Minnesota taxpayers are funding transgender dolls with removable genitalia destined for classrooms serving children as young as four years old this fall, developed through a University of Minnesota Medical School research project backed by Governor Tim Walz.

Controversial Classroom Tool Debuts

The paper dolls feature gender-neutral names like Sam, Rory, Avery, and Parker. Each includes removable internal and external genitals plus over 100 interchangeable clothing items, accessories, and hairstyles. University of Minnesota Medical School therapists spent six years developing the project, paying families $20 to $60 to participate in research sessions where transgender and gender diverse children played with prototypes while discussing gender and bodies in group settings.

A 2024 conference revealed prototypes showing a doll named Sam in apparent mid-transition, with a detachable penis positioned beside a dress and girls’ underwear. The commercial venture MyGender Dolls promises to make gender fun for teachers, school counselors, pediatricians, and mental health providers. The website does not disclose pricing or whether parents can purchase dolls directly or opt their children out of such therapeutic play activities.

Taxpayer Funding and Political Connections

The University of Minnesota Medical School receives $15 million annually from state funds allocated under Walz to increase research capacity and ensure national prominence. The school’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health operates with a $1.4 million research budget according to its 2025 annual report, though exact funding amounts for specific projects remain undisclosed. Walz received the institute’s inaugural Distinguished Sexual and Gender Health Champion Award in 2023, a title created specifically for him.

Associate Professor Nic Rider, who uses they/them pronouns and specializes in transgender health for children and teens, co-founded MyGender Dolls alongside Associate Professor Dianne Berg. Berg belongs to the Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers. In a deleted 2020 university publication, Berg stated everyone should learn that what makes you real is not your body parts but how you think and feel.

What This Means

The project represents a significant expansion of gender ideology instruction into early childhood education settings using public funds. Parents face uncertainty about notification procedures, consent requirements, and opt-out provisions as these materials enter schools. Neither co-founder responded to media requests for comment about implementation plans, parental rights protections, or educational objectives for preschool-aged children exposed to anatomically detailed gender transition materials.