This is the image of beauty that many little girls internalize through their toys. Barbie is not real. She doesn't represent an attainable aesthetic yet this concept of beauty has dominated our culture. What's beautiful? Long, flowing hair. Perfect skin. Even Barbies with different skin colors look just the same- they just literally changed the skin color of the doll. Tiny feet, tiny waist, tiny everything... except long legs and big breasts.
I reject Barbie! When my daughters decided to give their Barbies mowhawks and decorate them with permanent markers, it was a strange vindication. The poem below, by Marge Piercy, represents the experience of a little girl who is not like Barbie and satirically reveals what happens to her from having accepted the Barbie-like culture of beauty.
Following is a link to a video about a new doll that just came out about Barbie's real self- an actual shape, with realistic skin tone and features. The manufacturer made this doll because there were no dolls that looked real.
"Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy
This girlchild was born as usual
and presented dolls that did pee-pee
and miniature GE stoves and irons
and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.
Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:
You have a great big nose and fat legs.
She was healthy, tested intelligent,
possessed strong arms and back,
abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.
She went to and fro apologizing.
Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs.
She was advised to play coy,
exhorted to come on hearty,
exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.
Her good nature wore out
like a fan belt.
So she cut off her nose and her legs
and offered them up.
In the casket displayed on satin she lay
with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on,
a turned-up putty nose,
dressed in a pink and white nightie.
Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said.
Consummation at last.
To every woman a happy ending.
By focusing on barbies looks we are focusing again on what society wants us to. Barbie has always been advertised as "Be who you wanna be!" and that's exactly what Barbie does. She was an astronaut 12 years before a woman went up in a spaceship. She has also been a computer engineer, a doctor, and a race-car driver. She does all these tasks without her femininity being compromised. By focusing on her looks we are doing what society always does to women, and ignoring Barbies incredible achievements which have been encouraging little girls for years. Barbie is her own doll and if you want to purchase the Ken doll, it is around 2$ less. Barbie's own wage gap. Feminism comes in a lot of ways and there is no wrong way to be a feminist.
ReplyDeleteWhat an astute comment, Hallie! You are absolutely right! Part of the meaning of feminism is that women should not criticize women for their choices and appearance. But Barbie is not ,in fact, real. She is an amalgamation of all the things a patriarchal society has said she should be. I, like you, am encouraged by Mattel's new branding of Barbie as a woman of substance, intellect and drive. It certainly sends a more positive message to little girls (and to women). My daughter enjoyed playing with her veterinarian Barbie, having tiny little plastic dogs visit her tiny little plastic clinic. She no longer had to have Barbie languishing in her "dream" house" or longing for a date with Ken. Progress has been made. But shouldn't Barbie's appearance change too? Love your thoughtful remarks!
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you, Hallie, that Barbie has accomplished a great deal, she still encompasses all aspects of the "perfect" girl stereotype that the patriarchy forces upon women. Barbie's body, hair, makeup, skin etc. all make girls feel like they should look a certain way. And her "sexy" factor just perpetuates the idea that to be successful and get noticed in Barbie's male dominated fields, you can't just be smart-- you also have to be as gorgeous as Barbie.
ReplyDeleterachel, you should watch the video above and see how the children respond to possible careers for Barbie. "Fashion star. Makeup artist." Society interprets femininity as weakness. So I don't think her taking on masculine jobs is setting more of an expectation rather than an inspiration. You can get your hair blown out and wear makeup and still be a teacher, a lawyer, or a pilot. We are limiting girls to what they can and cannot do based off their looks. Barbie is smart and gorgeous but I think that it's not shaming little girls but giving them something to strive for.
DeleteWhile Barbie is still the poster child for the ideal body image, we again are body shaming her. Some girls cannot chose to be skinny, and some girls cannot choose to chubbier. People hypocritically dissect Barbie's body in an effort to make other girls feel better about themselves. Which exactly is what feminism is not- putting down one woman to raise another. While skinny shaming is not as bad as fat shaming, women vs women wars need to stop. A role model is a role model not in what she looks like but in what she does. Also this is the link to the 2015 Barbie line-up: http://conglomerminty.tumblr.com/post/102491442070/typette-holy-crap-this-is-the-2015-barbie-doll and from the looks of it the minorities are out weighing the white barbie dolls which is what Mattel should be doing- taking the steps to make sure every little girl is represented by what she sees on the shelf at target. also carrying the new slogan #unapologetic is awesome.
ReplyDeleteDid you guys see that the Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendar is on the newstands now? Barbie-like girls- shiny flesh, starved-for bodies, all for public consumption, tantalization, and adoration. I want to say, somebody get those girls a hamburger. But I can see what you're saying, Hallie. Part of it stems from female jealousy- I do not have that body, that lustrous hair, that winning smile. I shouldn't fault them that they do. But, the message that SI and other outlets like Barbie shows is that this what we should strive towards/what sells/what's sexy. Can we have plus size or average size Barbie too? I wish that Lamilly doll were widely available.
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