What do you think of when you hear Barbie? A dumb blonde doll with a small waist? Or an inspiration to young women everywhere?
Before Barbie, young girls were given baby dolls and play kitchens, groomed from toddlerhood to become wives and homemakers, which is what made Barbie different. Barbie made little girls see what they could be: anything. However, Barbie’s revolutionary message did not come without controversy.
One criticism of Barbie is her physical appearance, in 1956, Ruth Handler aspired to make a different type of toy for girls. According to Britannica She drew inspiration from a German Blid Lilli doll, a risqué gag gift for men. Ruth took a sexualized and sexist object and rewrote the narrative giving Barbie a soul besides just her physical appearance.
Ruth made Barbie a symbol that women were not just objects meant for pumping out babies, but rather fully competent and strong people. She represented something little girls could aspire to be like, to push for change while staying in touch with their femininity and achieve great things.
By 1970, many diverse dolls were available, but they were always friends of Barbie. In 1980, Mattel released the first black and Hispanic dolls named Barbie.
The other main criticism of Barbie is her materialism, she often comes with cars, planes, houses, and an extensive closet. According to Ann Arbor District Library, “Quoting Dr. Charles Turner, of the Univ. of Utah, Probes said: ‘Playing with violent toys increases the risk that children are going to use aggression in real life at a later time. The violent toys serve as the way of rehearsing behavior seen on television. They increase the likelihood that the effects of cartoon violence will carry over onto the playground, and on into everyday life.’” Barbie dolls compared to male dolls and action figures having tanks, bombs, and guns, shopping doesn’t seem too bad.
Some believe Barbie’s interests in shopping, makeup, and pink are stereotypical, shallow, and sexist. While some see this as cliché, it highlights that Barbie embraces femininity while proving she can do anything boys can do. She proves to young girls they can paint their nails while being a rocket scientist.
Barbie inspires young girls everywhere to be anything. Through the years, Barbie has had over 250 careers. In 1965, to celebrate the space program Barbie landed on the moon, 4 years before man! In the 1970s Barbie became a surgeon when few women were applying to medical school. In 1985 she was a CEO with a day to night outfit that showed her in a pink power suit, then going out and with her friends. By 1992 Barbie was president, demonstrating women can have it all.
Barbie has been and remains a powerful role model for young girls, embodying a form of feminism that is often underappreciated. Her existence challenged societal norms, paving the way for radical breakthroughs in how women saw themselves and their potential. Barbie’s impact reminds us that embracing ambition and femininity is not impossible, but a testament to what women can achieve.