Today on Facebook a friend recommended a blog for moms of girls. There were some interesting posts about raising girls---how to boost their self esteem, teaching them modesty in their dress (because really, do 5 yr olds need to have low rise jeans?? I kid you not!), knowing who their friends are, encouraging their talents, etc.
I was on board with a lot of what was said until the blogger started in about Barbie.
There’s Barbie who retains the title of most-physically impossible physique after fifty years. If she were an atual woman, her breasts would be so heavy she’d be forced to walk on all fours! (I’m not kidding.) . The only thing bigger than Barbie’s…ere, figure…is her sales “figures.” (Oh, how I wish I could change that!) Here’s the deal: when our daughters play with cute, non-sexual dolls they tend to let imaginative play loose. They role-play and create, giving muscle to their executive function (which controls value formation). But when our daughter’s play with dolls that have a more seductive nature, they tend to be more confined in their imaginative play. It generally leans toward “seduce the boy.”
While I agree that Barbie's figure is physically impossible (unless you're Heidi Montag), I honestly don't know anyone who has played with or who is currently playing with Barbie, that wants to look like her. Maybe girls want silky straight hair like her or a closet filled w/trendy clothing like Barbie, but her figure? Come on, give us a little credit here.
When Barbie came onto the market 50 years ago, there were very few options for women. You went to school, got married, had babies. End of story. Maybe you worked for a little while. Very few women had careers.
Along came Barbie & suddenly little girls had a doll who was a flight attendant. Raise your hand if you had the Barbie Friendship airplane. I did. It wasn't until I had friends who were flight attendants did I learn the job really wasn't glamorous.
Barbie was an astronaut, a veterinarian, a teacher, a doctor, a fire fighter, a chef, scuba diver, animal trainer, a nurse, a dentist, an ambassador, a presidential candidate, a life guard, a Royal Canadian Mountie, a ballerina, a photographer, and a new anchor. She's also represented the Army, Air Force, Marines & Navy. (Thank you, Wikipedia, for your oh-so-thorough list!)
Sunshine's at an age where she's aware of romantic love. Well, as much as a 6 year old can be. Her Barbies have "married" Ken or the Prince dolls. They have children. Have I missed something or is it so awful for children to play "family"? I know when I was little my cousins & I would play family. Since I was the youngest (by 6 months), I was always the baby. Is it wrong to emulate what you see at home when you have two parents who hug & kiss one another & their child? BTW, Sunshine's dolls? There's no seducing going on. Sunshine's friends dolls? No seducing there either.
What's next? Disney Princesses? Doesn't every little girl want to believe in princesses when they're little?
Yes, Barbie isn't a physical role model, but she can be a role model in many other areas. Oh and, when my friend, Joe, graduated from dental school, I got him a dentist Barbie as a graduation gift. He loved her!
ReplyDeleteI think it's creepy (and not the good kind of creepy) to assign a word like "seducing" to a child's toy. That's an adult viewpoint and not a kid's. We had Barbie's when I was a kid and now I work in Law Enforcement. I think I turned out okay and I even manage to keep my seducing to a fairly low amount. :)
ReplyDeleteThere really isn't anything evil about Barbie. When I was a kid, I wanted her hair and clothes, just like you said. Her figure didn't even occur to me beyond the whole, "She's a grown-up lady and when you are a grown-up lady, you have boobs." I had no concept of size, or that maybe my stomach wouldn't be flat or that my thighs would touch someday.
ReplyDeletePlus, she had magical hair that grew if you pushed the button on her back. I knew my hair didn't do that. But it was fun to imagine it did!
Well said argument, lady.
Sounds like the other Mom has some issues of her own she's trying to work out on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteI'm as old as Barbie and Hawaii...and I pretty much think I turned out alright...except that my first Barbie's legs got really gross because the plastic got tacky. Well..no plastic here!
Shessshhh....let the girls enjoy the Barbies, and the Mom's suck up the shoes in the vacuum cleaner like the rest of us did.