Barbie hit the market on March 9, 1959 with long legs, blonde hair, a small waist, a decent but, big boobs, tan skin and makeup done to perfection. Little girls have grown up playing with Barbie and aspiring to be just like her. She’s has set a standard for beauty, contributing to the issue of body image with women and girls all over the country.
From a young age, girls were given this doll and it was deemed beautiful. Barbie’s eyes lined with eyeliner and body molded to an unattainable human level. A typical Barbie doll is 11.5 inches and if this is made to scale, than in real life she would be 5 feet and 9 inches. Her bust would be 36 inches, with an 18 inch waist and 33 inch hips. She is missing 17 to 22 percent of the body fat needed for a women to have a menstrual cycle. In reality, Barbie is verging a body dimorphic.
Backlash has plagued Barbie since her creation and stars such as Demi Lovato have openly spoke out about the issue. However, Barbie climbed aboard the women’s empowerment movement this year. The new Barbie advertisement portrays the message to “image the possibilities.” In the advertisement, young girls are turning their dreams into possibilities. No longer is Barbie hanging at the beach, fawning over boys. Instead, Barbie is out in the workforce as a veterinarian, museum tour guide, teacher and a coach for men’s sports. This latest message by Barbie teaches young girls that they can dream and they can achieve. Maybe Barbie makers are trying to divert from the fact that their Barbie still appears the same by changing the mission. Either way, it’s a step in the right direction. This acknowledges the affect the doll has on young children and empowerment of women comes to mind in regards to Barbie after watching this advertisement.
Imagine a world of confident women set out on a mission to be who they want. We all need to take note, we can be whatever we want and become prominent figures in the world. The world of opportunities for women is more than just dressing up and being materialistic. There is nothing more powerful than the mind of a woman set out on a mission to make her mark in the world.
Check out the Barbie advertisement
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