In A Barbie World

There has been a lot of talk lately about Barbie. Barbie is a bad role model for kids, Barbie is objectifying women, Barbie is supporting gender roles, Barbie is promoting eating disorders, Barbie is an evil minion sent to the world to brainwash our children and destroy their self-worth.

I might have elaborated a bit on that last one, but really, that is the impression I get from people lately.

Let's all take a minute and get down to basics.

Barbie is a toy. She It is made of plastic.  She It has fake hair, painted on facial features, odd shaped feet, molded together fingers, is missing quite a few joints...not to mention other human body parts... she it has had thousands of jobs, and even more clothes,  she it has a mansion, a convertible, a stretch limo, a beach house, a swimming pool, a yacht, even an airplane.  She It has plastic friends, family, and pets...nothing about this woman character is realistic. Well, maybe except for the fact that she it too can't find her its shoes when she it needs them.

You see my subtle point?
This toy isn't meant to be a role model, it's meant to be a toy. I never once looked at my Barbie dolls and thought "I need to look like her." Just like I didn't look at my P.J. Sparkles, Strawberry Shortcake, Polly Pocket, My Little Pony, or my Easy Bake Oven with a longing, self-deprecating ineptness.
Just because Barbie had a mini skirt and platforms didn't mean I need to as well. Heck, Strawberry Shortcake had a dress that turned into a dessert...that was way more appealing. Maybe I was taught to be more self-confident, more practical, or maybe I was just born with those qualities; but the issue here is not the doll, it's the parenting.

Teaching your daughter child that a plastic object is a reflection of you, your goals, and your perspective is ridiculous. We as parents are projecting this judgement onto them. I have heard more about eating disorders and body image issues in the past few years than ever before. Some say by addressing these issues we are helping young girls people, but I can't help but feel that by placing a spotlight on them, we are obviously drawing their attention to it far more than we need to. Are the statistics better now that we've beaten Barbie off her imaginary skinny throne? Nope. In fact they are rising. Along with depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, and obesity. Are those issues rooted in the evilness of plastic dolls too? How can one toy be responsible for so much? Maybe she's it's not...maybe we are placing the blame on the doll because we can. Sure, we'll sound a little silly, giving a toy more power than people, but when things go wrong, we don't have take responsibility for it. We can blame today's problems on a toy that has been around for over 50 years.

And why are we limiting this judgement to girls? If our children's toys need to be examined for their influence on a child's behavior, shouldn't we be heckling G.I.Joe for carrying a gun? His caviler attitude with a firearm is the reason there are so many shootings in America. Or how about their remote-controlled race cars? High speed car chases and crashes were inspired by these reckless, mechanical play-things.

Why is it that we always victimize our daughters? Making them seem weak, easily-influenced, and completely dependent on the society's current standard. I think we should be promoting independence, free-thinking, creative, and strong-willed young girls who will grow up to look at a Barbie doll the way she looks at play-doh. They are both objects you play with to further imagination and to cure boredom. I have no problem buying my daughter a Barbie doll, just like I have no problem buying her a firetruck, or a stuffed zoo animal.
I'm not telling you you should buy toys for your child that makes you feel uncomfortable, but I am saying that a collection of people lacking in self-esteem should not dictate what we can give our kids on Christmas or their birthdays...or when they finally poop in the "big girl potty."

You are concerned that your daughter will dislike herself because she doesn't look like her doll? How about you tell her every day how smart, inventive, beautiful, and awesome she is, and let Barbie be the thing she destroys over the years with magic markers and scissors. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.


M.LEWIS