Barbie is 50, but the Criticism Doesn’t Stop

Barbie celebrates her 50th birthday this month.   Yes, the blonde fashion doll is half a century old this year.  Making her debut in March 1959, Barbara Millicent Roberts has been criticized over the past decades as being a “bad influence” on girls.  Ranging from her proportions (a “real life” Barbie would be about 5’9″ with 36-18-33 measurements – proportions which won’t fit in ANY sort of clothing off the rack without massive alterations) to various versions of the doll which would, according to women’s studies scholars, “encourage eating disorders/bad body image.”  In fact, Jeff Eldridge of the West Virginia legislature wants to issue a ban on selling the doll in his state.

Ban the sale of Barbie?  I’m not sure if that’s going to work.  If you’re talking about bad body image, Barbie’s not the only one out there causing problems.  Models, actresses and musicians do as well.  And in any case, Barbie has a good side too.  She has never really been portrayed only as a girl who loves to look pretty.  Barbie has had different professions.  While Barbie was initially supposed to be a teen model, she has also been a doctor, an astronaut, and even ran for office (twice).   The whole point is to enhance a little girl’s (well, mostly little girls) imagination.  If Barbie can do whatever she wants, then a little girl can grow up to be whatever she wants too.  It really broadens a girl’s horizon and her range of options. This is unlike many other girls’ toys, even ones from the 1980s when I was a kid.  I mean, JEM was a rock star and nothing else, and her alter ego, Jerrica, was a band manager; and She-Ra was a superhero.  To a Barbie, there isn’t such a thing as NO.  I guess Eldridge doesn’t get it.  But being a man, it’s unlikely he even grew up playing with Barbie. 

I have to admit that I didn’t have many Barbies growing up.  Cabbage Patch dolls, stuffed animals and art supplies were my thing.  I had tons and tons of crayons, paints, markers, pencil crayons (aka coloured pencils) and construction paper.  In fact, I probably still have 1980s-era crayons somewhere in the house! But what makes painting or playing mommy to Cabbage Patch tolls “better” than dress up with Barbie?  And what about traditional toys for boys?  Why isn’t Eldridge calling for a ban on toy guns?  Violent video games?   Isn’t playing with a toy gun also playing pretend?  What’s wrong with dress up, especially if the game of dress up involves a career?  Playing pretend and using one’s imagination is all part of being a kid, after all. 

I agree that body image is important. But I think limiting violence is even more so. Why are we making a bigger deal of the Barbie to the point that someone would want to ban the sale of a doll?  Instead, Mr. Eldridge should focus his energy and attention on stopping the sale of toy guns