How do you spell "Barbie™"?

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:45 pm

Apparently, Mattel spells it "$$$$$$".

Mattel recently announced two new Barbie™ dolls in its "Inspiring Women" series. Plastic replicas of civil rights activist Rosa Parks and astronaut Sally Ride will be joining a line of dolls that have already included others such as artist Frida Kahlo and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson.

Cost, according to Mattel's website, is $31 each.

In addition, they have also released a Día de los Muertos ('Day of the Dead') Barbie™ with face paint and a costume based on earlier work by Jose Guadalupe Posada, to numerous accusations of cultural appropriation as well as claims of 'shameless profiteering' over a religious observance' (now where have we heard THAT before?) or a shameless tie-in to a popular movie (Disney/Pixar's 'Coco') — take your pick. Classed as a "limited-edition collectible", it was selling for $75 thru sites like Walmart.com and Amazon.com, and has already popped up on eBay with asking prices in the low to mid three-figure range.

Needless to say, most of these 'toys' will never be played with. They will be hoarded like Beanie Babies or mint-in-the-package Star Wars figures, while Mattel counts the money and laughs all the way to the bank.

-"BB"-

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:50 pm

Well, look at that. "Spitting images."

Even as collectibles the optics feel so smarmy and disrespectful. I wonder if Mattel needed family approval to market their images?

Regardless, I see it as a crass marketing campaign. How low can they go?

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:38 am

I disagree; Mattel is responding to the consumer base of girls and their mothers, looking to expand the iconic toy line to include dolls that empower girls beyond just fashion and chasing Ken around. They’ve expanded Barbie’s image to include dolls in all shapes, skin tones and hair coloring, and have put out Barbies representing all the many professions that women now engage in.

For a long time I turned my nose up at Barbie, but the fact is that children play with dolls and I’m happy to see how far Mattel has come in modernizing Barbie and making her a toy that allows girls (and boys!) to dream of themselves in a whole range of roles in adulthood. When I was a girl I had lots of Barbies and spent thousands of hours playing with them. My option to play at working was airline stewardess Barbie, with her perfect looks and impossible body, serving passengers in her stiletto heels. So much the better that my niece can instead dream with a Sally Ride Barbie astronaut engineer orbiting the planet.

Really recommend the Hulu documentary Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:13 am

BoSoxGal wrote:... Really recommend the Hulu documentary Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

Maybe this docu gives people better insight to the brand but I'm a bit unsettled by it all.

I still feel Barbie has a negative influence on a young girl's body image, subsequently causing self-esteem issues. Kids have enough trouble today with the rise of bullying on social media platforms. Who needs that?

What next -- "Ken style" MLK and JFK dolls? I wouldn't put it past Mattel at this point.

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:21 am

There's also fat Barbie....

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:30 am

Joe Guy wrote:There's also fat Barbie....
https://www.americanthinker.com/legacy_ ... Barbie.jpg

Ooh... you said the "fat" word. You're in trouble now, boy. Be more respectful and more PC in the future and use the word "curvy." That's the word phatphobic people use when discussing their body image.

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:36 am

Yes, Barbie modeled the negative body image culture into which she was created - Barbie didn’t create it; this chicken/egg question isn’t a question at all, it’s easy enough to look back at historical context and see which came first.

The whole point is that Mattel is trying to rectify their part in this wider cultural phenomenon.

The image posted directly above is satirical; Mattel is not releasing a morbidly obese Barbie, nor should they. Body positivity goes too far when it encourages people to embrace an unhealthy body image at the other end of the spectrum from excessive thinness.

TPFKA@W · Post by **TPFKA@W** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:21 pm

I took one of the grandkids shopping for her 6th birthday. I told her to pick out whatever toy she wanted. Of all the countless items she picked a "Wheelchair" Barbie. My little progressive.

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:34 pm

TPFKA@W wrote:I took one of the grandkids shopping for her 6th birthday. I told her to pick out whatever toy she wanted. Of all the countless items she picked a "Wheelchair" Barbie. My little progressive.

Does that also come with the prosthetic leg, or are they separate disabilities dolls?

Do they have a "Just Shoot Me Now" Ken doll?

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 10:47 pm

There is one real-life Barbie™ — "Community Property" Barbie™.
It comes with half of Ken's stuff.

-"BB"-

BoSoxGal · Post by **BoSoxGal** » Tue Sep 17, 2019 1:41 am

Ha ha.

If we’re talking real life Barbies, let’s talk ‘lost my virginity by being raped’ Barbie - that’s 1/16 of the dolls. Then ‘beaten by man who claims to love me, or once did’ Barbie - that’s 1/4 of the dolls. How about ‘sexually assaulted/raped’ Barbie - that’s also 1/4 of the dolls. How about ‘sexually harassed at home, school or on the job’ - that’s 80% of the dolls.

Women are such bitches, ain’t they BB?

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Tue Sep 17, 2019 2:41 am

They probably should have a Botox Barbie too. They could add Plastic Surgeon Sam to the line-up. He could come with a utility belt that holds a scalpel and hypodermic needle.

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:06 am

I'm waiting for "Butcher of Lyon" trans-Barbie.

Such cute outfits she will have!

yrs,
rubato

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Wed Sep 18, 2019 1:18 am

Klaus is already a Ken-type doll:

MGMcAnick · Post by **MGMcAnick** » Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:26 pm

I sent this link to my PhD nephew who recently returned from a year studying in Russia. He now teaches Russian History at the University of Washington. If you have a Doctorate in Russian History, that's about all you can do for a living.

https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2019/09/13

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 9:26 pm

Joe Guy · Post by **Joe Guy** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:03 pm

Oh wow look! It's Gravity Influenced Barbie.

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:31 pm

-"BB"-

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