I'm not going from any challenge for this blog. I'm just venting because I'm kinda peeved.
I hate the "normal" Barbies. I realize that, especially as far as Christian women go, I am vastly in the minority. But I'm not concerned about that.
First off, in order to make a truly "normal" Barbie, every woman in the world would have to have their own personal Barbie. That changes as they age and their body changes. Aren't we actually doing more to damage a girl's body image by saying, "Ok. This is what a healthy girl should look like." I never thought I'd look like a Barbie. I never thought my horse would or should look like the pearly unicorn Breyer I had. Or even like the gorgeous shiny "Carpe Diem" Breyer, which, while it had the shape of a normal horse, had a colour it was impossible to find in a real horse. And you know why? Because they WEREN'T REAL. Should I not have played with a model unicorn because it gave me unrealistic expectations for what my pony would be? No...(I really hope that no is your answer as well...).
I watched Disney Princess movies and never once thought that my eyeballs should take up 2/3 of my head...
And never once did I say, "I wish I looked more like this Barbie." I didn't really care. I dressed her in her different outfits (mine could turn into a mermaid. I'd have chosen that over a tiny waist and big boobs any day. Heck...given the option, I still would).
But when you make a Barbie that is "normal", you set that up as the ideal. You say, "This is what a healthy girl should look like." And what does that say to the girl who is overweight and can't do anything about it? Or, on the flip side, to the girl who really is a little twig. I got so much crap when I was little for being too skinny. Still do even now that I've filled out to more of a "normal" shape. It's just as bad for a little girl to hear "You're too skinny" as it is to hear "You're too fat." Whichever it is, it tells her that there is something wrong with her.
Maybe a little girl does need to gain or lose some weight. But that is between her, her parents, and a doctor if necessary. There is no need for a toy company to get involved.
If ever I have a daughter, I'm sure she'll play with Barbies. I'll even pull my old Barbies out of the attic and she can play with those. But they're not going to be her role models. Playing Barbies shouldn't be realistic. It's not school. It's play. Have your Barbies go to Narnia. Have them meet dragons or swim to the bottom of the ocean. Let them be fake. And let your daughter have a positive body image while she can. Have you ever told a little girl that she's pretty? She can be covered with dirt, or wearing mismatched clothes, and she'll still say, "I know." They don't even understand what causes fat, or why they don't have boobs like the older girls, much less like Barbie. I don't even remember noticing things like that when I was playing with Barbies.
I guess my bottom line is this: Let your little girls be little girls as long as they can be. Answer the tough questions about body image and why people are different when they come up. But for goodness' sake, let playtime be playtime.
I hate the "normal" Barbies. I realize that, especially as far as Christian women go, I am vastly in the minority. But I'm not concerned about that.
I watched Disney Princess movies and never once thought that my eyeballs should take up 2/3 of my head...
But when you make a Barbie that is "normal", you set that up as the ideal. You say, "This is what a healthy girl should look like." And what does that say to the girl who is overweight and can't do anything about it? Or, on the flip side, to the girl who really is a little twig. I got so much crap when I was little for being too skinny. Still do even now that I've filled out to more of a "normal" shape. It's just as bad for a little girl to hear "You're too skinny" as it is to hear "You're too fat." Whichever it is, it tells her that there is something wrong with her.
Maybe a little girl does need to gain or lose some weight. But that is between her, her parents, and a doctor if necessary. There is no need for a toy company to get involved.
If ever I have a daughter, I'm sure she'll play with Barbies. I'll even pull my old Barbies out of the attic and she can play with those. But they're not going to be her role models. Playing Barbies shouldn't be realistic. It's not school. It's play. Have your Barbies go to Narnia. Have them meet dragons or swim to the bottom of the ocean. Let them be fake. And let your daughter have a positive body image while she can. Have you ever told a little girl that she's pretty? She can be covered with dirt, or wearing mismatched clothes, and she'll still say, "I know." They don't even understand what causes fat, or why they don't have boobs like the older girls, much less like Barbie. I don't even remember noticing things like that when I was playing with Barbies.
I guess my bottom line is this: Let your little girls be little girls as long as they can be. Answer the tough questions about body image and why people are different when they come up. But for goodness' sake, let playtime be playtime.
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| This was one of the first Barbie I ever had. She was my favorite. |
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