These are some of the Barbie commercials from that beautiful time period that was the 1990s. It is a bit lengthy, but I recommend watching at least the first few commercials. They go by fast. My personal favorite, simply because I find it funny, is "Teacher Barbie" at 5:47.
There you have it. Had your laugh? Good. Me too.
In those commercials, it's easy to get caught up in what Barbie can do, what you can make Barbie do, her constant romance with Ken, the fashion and the style, everything about the appearance of how glamorous Barbie can be in her different roles. You can tell that these are the kinds of things that girls will look for in themselves. "Barbie is glamorous with glitter in her hair, so I must have glitter in mine as well!"
Piercy's "Barbie Doll" was published in 1971, twenty years before these commercials came out, and not much had changed. These commercials do almost nothing to promote the self-esteem of young girls in what they can do as individuals, only as what Barbie can do. They need the newest Barbie to fit in with society or do the things that Barbie can do. One commercial I recall was from the 1960s and it spoke of Barbie's new arms and legs that could actually move, just like a real person! Personally, that made it seem easier to play with the doll, but again, did nothing to promote girls' self-esteem.
Now granted, I grew up with Barbies, so I was in awe of some of the products that existed before I knew they did. I never remember wishing I was more like the dolls I played with, that my hair was as sleek as theirs, or my arms as toned. On one hand, I don't believe children actively think that they should look like their dolls. That may just happen subconsciously. On the other hand, I don't think there should be a reason for girls to feel less than acceptable in society. They need to know that from a young age, they belong, that they have a place.
That's why it heartened me to hear of the new Barbies Mattel made. Barbies now come in tall, petite, and curvy, including all body types. Now, Barbie has realistic legs, arms, and a more realistic shoulder to waist ratio. While it may be harder to shop for clothes for the newly shaped Barbies, it appeases those children who do feel less than acceptable because of their toys. It shows them that people, like their new dolls, come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
In recent years, Barbie has been making some pretty progressive changes. For one, the commercials have changed. Ruth Handler, the creator, said "...through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman had choices." This quote alone shows that the correct mindset was always present, that just the bodily proportions were a tad off.
The other night I was watching a movie on television and the following commercial came on. It came out in 2015, but I had forgotten about it and it made me aware of the awareness I have now of the messages being sent to little girls. Watching the other older commercials had almost an "in-your-face" tone, what with the upbeat and bouncy music, bright colors, and typical 90s vibe. The new commercial has an uplifting attitude, shows that girls can do whatever they want to do and succeed, and promotes a positive self-image. Take a look for yourself, even if you've already seen it.
This commercial brought me back to the days when I played with Barbies, when I acted out miniature kid-friendly soap operas, or got the kids ready for school, or even "homeschooled" the kids (because I had so much knowledge about that topic---Haha. NOT).
It is a positive influence for younger girls. These girls are taking on the roles of college professor, men's soccer coach, paleontologist, veterinarian, and who knows what else. As of this year, Barbie even has a president and vice president doll, among many others. It is heartening to know that standards for little girls are changing, that they are now being pressured to stand up against the pressure against them. I mean, as soon as they become "women," society will place new standards on them. At least for now, maybe, just maybe, they'll escape the cynics and critics of the world and escape to their imaginations instead. With the bodily changes and the public appearance Barbie has changed, maybe, just maybe, these young girls will have enough positive influence in their lives, either from their toys or the changing world around them, to make positive changes for the generations to come.
I remember seeing a post a while back about how disproportionate Barbie would be if she were real. I remember the same post showing what it would look like if a doll had actual, human proportions.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was trying to find this post some days ago I stumbled upon the Lammily doll. It has the proportions of a normal teenage girl. You can even move her knees/elbows and ankles/wrists! I find it rather interesting Barbie (even though the brand is improving) has promoted small bodies and restricted movement. Now, there are dolls being made that promote beauty in the average person. And I think this is a step in the right direction.