The Problem with Barbie
My friend Steph's daughter Annika just turned three and we gave her a Barbie for her birthday. A little background on the Barbie purchase.
Some of you may have been surprised that I bought a Barbie, what with the inherent problematic body image baggage involved in foisting this doll on a little girl. First of all, I would rather my child turn into a goody goody Barbie cheerleader any day over deciding to go the Bratz route; Have you seen those little hussy dolls? They might as well have named those dolls Slutz!
Secondly, I debated it while on the toy aisle with two screaming children in tow, and decided that three year olds don't really HAVE a body image yet, and they just want to brush the doll's hair and dress her up and make her have fun jobs. And when they do get around to having a body image, I know that Annika (and her sister, Dagny) will be kickass girls with a healthy body image and will just use Barbie to turn unrealistic standards of beauty on their ear by making Barbie a Nobel-prize-winning Physicist, punk rock drummer, or something fun like that. I speak from experience here. Just ask Malibu Barbie, who had the fireplace hearth breast reduction (scrape Barbie's chest back and forth over bricks on hearth until desired breast flatness is achieved), and then shaved her head, wore Ken's tuxedo, and decided to be the Dream House butler.
posted by Dogwood Girl @ 9:08 AM
4 comments
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4 Comments:
I totally agree about the Bratz. It is a real struggle to find clothing and toys that aren't slutty. We will be doing our best to foster good body images and "loving what you've got", Barbie or no Barbie. I still love Barbie, though, and I don't think my crappy body image was because of her.
I am glad you came around Anne. I was really worried when I read the header. I am of the feeling that the harder you push an agenda on a child, the more they will rebel (now or later).
Barbies are just toys. And you are right, Anne, they are about applying make up and brushing their hair...or at least they were for me. Well, not really.
I howled when I read what you did to Barbie's breasts! I thought I was the only psycho doll abuser. I recall Owen and I taking one of my Fisher Price Adventure People (specifically the reporter from the news crew) and grinding down her hair on the wheel of a stationary exercise bike.
On another note, is it true that kids that abuse animals at a young age grow up to be serial killers? That's what Laura says.
Oh my god, Jason - that is so funny I just almost peed! Who did the pedaling on the bike?? Probably Owen, right?
Anne - Do you still have our Butler Barbie? We should bust out the Barbies next weekend and play. Although Rollie will probably grab them all and say, "MY BOBBIES!"
I think we took turns. We shaped her head like a cube when it was over and done with.
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