So there you have it - every aspect of a woman's empowered, independent life covered, in a form that folds away when not in use. įeatures a fold-down table, laptop computer, galley kitchen, pool, disco room and more!" says the description. Right now Toys R Us is selling something called the Barbie Party Plane/Ship (with no implication that Barbie needs a man to sail the boat or pilot the plane) and all for a bargain £19.56. Within days of Sarah Palin being picked as vice-presidential candidate, the term Caribou Barbie had been coined online, which was appropriate, and not particularly offensive or insulting - just funny. And think what the world would lose without Barbie as a metaphor. The Barbies from around the world are neat and charming: most nationalities are either authentic (a resident of Kenya told me Masai Barbie was amazingly accurate) or glamorous and respectful - Princess of Ireland Barbie. You can style her hair, but you can also buy her horse's head (Godfather Barbie?) and style its mane if you prefer. Of course, Barbie is pretty interested in her appearance, but she is also interested in animals, food, a career and the world around her. Here are some things I defy you to imagine Barbie doing: housework sucking up to men cowering being bullied or intimidated being sexually harassed. She has even been a presidential candidate. She's been a doctor, a vet, a palaeontologist, an astronaut, a firefighter, a pop singer, a teacher and a film star. When it comes to careers, Barbie is also a brilliant role model. She lets girls live out their fantasies in a safe context: a great psychological tool.
As one friend of mine says, playing with "a Barbie is like being in control of the coolest, hottest, most desired and admired girl in school or in the celebrity world, deciding what she wears, giving her a new hairdo, flinging her across the room or hiding her in a cupboard when you don't feel like being outshone".
#Growing up skipper doll controversy free#
Then there's the fact that Barbie lets the imagination run free - you can make your Barbies do anything, be anything, and you can even beat her up (which research suggests is a favourite activity for young girls). Nobody says that you have to buy the expensive accessories, and there is always one loss-leader Princess Barbie that comes in at under £10 if you look carefully. One is that she's the only toy that girls have that their brothers don't share, but do envy - why else would boys get so worked up about Barbies, threatening and attacking their sisters' toys? Another is that she is cheap. Barbie is a fabulous toy for independent-minded girls for all sorts of reasons.
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