Growing
up, young girls across the country dreamt of having their first Barbie doll.
What would they dress her in? Would she be best friends with Teresa or would
she be too busy dating Ken? Girls daydreamed of how they were going to play
with their Barbie doll and what accessories they would buy for her. Today, the
topic of Barbie’s impact on society is still a topic to discuss. McDonough’s
article in the New York Times, “Barbie
(doll)”, states “Barbie [the] single
most powerful doll ever produced.” Barbie’s affect on young girls has lasting
side effects. From the invention of the “black Barbie, Francie” to the new plus
sized Barbie. This simple dolls existence has caused an uproar.
In the essay, “My First Black
Barbie: Transforming the Image” the author states how “her [my] first black
Barbie doll helped shape my identity as a young Black girl.” Unlike most young
girls, Raynor did not “possess a desire to look like a Barbie”. She learned to
define beauty on her own rather than a doll. Sharon didn’t let the fact that it
was different to have a Black Barbie affect her. She loved her black dolls and
the diversity each doll had with a different color.
In 1967, the first Black Barbie, Francie, made her
first appearance. But other than her dark skin, the doll had no other similarities
to African women. This created an uproar because the company didn’t even try to
change the doll. While many African American women did not agree with Mattel,
Sharon didn’t let American’s “negative connotations with Barbie dolls” affect
her. She used the dolls as exploration to alternative perceptions of people.
Francie
With such a prominent icon like Barbie, it is
important for young girls to look past that this doll is just an idol not a
real person, and that people shouldn’t base their worth and their vision of
beauty on what society says beauty is, but what makes them feel good, like Raynor
does in her essay. Raynor proves that anyone can have their own definition of beauty and that people do not always have to follow the norm.
What Barbie would look like if she were a normal woman (to the right).
Links:
Essay:
"My First Black Barbie: Transforming the Image"
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