"It's Bigger Than Barbie"
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

"It's Bigger Than Barbie"

The iconic Barbie doll has a new look, and it might just start a beauty revolution.

80
"It's Bigger Than Barbie"
Barbie Media

This past week, Barbie debuted a whole new look. After receiving decades' worth of criticism on Barbie's weight and skin tone, Mattel Inc. released the 2016 Fashionistas®. This is the biggest change Barbie has seen in her 57-year history. The new Barbies come in four body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles. The unifying factor is that they all still sport the same iconic fashionable clothing and accessories.

Not everyone, however, is impressed by Barbie's new line. Many have taken to social media to complain and critique the new age of Barbies. A friend of mine voiced her own misgivings about Fashionista Barbie:

"Women should not have to look at a Barbie doll and say, 'Oh hey, this is how I think I'm going to look or how I want to look when I'm older.' I don't look at a Barbie doll, I look at all of the women who are supposed to be figures in my life. And I think for a lot of girls that may be models and celebrities.

When the new Barbie commercial came out I watched it and saw that they picked a black girl, a fat girl, a Hispanic girl and the politically correct white girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. You're trying too hard to create diversity there. You know what, I am African-American and I still played with the blonde Barbie. But I also had Dr. Mae Jemison, who was the first African-American astronaut going into space.

I think you can play with whoever and you don't have to try so hard to be politically correct about it. It's great that they tried to appease what other people were thinking, but it's kind of bigger than Barbie. Yeah, you can change the Barbie dolls, but what about the real women who are trying to emulate Barbie? The models tell you that fat is not OK; Barbie can't talk."

Barbie was originally created to be a representation of every girl. Creator Ruth Handler said, “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.” By offering all these new looks, Barbie is tackling a problem that is bigger than Barbie; she's highlighting a major cultural issue. The media portrays beauty in one light. Girls are taught to conform to strict regimens that will keep them thin. It's OK to be "curvy," but it's not OK to be plus-sized. Dark-skinned women are constantly white-washed on the covers of magazines.

But maybe the times are changing. Aerie is no longer retouching their models with Photoshop. #BlackGirlMagic is trending to remind women everywhere that black is beautiful. Gina Rodriguez has become an empowering voice for Latinas. So what does this mean for the new Barbie? Recently, "Glamour" asked little girls what they think about traditional Barbie and then showed them the new line. The video below shows their responses.

To some, Barbie might just be a doll. But to many young girls, she's a friend, an inspiration, and a role model. Maybe there is forced diversity in the campaign and it's all just a ploy for Mattel to increase sales. Maybe it's time to stop being politically correct. You decide. But know that no matter what, the 2016 Fashionistas® are revolutionary. Who would have imagined that a plastic figurine could spark a conversation on feminism and body diversity?

The new promotional video says it all: "It's important for Barbies to look different, you know, like the real people in the world... We have to let girls know, it doesn't matter what shape you come in, that anything is possible... Imagination comes in all shapes and sizes."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Allison Fishman

1. Why is Wilson Hall so complicated to navigate? Even as a senior, I still get lost in Wilson. As a freshman, I was warned about the unnecessary complexity of the building, was laughed at by upperclassman for my confused looks on the first day of school and walked and rewalked the whole hall before finding my classroom. #annoying.

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

Blair Waldorf For governor of new york

What life would be like if the people were led by Queen B.

1448
Blair Waldorf For governor of new york

Cynthia Nixon, a.k.a Miranda from Sex and the City, is running for governor of New York. I think that this would be the best decision that has been made in a while solely based off of the fact that almost no one knows New York like the cast of Sex and the City. This got me thinking about who else would be a good candidate to take over the city of dreams. Then I realized that Blair Waldorf, if she were a real person, would be my number one choice for governor. Here are five reasons why Queen B would be an excellent ruler.

Keep Reading... Show less
Student Life

Why Littles Rock

Who doesn't want to be an awesome big?

1266

We see ourselves getting further into the semester.

Keep Reading... Show less
Student Life

10 Things To NEVER Do In College, EVER

Just a little advice for the start of a new semester.

89152
Wikimedia Commons

College — a new place with new people and a new you! You're ready to get a fresh start on a new campus; before you start, however, there are some social rules that you should know. These are suggestions that you are not required to follow, but they are highly recommended. Here are ten things you probably should not do from now on.

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

America's biggest party schools

These are known for their lively party scenes

1712
America's biggest party schools
Determining which schools are the biggest party schools is often subjective, but a some statistical factors you could use to make a judgement include (1) consumption, (2) drug usage, (3) strong greek life presence, (4) campus police records etc.

When a student at Auburn was recently asked, she explained: "These schools usually have, like, a super vibrant social scene, lots of Greek life (like my amazing sorority, duh!), and tons of exciting events happening all the time. I mean, we're talking about tailgates, themed parties, mixers with fraternities, and just, like, so much fun. But don't get me wrong, we still, like, study and go to class and all that. It's just that at a party school, the social life and having a good time are, like, major priorities for students."

Keep Reading... Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments