Scheme to give Barbie dolls to primary school children

[ArabeIIaScott]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/21/scheme-to-give-barbie-dolls-to-150000-children-is-alarming/

'Primary school scheme is ‘gender stereotyping’ and ‘stealth marketing’ by Mattel, experts say'

'Mattell's "Barbie School of Friendship" programme, in which free dolls are given for children to carry out role play exercises, has been rolled out to 700 schools across the UK, "with the potential to reach more than 150,000 pupils", according to the company.'

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230720/Mattel-accused-of-stealth-marketing-after-giving-away-free-Barbie-dolls-to-schools.aspx

'experts have criticized the programme, raising questions about potential negative effects of Barbie dolls in terms of gender stereotyping, questioning the use of research to justify the programme, and asking whether companies should be able to freely market their products through schools."The project makes me suspicious that it may be exploitative", said Philippa Perry'

Whatever happened to a chubby Tiny Tears? Why can’t kids play with baby-like dolls?

Because as the Barbie film says, if girls only play with baby dolls then they can only be mothers. With Barbie they can go to space, be a doctor, vet, whatever.

If we could only have things that weren't mentioned in porn, we'd have nothing. It's hardly women and girls' fault that men make porn out of everything.

Who can go to space? The doll or the child? Haven’t seen the film so wasn’t aware of how aspirational Barbie is…

Who can go to space? The doll or the child? Haven’t seen the film so wasn’t aware of how aspirational Barbie is…

Barbie has been an astronaut (more than once) since before the US landed on the moon. See it, be it, right?

I'm not saying it's without fault but just seeing the issues with appearance seems like feminism-lite. I'd rather Barbie with her boobs than Paw Patrol and all the other series with their token female. Barbie might look like a porno but she is aspirational. In almost every other way.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers

@ArabeIIaScott Growing Up Skipper was withdrawn from sale because everyone was pretty much WTF about it.
@FrancescaContini not all Barbies have long hair.
‘Chubby’ baby dolls are hugely popular. Baby Born, Baby Annabell, Argos Tiny Treasure dolls plus dozens of other brands.
People that criticise toys always sound like they never actually go into a toy shop and see what is actually available.

@RebelliousCow the “long hair” comment was for you.

Here is a Barbie with short hair. Not just short but green and a mohawk ! Her boobs don’t look huge either!

I regularly visit toyshops. The Barbies in there are blonde and Caucasion, with a very occasional black doll.

But I went to look at Smyths to see the range on offer.

Barbie has gone furry.

https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/fashion-and-dolls/barbie/barbie-dolls-range/c/barbie-dolls

@ArabeIIaScott yes those “furry” dolls are quite hilarious but they are based more on the popularity of the Masked Singer show on TV.
Green haired mohawk Barbie I don’t think is part of the current Fashionista range but she would have been sold in Smyths when available.

@ArabeIIaScott this is the current selection of Fashionista Barbies.
Clearly not all “blond and caucasian”.

And also reports of using mainly women in 3rd world countries to make the dolls, working in appalling and sexist conditions. I don't know if these practises have improved, but there are reports dating to 2021 of the dangerous and inhumane conditions of the workers. I would hope schools would have some hesitation about this.

This thread does have aspects of ‘and another thing…’

And also reports of using mainly women in 3rd world countries to make the dolls, working in appalling and sexist conditions. I don't know if these practises have improved, but there are reports dating to 2021 of the dangerous and inhumane conditions of the workers.

Like fast fashion, electronics, mining and a lot of other industries we in the West don’t want to think very hard about.

@LittleBearPad It isn't another thing to me, I consider it as a central concern. Women in the first world are buying these dolls for children and apparently think they may carry a feminist message. But how can the product promote feminism if they don't address the exploitation of women in other countries for the sake of profit?

Lots of high street brands promote feminism and female empowerment- they still buy their stock from factories in the third world where women and men aren’t treated well.

@LittleBearPad I suppose you are saying that many companies use feminism for marketing purposes, while abusing women at the same time. I don't feel that exonerates Mattel, it simply highlights the need to make ethical choices and pressure companies to be transparent and ethical themselves.

Arabella is pointing out that despite Mattel’s (and all the pro-Barbie commentators’) rhetoric about diversity, if you go into a toy shop, there is very little of that diversity actually on the shelves. So the chances of a girl getting given a doll that isn’t blonde and caucasian is probably not that high unless they order it specially. Aspirationally, if you look in shops, Barbie still embodies the white, blonde aesthetic. And that’s still the face of Barbie. If you’re a tall, thin blonde woman, wear enough pink for a fancy dress and people will see Barbie, anyone else is going to have to carry a Barbie sign for people to know.

Have some posters never looked at a contemporary display of barbie dolls? The idea of a blonde doll dressed in pink is based on internalised expectations. Needmorelego's picture is the standard range you see when you go to a supermarket or toy shop or look online.

How many parents here honestly have 'diverse Barbies' in their children's toy collections?

Looking through the online collection all I see is a norm of impossibly skinny with long legs and blonde hair peppered with the odd historic figure, wheelchair doll and representations of different cultures. These exceptions prove the rule of white, unrealistic body shape and built for fashion.

@NumberTheory those photos are from the Argos website. It’s the Barbie Fashionista range. Sold in EVERY toy shop going and EVERY supermarket that sells toys.
They were recently on special offer on Tesco. In a branch I shop in regularly the shelf with the Barbies on was bare within days.

Everyone I know has loads of different dolls in their kids' collections.

This is what's available now in Argos, a really diverse range of dolls. You're provably far more likely to get purple hair than blonde. https://www.argos.co.uk/search/barbie*/?&_$ja=tsid:11675%7cacid:169-582-1252%7ccid:6753202534%7cagid:80882998233%7ctid:aud-1665189020154:kwd-319885284145%7ccrid:555954297993%7cnw:g%7crnd:8550007110602481401%7cdvc:m%7cadp:%7cmt:e%7cloc:9180798&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=6753202534&utm_term=argos%20barbie&utm_content=text&utm_custom1=80882998233&utm_custom2=169-582-1252&cmpid=GG05X&GPDP=true&gclid=CjwKCAjw8ZKmBhArEiwAspcJ7tk3VhX4FyawJ2CtDkjBUPfwc_14NxvmCGa2qD9uu8q18GrxnDFYzhoC3ZYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Needmorelego ..which proves that ultimately the film has been a huge success for Mattel.

And?

I imagine that’s why they made it.

The use of the term “third world” is derogatory and has racist connotations. I’m surprised you don’t know that if it’s a central concern to you.

@FrancescaContini this was a couple of months ago before the film was released (and any merchandise was available).
There was no reference to the film in the advertising or packaging.

Thje black barbies all seem to have the same standardised 'European' features which are considered beautiful. I saw a photo of Niki Minaj in this morning's newspaper and she looks just like a barbie doll. The article was discussing the music tracks that accompany the film.