Barbie is back and better than ever.
Tall, curvy, petite, and original; hair types that represent actual natural hair, from 1A to 4C; skin and eye colors in all shades and combinations.
Now, thanks to Mattel’s new take on the original blonde bombshell, you can get a doll that actually looks like you; not just the you that society wants you to be.
The intent behind the new designs is to provide young girls with more accurate representations of the women who really exist in the world. The dolls will now encourage diversity and celebrate our differences. They will prevent girls from trying to look like the dolls through eating disorders- which are becoming more and more common at younger ages.
There has been some backlash against the new arrivals; no surprises there, no one ever likes the new girl. Critics are claiming that continuing to talk about body image issues, Barbie’s body, and how girls look at themselves will perpetuate these problems. Critics believe that we need to stop talking about Barbie’s bod entirely if we want to change the way young girls feel about themselves. I call bullshit, and here’s why:
When I was a young child, I was the only girl in my class with the winning combination of glasses, curly hair, freckles, and a retainer, and to top it all off, I was super short. Looking back I was precious as hell! But I had Barbies. And I compared myself to those things every damn day. They actually did represent my friends, who were tall thin gymnasts with perfect posture and pin-straight hair and smooth delicate skin. Between them and my Barbies, I found myself asking my mom, “When will my hair go straight?” and “When my skin go one color?” I distinctly recall rejecting my Barbies one fateful day, cutting their hair off and vowing to only play with stuffed animals from that day on. I also remember expecting my eyesight to magically improve, too. The only Barbie with glasses, at the time, was a geek Barbie or something of that nature. That’s great and all because nerds rock, but come on, I’m sure there were popular girls with glasses out there. Maybe Barbie wore contacts…
I know I wasn’t the only girl who grew up with problems, and I’m not claiming that my beautiful friends didn’t have body image issues of their own. However, the fact remains, it was damaging to compare myself to my flawless doll. And as much as you tell kids “don’t compare yourself to others,” they will. When perfect creatures surround you, it helps to have someone you can relate to on your side, as confirmation that you’re not alone. It’s crucial for young kids, because with they’re standards are set against just a few years of life, they don’t know all that much about the world outside their immediate experiences. I wish my young self had been presented with a curvy Barbie, with glasses and curly hair. Thankfully such a doll is now is available for future generations of young women, of all shapes and styles.
Because of this, I have to say “no” to the people insisting we stop talking about women’s bodies. If we had shut up, we wouldn’t have these dolls. So no, I will not stop celebrating this new development, because it’s a step in the right direction in the realm of representation. To the new Barbies and the girls that will buy them, all I have to say is “YOU GO GIRL”.