Barbie has been a popular toy for young girls since she was first introduced by Mattel in 1959. With her impossibly perfect figure, flashy outfits, and glamorous lifestyle, Barbie has often been criticized as promoting an unrealistic body image and materialistic values. However, Barbie has evolved over the decades to take on a wide variety of careers, hobbies, and personalities. So is the iconic doll still a poor role model, or can Barbie actually provide positive inspiration for today’s girls?
Barbie’s Origins
Barbie was created by Ruth Handler, a co-founder of Mattel, who was inspired by watching her daughter play with paper dolls. Handler wanted to create an adult-bodied doll that would allow girls to imagine grown-up roles through pretend play. The first Barbie doll hit store shelves in 1959, featuring blond hair, black and white swimsuits, and a voluptuous figure of a busty chest, narrow waist, and long legs. This exaggerated body type did not reflect the average woman’s proportions at the time.
Criticisms of Barbie
Barbie immediately received criticism for promoting an unrealistic body image for young girls. At 1/6 scale, Barbie would have measurements of 36-18-38 in human sizes. Her body proportions were estimated to be so extreme that only 1 in 100,000 women would have them. As one example, critics pointed out that Barbie’s 17 inch waist would be 4 inches thinner than the thinnest part on an anorexic patient. Such extremes could fuel body dissatisfaction and unhealthy dieting behaviors in girls striving for Barbie’s improbable measurements.
Beyond just her figure, Barbie’s original lifestyle as a fashion-focused teenage girl also set unrealistic ideals. Her expansive closets, cars, and Dream Houses showed materialism and consumption far removed from a child’s reality. Barbie did not originally reflect the realities and responsibilities of adulthood. As such, some argued children would have difficulty separating Barbie’s fantasy world from real life.
Additional Concerns Over the Years
While Barbie’s body has been gradually updated to reflect more diversity, some argue the damage has already been done. Barbie remains a symbol of idealized beauty, and any exposure could activate those unrealistic stereotypes in young girls’ minds. There are also concerns that Barbie promotes stereotypical gender roles rather than gender neutrality. Most Barbie sets revolve around shopping, fashion, and dating. Some parents do not want toys that skew their daughters’ interests and career aspirations in traditional directions. Even when Barbie takes on newer empowering roles like President or STEM careers, some find she is still mainly focused on her looks and social life.
Benefits of Barbie Play
However, supporters argue there are many potential benefits of Barbie doll play as well:
- Imaginative play – Barbie dolls encourage creativity and storytelling as girls roleplay adult scenarios.
- Career exploration – Barbie explores over 200 different careers showing girls they can pursue any profession.
- Self-esteem – Girls report that play bolsters their self-confidence as they act out their dreams and values through Barbie.
- Social skills – Cooperative play provides opportunities to develop sharing, communication, and empathy.
- Fine motor skills – Manipulating the small doll accessories assists with fine motor development.
While the research is mixed, some studies have found girls who play with Barbie have greater perceived career options, higher self-esteem, and more progressive views on women’s roles than non-players.
Barbie’s Evolution
In response to ongoing criticisms, Mattel has made substantial changes to modernize Barbie over the past decades:
Body Proportions
Barbie’s figure now includes various body types to reflect real diversity. In 2016, Mattel debuted three new body types – Tall, Curvy, and Petite. Barbie’s original pinup proportions dropped from 1% to 33% of the doll line. Her waist widened and bust shrank to allow for healthier measurements.
Skin Tones & Ethnicities
Barbie originally only came in a blonde, white version. But Mattel recognized the need for diversity and rolled out new ethnicities and skin tones throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Today, over 25% of Barbie dolls sold are of ethnicities other than caucasian.
Careers & Leadership Roles
As women’s societal roles shifted, Barbie took on more progressive careers from doctor to astronaut to President. She now represents over 200 careers showing girls they can succeed in any profession. Barbie continues to take on aspirational leadership roles, such as 2020 Presidential candidate, to reflect women’s expanding potential.
Interests & Hobbies
Barbie’s interests also expanded beyond parties and fashion. She now includes outdoor, STEM-based, and gender-neutral sets that encourage diverse hobbies not defined by gender stereotypes. Examples include soccer player, robotics engineer, and paleontologist kits to spark girls’ well-rounded interests.
Is Barbie a Feminist Icon?
Given her evolution, some now ask whether Barbie empowers girls more than harms them? Can a doll once criticized as anti-feminist actually be rebranded as a feminist role model? Some interesting perspectives have emerged:
1. Barbie Inspires Girls to Imagine Their Potential
While Barbie presents an idealized version of womanhood, supporters say this sparks young girls’ aspirations. Through imaginative roleplay, girls can envision themselves in limitless future roles as empowered women. Dreaming big at a young age can shape girls’ career interests and ambitions.
2. Barbie Features Successful Women in Leadership Roles
As a doctor, entrepreneur, and politician, Barbie shows girls they can grow up to be leaders in male-dominated fields. This visualization of women in powerful roles combats stereotypes. Exposure to career dolls can shape girls’ perceptions of their own potential.
3. Barbie Promotes Progressive Ideals to Girls
Barbie’s evolution reflects shifting cultural values on women’s roles and identities. As she takes on new empowering careers and hobbies, Barbie exposes girls to more progressive concepts about independence, freedom of choice, equal opportunities, and gender neutrality.
4. Barbie Alone Won’t Shape Girls’ Self-Image
How children play with toys depends heavily on social context. Barbie’s impact will be filtered through the gender norms, conversations, and values girls encounter in everyday life. For Barbie to inspire healthy development, parents must help girls engage critically.
Should Parents Buy Barbie Dolls for Their Daughters?
Given the pros and cons, here are some expert tips on how parents can make the right decision for their child:
- Consider the child’s age and developmental stage – Dolls may have more influence on pre-teens’ versus older children’s body image and conceptions of gender roles.
- Balance Barbie with other toys – Rotate Barbie with gender-neutral toys, action figures, blocks, etc. to prevent a narrow focus on appearance and social roles.
- Play together – Parental conversations while playing can guide children’s interpretations in healthy ways.
- Emphasize Barbie’s vocations – Shift focus from Barbie’s appearance to her cool careers, leadership roles, and diversity.
- Find alternatives – Highlight positive traits in other dolls or real-life role models as comparisons to Barbie’s restricted femininity.
Conclusion
While Barbie has undeniably received her fair share of criticism over the decades, the doll has evolved to increasingly reflect more progressive cultural values surrounding women and girls. With mindful parental oversight, Barbie can provide young girls with a relatively positive opportunity to roleplay adulthood across a broad range of careers, interests, and leadership roles. However, the ongoing debate reminds us that toys still have power in shaping children’s development in either positive or negative directions.