Question

1: What is unusual about Barbie’s body type, and why are some concerns about it?

2: How is Barbie different from other dolls children play with?

3: Does the Mattel company’s position surprise you? Do you think it is reasonable?

4: Are the recent changes to Barbie likely to satisfy the critics?

Answer 1

1: Barbie's body type is the most realistic in magazine covers but not in real life, anorexic. By normalizing only this body type in women, it shames those who are a little chubbier, or have hip dips because of their bone structure, or are simply imperfect in the eyes of western society. As someone currently struggling with an ED, it's unhealthy to portray only very skinny girls in media as it can lead girls and boys to unhealthy living styles like this. Not every person who plays with Barbies will think about this, but it will instill in their minds that this is the perfect body type through the rampant display of nonexistent waists.

2: Barbie tends to be extremely sexualized when compare to other dolls. Listen to Barbie Girl and you'll see what I mean. I don't see this as a bad thing as most young children won't catch on to such subtext, but I can understand why it might concern some parents.

3: Matell as a company is as powerful as it is purely for brand recognition and not much else. As demonstrated by corporate bigshots like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, a big name holds great power, no matter the quality of what the great power presents.

4: I don't know because I don't keep up with Barbies.

Answer 2

1. Barbie's body is a very tight hourglass figure. Physicians were worried as the rib size would cause immediate death in the real word. In 2007, Mattel changed the body type to a more acceptable figure. In 2016 Mattel came out with the Fashionistas line, featuring body shapes from petite to curvy, and all in between.

2. Barbie dolls can be played in many ways by children, most unalike how they would play with other toys. Barbie dolls could take off on on their clothes, compared to other newer dolls.

3. I can not answer this, it is an opinion question. What do you think about the topic?

4. Yes, the recent changes of Barbie dolls make them much more appealing to parents and critics alike. Especially with the newer Made to Move and Fashionistas lines, showing that all body types and races are acceptable, and beautiful.

I hope this helped, make sure to write these in your own words!