u201c@Wheeler @yoshisquared My son loves mermaids but was asking where the \u201cboymaids\u201d were. \ud83d\ude06I voted. I better be seeing that merman in all his glory on the shelves.\u201d
— Wheeler (@Wheeler) 1606860108

\u201c@Wheeler oh my god the merman looks absolutely beautiful!\n\nwe already have like 239802 mermaid barbie so i voted ken\u201d
— Wheeler (@Wheeler) 1606860108

\u201cMERMAN HIMBO KEN OHMYGODDDD\n\nAND HE HAS LONG HAIR LIKE *MY* KEN\n\nI NEED IT IN MY SOUL\u201d
— Smidge, world's okayest cat dad \ud83d\udc31 (@Smidge, world's okayest cat dad \ud83d\udc31) 1606902133

\u201cVOTE HIMBO KEN MERMAN\u201d
— Shaine Smith\u2757\ufe0f (@Shaine Smith\u2757\ufe0f) 1606867245

\u201cLRT: Listen both of those dolls are very pretty BUT when I say I'm in love with Himbo merman Ken,, \ud83e\udd74\n\nUnfortunately I'll never be able to get him bc they'll only be available to certain collectors, but I will gaze at him from afar\u201d
— PorcelainPumpkin ~ Trash Clown \ud83e\udd21 (@PorcelainPumpkin ~ Trash Clown \ud83e\udd21) 1606895665