First and foremost, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Lindsey, and I love to play with dolls. Growing up in a house with three sisters, there were more dolls than people around me. Whether it was Barbies, Bratz dolls, or Polly Pockets, I had them, and their matching dream house. I spent hours wasting away on the floor of my sister’s bedroom coming up with crazy scenarios for my dolls and their friends. What I never spent time considering, however, was the enormous effect these shiny, plastic dolls would have on my oh so impressionable mind. And really, I don’t think any of the young girls in my shoes did either. How were we, young pre-adolescent girls, supposed to know the significant weight and influence placed on our Barbie’s tiny plastic shoulders?
And really, I don’t think anyone was considering the effect playing with such a perfect seeming doll could have on a developing mind. I can’t help but wonder how playing with Barbie, a tall, Blonde girl with blue eyes and long legs, would affect me, a short brunette with brown eyes, and my perception of beauty and appearance for years to come. Moreover, besides appearance, I definitely wasn’t considering other effects playing with Barbie had on me. For instance, I always loved playing house with Barbie, using her pretty pink mansion to make her into the perfect housewife. How could role playing something like that not affect my outlook towards my own future? Granted, being a stay at home mom is more than admirable, but should it be the most forthcoming, and frankly only, job on a young girl’s mind as promoted by her favorite toys?
Luckily, young girls and their parents no longer have to worry about these long term effects doled out by Barbie. In fact, the makers of the iconic doll are putting their best efforts forward to not only move away from potentially damaging images and mindsets previously set forth by their dolls, but also are making numerous strides towards using their pervasive influence for good. After years of producing tall, impossibly thin, beautiful dolls that look, frankly, all the same, Mattel, the makers of Barbie, have stepped into the future and have announced a new line of dolls that will come with varying body types, skin types, and other physical features. At long last, young girls will not have to choose from a selection of dolls that look nothing like themselves, but can rather see their own beauty in a doll who can be more customized to fit each individual girls personal beauty and appearance.
Mattel also made strides in October 2015 when they released an inspiring new commercial that exemplifies everything a doll company should be. The ad campaign portrayed a series of young girls working in several professional situations, and putting their own adorable spin of each job, whether it be a veterinarian or a college professor. The whole thing is tied up in the end with the tagline “When a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines everything she can become.” I am not ashamed to admit that this inspiring commercial literally moved me to tears. Seeing such obvious progress in an area that has long been accused of promoting self-esteem issues promotes a truly hopeful feeling towards the clear and obvious progress that has been made since I was a young girl, seemingly just a few years ago. Needless to say, I am finally proud to call myself a long time fan of Barbie and I can’t wait to see what amazing things her, and the little girls she now better relates to, accomplish in the future.
