Barbie

Barbie is a social icon of the 90's whose impact on our generation cannot be ignored. Barbie is a tool for socializing young girls to perceive our cultures standards of beauty in a specific light. I agree with the author that Barbie was designed during the height of the feminist movement becoming more accepted and popular. A man designing Barbie is a clear reflection of what our society desires a woman to look like; women should achieve the impossible. This standard sets women up to fail, since as the author noted, it is literally impossible to look like Barbie. She would fall flat on her face.

Young girls who grow up playing with Barbie are socialized to believe that is what a woman should look like. It is extremely detrimental to show our kids that women are that thin and flawless looking. Why not make a doll with a realistic body type as to not promote pressure on women to attempt mimicking such an unattainable body. I have heard the argument that when you're young and playing with Barbie, you do not realize the impact of this doll nor do you directly think, "this is what I should look like." I partially agree, only on the fact that Barbie is not solely responsible for the ideal body type that imprisons and de-powers women. This argument is not valid because it is claiming you have to be aware of messages to be influenced by them. Yet it is undeniable that Barbie plays a part in fueling this destructive body ideal.