To think Barbie's proportions aren't a big deal?

[moutonfou]

I've just read another of those 'here's what real women would look like with the proportions of Barbie, isn't this ridiculous' articles.

Is it just me who happily played with Barbies throughout my childhood and never once thought I was meant to aspire to have her waist size or look like her? It's a fictional doll?

TBH my Barbie had a terribly unglamorous time; I was more interested in putting her into a range of perilous situations such as falling into the 'sea' (the bath) and staging elaborate rescues. She certainly never had time to look pretty or even think about Ken.

I completely welcome having a wider range of looks/shapes/skin tones in the current dolls; there's no reason not to offer kids more variety. I just don't think it's fair to suggest a whole generation of women have body image issues solely because Barbie was unrealistically proportioned? Is the media just trying to deflect attention from the real culprit (their constant preference for one type and shape of woman they deem to be in fashion)?

Yep, it's total bollocks. Just a kids toy.
Barbie is Kens beard though.

Agreed. I had one barbie - a gymnast barbie that I LOVED! I never aspired to have blonde hair, be a size zero, have big baps etc.

Is the media just trying to deflect attention from the real culprit (their constant preference for one type and shape of woman they deem to be in fashion)?

This, and people opposed to the phenomenon need something to point at, something everyone knows and can identify. Therefore Barbie is blamed.

It is a bit like people blaming Disney princess movies for girls being groomed into heterosexuality and financial dependence on a man.

ALL media do this, but some that are explicitly targeted to little girls are singled out for criticism, as it would be impossible to point out all instances of sexism in the media, or in toys, etc.

Agree 100%.

I played with Barbie without a single thought to what she looked like. I never aspired to look like a toy, nor did I think she was what all women should look like.

People don't give kids enough credit.

I just don't think it's fair to suggest a whole generation of women have body image issues solely because Barbie was unrealistically proportioned?

Oh ffs. No it would not be fair, but since nobody has ever ever suggested such a stupid fucking thing, it's rather a moot point.

Don't be so bloody literal. It's one thread in a whole tapestry of unrealistic body imagery of women, not a simple stand alone issue, and no one with half a brain cell has ever suggested otherwise.

That's all fine, but why not make them more realistic? It wouldn't be a problem, would it.

Grandmother: ooh is that Barbie?
Granddaughter: yes, it is.
GM: does she come with Ken?
GD: no, she comes with Action Man. She fakes it with Ken.

Couldn't resist!

I gave my Barbie a punk look: cut off all her hair, painted the stubby letfover bits pink with a felt tip, pierced her ears with two pins from my mum's sewing box. Ripped some of her clothes and safety-pinned them together

But I never noticed how thin she was. I didn't realise thin was in until around 14/15yo. Then i thought i was huge, still do. Sad thing is, back in 1992 when i was 17, i weighed 7.5 stone at 5ft4

Thank you, toosexyforyahshirt

It's the drip, drip, drip effect. Yep she is just a doll, just a doll that sells an idealised standard of unachievable beauty. Maybe you weren't affected, but I bet a little black girl may not feel the same.