The majority of us gals grew up playing with Barbies. This was an ordinary everyday thing. Everyone did it and no one questioned it. There was never a reason to do so. But should we have? What long lasting effects have they had on us?
When something becomes the norm of everyday life, we tend not to question whether or not it is harmful. Often times we don't even see its adverse effects, or choose not to. Something so simple as a child's toy wouldn't be detrimental to our children's health. Or at least it shouldn't be. But for many young girls, its negative effects have lasted a lifetime.
We live in a society where the media has a monopoly on the ideas of a perfect woman. We are exposed to this image daily, and often times far more than we consciously know. Everything from movies to magazines to billboards, and yes, even to the toys that are produced, portray this unattainable model. The idea of what perfection is for a woman is brainwashed into children at a very young age. Every little girl is given barbie to play with. They are handed something that says this is what you have to be to be good enough. But of course, 99 percent of the world will never look like a Barbie. It is literally impossible. Not to mention that fact that a woman could never live with body portions that are seen on a Barbie. If there were to be a human who fit the shape of a Barbie, there would be some serious issues that she would have to endure. A real life Barbie would not be to walk on two legs due to abnormally small ankles and a large head, which would be unable to be supported by her extremely small neck. Her sixteen-inch waist would leave barely any room for internal organs, resulting in her quick decline. There is nothing that equally compares her to a normal human being. It promotes an unhealthy lifestyle that girls are quickly forced into if they desire to be beautiful in the eyes of the media. Even woman that suffer from extreme cases of anorexia would never be able to fit into a Barbie mold.
These awful ideals are what leads to the suffering of so many adolescents. And when I say adolescents, I include boys. As the Barbie became more popular, creators knew they had to give her a man, because how could a woman ever survive on her own without a man. They of course created another unrealistic image for men to live up to. The Ken Barbie has zero body fat, while also being quite tall with a chiseled face, blonde hair, and blue eyes. This still promotes self hate, as the majority of men do not have blue eyes, blonde hair, a tall stature, and bulging muscles. This tells young boys that without these features, they will never be attractive to women, or good enough.
Toy makers have yet to create a child's doll that lines up with the reality of what men and women look like. This gross misconception of what we should look like needs to stop. We need to be able to teach children, at a young age, that we are all beautiful in our own way, and that above all, we are good enough. No matter the details that each of us posses, we are all human, so we must learn to love each other for our unique differences. It’s what makes us special.
