Barbie Stereotypes

Introduction Barbie is one of the best-selling dolls in the world. This doll often resembles role models to young girls. What girl hasn’t had a Barbie doll in their lifetime? It is not unusual that at least 99% of girls in the population have or has had a Barbie. The main concern is with young girls up to the age of 10, with the idea image that Barbie provokes to these young minds.

During the time of development and release of Barbie, the feminist movement was in full swing. The concept that Barbie may have been manufactured as a weapon against these feminist groups is plausible as the image of Barbie exploits the female body and challenges the values held by active feminists. Though, from a slightly different perspective, one could argue that Barbie with her freedoms and luxuries supports the ideals of women's equality and rights. Barbie may have been the transition piece of the decade, setting a new path for women and young girls.

As a child, every girl dreamed of having a Barbie, but as an adult, I don’t think that was the maker’s objective to become an actual Barbie. “These skeptics in the Barbie debate view Barbie as a toy, stating that she does not have power or influence over little girls or grown women” (Virasin).

Barbie has been the face that many girls all over the world have looked up to for 50 plus years. Since her debut in 1959, she has undergone so minor design changes and has even added a couple of friends. There were a few authors who wrote articles and poems about Barbie. Among the authors, Hilary Tham who wrote a poem called Barbie Shoes. Tham did mention some prejudices with Barbie shoes that can be compared to today’s society. She used words such as “useless” and “mismatch” which could detail that most Americans put things down in the basement to preserve for their children and grandchildren. Although Barbie shoes are “useless” and “mismatch” they still reintroduce newcomers with a like spark from the old shoes but go buy new Barbie shoes

Another progressive Barbie, who stems from the “I can be” line, is Presidential Barbie. This is arguably the most progressive Barbie has ever been. There have been multiple Presidential Barbie’s all within third wave time period, however this paper focusing on the recent 2012 Presidential Barbie. Again, this Barbie is dressed conservatively, in a full pink suit, with the skirt landing below her knees and a jacket to cover up much of her skin. This Barbie also comes equipped with platform shoes, which allow her to stand on her own for the first time in fifty-three years. This demonstrates independence along with leadership, as she does not need someone to hold her up. The fact that she is running for President and in doing so has stability, speaks volumes to the kind of women this Barbie is trying to portray. Presidential Barbie has a platform in which she stands for which she titles the 5 ‘B’s’. They include, ‘B’ a dreamer, ‘B’ creative, ‘B’ informed, ‘B’ confident, and lastly ‘B’ involved. Barbie’s platform illustrates positive messages for young girls and their futures. Another progressive aspect of Presidential Barbie is that the creator, Mattel created this new doll in a partnership with The White House Project. The mission of The White House Project is to, “ignite the leadership of women in business along with politics” (thewhitehouseproject.org). The fact that Presidential

Manufacturers of consumer goods play into racialized and gendered preferences for their products, while also generating consumer desires. On the production and marketing of differences, similarities, role models, and both looking-like-me and looking-unlike-me experiences, through toys and games. In this article, Ann DuCille analyzes the past and present ways in which Mattel presents race and gender through the iconic Barbie doll. Barbie could be seen as a female representation of personal and financial independence, and professional success. She has been a World Cup soccer champion, an astronaut, a doctor, and even a head of state. Barbie has become an ideal icon for little girls to become anything they want to be. In the same breath

Barbie has evolved over the years representing many cultures while also showing the change in fashions interests and beliefs related to change in time. Barbie has changed and has donned dozens of costumes and styles. As the love for Barbie is greatly increasing the manufacturer of the idolized doll has expanded its "Fashionista" line, releasing more new Barbies according to people’s interests and beliefs.

An essential trope that was fundamentally used throughout the course of this commercial was the use of young girls playing real life professional career roles. According to the executive director of BBDO San Francisco, Matt Miller, “ 'Barbie was originally created to show girls they have choices, a fact that most people have forgotten. So we set out to show everyone how girls really play and demonstrate that, when girls play with Barbie, they actually play out the possibilities their futures hold.' " (qtd in AdWeek) BBDO San Francisco is a full service advertising ad agency and is part of the largest agency in North America, Omnicom. The executive creative director of the ad agency BBDO San Francisco exemplified how to reach out to their target audience about the true message of Barbie. "BBDO’s initial work, which BBDO New York president and CEO John Osborn called 'just the beginning of our ongoing partnership with Barbie…to create a movement in support of this iconic brand and help convert parents into brand advocates,' seems a clear indication of what to expect in the future as the agency will undoubtedly continue to mine the imagination and empowerment angle." (qtd in AdWeek) The ad agency, BBDO wanted to emphasize and encourage parents how their child would grow with the true purpose and role of Barbie. They purposely wanted to constantly remind parents that Barbie allows girls to seek and explore boundless

We have an eleven year old girl, and we do let her to play with Barbie dolls. However, we do not let her play with Bratz dolls. My fiancée thinks that the Bratz line of dolls are too sexualized, and I must admit, when I first saw them I joked that the Bratz line should be called “Street Walker Barbie.” I do think that negative body image is real problem, but the impact of dolls on body image is comparatively insignificant. Barbie dolls, which have been around for nearly sixty years, are not the cause of the current body image crises that is infecting the girls and woman of our country. We are contently bombarded by advertising, fashion magazines, video games, TV shows, and music videos, that dictate what beauty is supposed to be, setting unrealistic

With a perfect face, long blonde hair, permanent makeup, and a tight waist; Barbie is teaching girls that this is an acceptable standard of beauty. An article on Daily Mail UK’s website, Barbie’s proportions are broken down to outline how she would look as a real woman. If Barbie were life size and human, she would have a thirty-eight inch bust, sixteen inch waist with room for only half a liver or a few inches of intestines, and would have to walk on all fours due to her six inch ankles and top heavy distributions. When looking at the big picture, Barbie is the furthest thing from perfect. Nina Golgowski continues in the article, “In addition to comparing Barbie’s body proportions to the average American woman’s, it also compares them to the average anorexic woman.”

Barbie Barbie, the doll ever girl dreams of owning, is it also what they dream of becoming? When Barbie was created it had all the right intentions, and no one had negative ideas toward it. Although people may argue that Barbie’s appearance is unrealistic and it is not good for a child, that is not the factor that affects them, it is the negative implications. It is arguable if Barbie limits children’s career choices in their minds.

From her height, weight, and perfect figure, she seems to be able to do it all. With such a large amount of young girls in possession of a Barbie doll, many have questioned the effects it has on them and the way Barbie causes them to view themselves. For the most part, it has been decided that Barbie impacts

I feel like barbie is a detrimental object to young girls and should have never been created because she gives off a negative influence on young girls. I conclude that barbie is a negative influence because of the way she dresses, I say that due to the fact she wears skirts, shirts that show cleavage and her body type is skinny. Mattel states in the copyrighted version of the Barbie sticker album that “the shape of the doll, its clothes and the focus on dating activities presents sexual attractiveness as a key to popularity.” This evidence brings me to my conclusion that barbie is in fact a negative influence because she is presenting young girls with sexual images and leaving them with the impression that they can do, wear whatever they want and think they are better than everyone else. For example,  Kim Kardashian acts the way she does because she had barbie as young girl.

Just like Disney, Barbie is another popular children’s toy that many people would recognize and have memories of. Mary Rogers wrote the article “Hetero Barbie?”, which addresses Barbie’s undetermined sexuality. At first, Rogers says as girls get heterozexualized “they pay increasing attention to the size and shape of their bodies, the range and contents of their wardrobes, the styling of their hair, and the making up of their faces. Barbie epitomizes, even exaggerates, these families mandates.” Barbie’s thin waist, big breasts, and tall height can send a negative message to kids. Barbie can cause young girls to put important focus on physical appearance, just like Disney films.

Some people argue that children will not be influenced if they realize that Barbie is just a toy. This is true. As they grow old, children forget those toys with which they used to play, including Barbie dolls. Therefore, a simple toy is not going to influence a person 's mind too much. However, the anthropometry of Barbie represents a widespread stereotyped view of beauty in our society: thinner is better. In Am I Thin Enough Yet?, Sharlene Hesse-Biber describes a girl who crazily lost weight by dieting, vomiting and endlessly exercising (Rothenberg, 547). The girl does so because it is commonly admitted that a thin woman is always prettier and more attractive to men than a fat woman. This is similar to racism. "Racism is not about how you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look (Kelley, 2003)." People thought that white skin was better so white people used to be considered