Note how her skin tone and eyes changed in Barbie #3 and 4.
Here she is as an African American and an Asian:
Can you believe this...here she as a muslim.
But, I bet you never thought you would see her this way?
Or like this!!!
Finally, someone got tired of her skinny self and tried to show the world a different view. The Body Shop came out with these posters and print ads in 2004.
Mattel immediately sued and won...the ads had to come down!
Shame isn't it that millions of little girls around the world have this impossibly thin doll as a model. The average American woman in 2007 was a size 14/16. But, we give our daughters and grandaughters a doll with a body that can never be attained. If she were alive, Barbie would be a woman standing 7ft.2 in. tall with a waistline of 18 inches, a 39 in. bust, and 33 in. hips. She would weigh 125 pounds. In fact, she would need to walk on all fours just to support her peculiar proportions. Her tiny feet could never support her weight, much less walk!
Yet media continues to push that skinny is the ONLY beauty. Well, I believe beauty comes in all sizes...and all ages. We need to remember that our bodies are only a container. Who we are...our souls...merely live there.
8 comments:
Oh, this has to be one of my favorite posts of the day today. You've really hit the nail on the head. As a mother of a 16-year old daughter, I found myself just cheering along with you on this post. And I LOVED the Body Shop poster!! Thanks, for a thought provoking post.
~Cheryl
GREAT post!!!! And how dare you show that poster of me to the whole world, ha, ha, ha!!!!
I was wondering if maybe her tiny feet could support her weight if she were human and had holes in her feet like the original doll...geez...that's a bit scary!! I want you to know...I never had a Barbie...yes I had her big boned friend...Tammy! I bet you're feeling sad for me...Right?? I think that scarred me for life...can you imagine what having a real Barbie could have done to me.
I've never seen some of thoes B.'s....I must admit the pregnancy Barbie kind of threw me for a loop...too early in the morning...I suppose!
Great post...I'm sure a man designed her...I mean after all look at her measurements!! Yeah, the only time my waste was that tiny...I was probably in 6th or 7th grade...my boobs only got near that size when I was breastfeeding...and my hips were probably that size when I was born...so yea...a tad unrealistic....however, I must say...my mom did have an 18" waistline when she married my dad...and it stayed that tiny for years...but she wasn't 7'2"....she was 5'3"....probably weighed 98 lbs soaking wet...and she did not have holes in her feet...!
Blessings...thanks for the giggle!
Teresa
I love the body shop poster!! It is so sad that the world today casts these unrealistic expectations for girls/women. I am so thankful for my parents who have always made me feel beautiful inside and out and given me the confidence to know that the inside is so much more important!
I agree with everyone else Tonja...that is a great post...fun too!
Just wanted to let you know that I look exactly like Barbie. The same big boobs and tiny waist. I was the original model for Barbie. HA! And if you believe that, I have some swamp land to sell to you.
It's a shame that so many young girls see Barbie as the ideal and try to emulate her. Then they develop a poor self-image when they can't look like her. Didn't they change Barbie recently to have a more "normal" look and size?
I give Mattel some credit for showing Barbie in so many different roles - showing that a woman could be a doctor or a lawyer or any of the other professions in which Barbie was shown.
A friend of mine was telling me through tears how she has struggled her entire life with her weight. This is a beautiful tall woman who is gifted in so many ways. I thought, wow..I will never complain about my weight again. Sure I have a little extra fluff but it is sad. Thanks for the reminder that Barbie is just made out of plastic.
Great post, Tonja! I've been trying to limit my time online so I'm glad I stopped here! You are so right about our bodies only being a container! I worry so much about young girls these days! Thank you for sharing this post! Hope you are well!
Love,
Angie xoxo
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