There's a toy sweeping the nation, and it's bringing up interesting gender issues. They're called Ugly Dolls, and they're being cherished, adored, and obsessed over by...boys. As this article points out, boys aren't afraid to be seen carrying around or even cuddling these cute plushies.

When I was a kid, the gender lines were very well drawn, and to cross them meant certain taunting and bullying. I learned that lesson at a young age when I was seen playing with my sister's toy oven. Because of my appetite for dry, flavorless cakes cooked by a Christmas tree bulb, I was known for years afterward as "HOLLY HOBBIE".

When it came to dolls, the rules were even more stringent. Some dolls were allowed, like Stretch Armstrong (although he was only fun for about an hour, then curiosity would win out, and he would suffer a tragic stab wound or amputation). Action figures were allowed, of course, but only token female action figures were allowed, like Princess Leia, or She-Ra. I remember becoming friends with a girl down the street solely because she got JEM for her birthday. The fact that I never could have asked for a Jem doll myself was truly outrageous!

I'm sure that if these Ugly Dolls were called Huggy Dolls, and they didn't have names like Ox and Wedgehead, that they would be less appealing to boys. Or maybe time are changing, and the lines between what's "acceptable" for boys and girls are becoming blurred. What do you think?

If that is the case, I wish it could have happened years ago. I might have been able to have my greatest wish fulfilled, owning Miss Pixy, the doll with the porn movie theme song and creepy fluttering eyelid.