The Ksi-meritos, toy zygotes that feed the controversy
They did not formally arrive in Argentina, but there are many Argentines who, when they travel to Mexico, find themselves buying Ksi-meritos (pronounced casimeritos) at the request of their children, without knowing very well what these cute ones are dolls and their arsenal of accessories.
If in the early eighties we were surprised with babies that talked or peed, the industry has taken a step forward and created these characters that fit perfectly into the discourse of pro-life organizations and horrify those around them. in favor of the law of voluntary interruption of pregnancy: these are zygotes in their earliest stage, which do not coincidentally resemble plaintiffs babies.
Created by the Mexican company Distroller, they have their own stands in the main toy stores in that country and are always among the best sellers for special occasions related to children. But it is a phenomenon that crosses borders, since there are pages on social networks about "Ksi-meritos in Argentina" or various offers on digital sales sites.
What is it about? About some dolls that are part of the Neonatos series (which means “newborns”, although this is not the case and part of the intention of the discourse lies in that confusion) created by the company and which includes a wide variety of characters such as Sigotos ( with s), Premature and Mikromeritos. They cost about 30 dollars, and the accessories do not go below 10.
The advertising for the launch, which is now six years old, has six million views. And six girls dressed as women “like the ones from before” who sing: “I have to take care of my Ksi-merito, he is so fragile because he is the youngest. Don't take it out of the incubator, because without your love it doesn't get better. A kiss, perhaps, and put it back in."
In the video, something creepy worth watching is repeated like a mantra: "Bath, vaccine, food." That is the central axis of this not-so-innocent industry, because the "mission" of its creators is to "find the 'parents' who adopt one of all the Neonates that have come to Earth, so that they offer them the love and necessary care for being such small and delicate babies".
For this task, incubators, vaccines, medicines, clothing and other accessories are sold to care for a zygote, which in short is "the cell resulting from the union of the male and female gametes in the sexual reproduction of animals and plants”, according to the Royal Spanish Academy.
The mission
In the official description they claim to have recreated “the Neonate experience”, with the explicit purpose of offering entertainment and fun, and also contributing “to the creation of habits and games that create an awareness of care and responsibility in children. And it is added, so that there are no doubts: "We want them to learn from a young age to give value to a living being, to take care of it, and to enjoy a healthy game."
In summary, the Ksi-merits create awareness in children of the importance of taking care of the child long before birth.
Amparo Serrano, creator of this series (became known as VirgencitaPlis, the little Virgin of Guadalupe made into a toy), said that these zygotes come from the imaginary planet Neonatitlán, where Ksi-meritos willing to be adopted are born.
A Ksi-merito has “smooth skin and free of hair follicles (also known as hair). Its limbs are thinner and more articulated. In the first stage, it should be kept within its incubator to allow for optimal maturation and development."
The promotional video, which offers several clues to understand the phenomenon, furthermore promotes the idea that girls should devote themselves to motherhood, gender stereotypes that are also under discussion today, although they are still rooted in Latin America.