Play With The African Barbie Dolls example essay topic

Girls can be whatever they want to be, as long as they are sexy when they grow up. This is the message the ever-so-popular Barbie doll has been pushing on Americas youth since 1959. When Barbie first hit the market, the creator, Ruth Handler, stated that she wanted to make the perfect role model for her children, Barbie and Ken. Parents everywhere ripped open their wallets, stampeded to the stores, and ate the concept up. They wanted their daughters to be just like Barbie Roberts. They even wanted their sons to bring her home.

Today, the only difference made to this bizarre idea, is that the dolls family has grown. Now Asian, Hawaiian, African American, Swedish, and other cultures and races of females, can share in the joys of low self image. The expectations the doll places on children are intangible. My family showered me with these plastic beauties on every special occasion.

My birthday, Easter, and Christmas, I would be found in a corner unwrapping another years worth of expectations. Barbie was unleashed to the world in a revealing bathing suit, wearing makeup, and fully accessorized. Her with ruby red lips, plucked eye brows, and cute little pony tail became the icon of young American girls. She had everything, knew everything, and could do anything. She didnt go to school, never had a bad hair day, and had no need for hand me downs. She always had someone to play with, and a boyfriend by her side.

We were playing with a doll that had an ideal body. We could never have this body, and yet we could not wait to grow up and develop the enormous breasts we would be seeing throughout our childhood. Her clothes wrapped snugly around her tiny waist, and lon legs, attached with painfully arched, perfect feet. I remember asking my mother why she didnt have shiny hair like Barbie.

I thought she had something wrong with her. There must have been something wrong with the bodies, and hair of all the women in my family. They could have chosen to look like Barbie, I thought. It has been a proven fact that her proportions could never humanly be possible. If she were the actual size of a human teenage girl, she would look quite unusual. She would stand seven feet tall, with body measurements of 37 in bust, 20 in waist, and 25 in hips.

Barbie would not be able to play any sports, if she could walk at all. She had no stomach or buttocks, and left no room for body fat of any kind. Little girls to not know these facts. I find it alarming that Mattel, the company that mass-produces her, chose to place huge mounds for breasts on her chest. She is supposed to be a young teenage girl. I would imagine that, if it were possible for this to happen by nature, it would be very painful.

They could have saved a fortune if they reduced the size. It must have been intended. I dont have any doubt that if she were marketed in an erotic store, no one would question her being there. Robert A. Eckert is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Mattel, Inc., a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of family products with. 5 billion in annual revenues. He is an American male.

I wonder if this may contribute to the exploitation. Barbies details changed with the times, however her expectations, and body remained the same. The Barbie people imagine today has long flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. She is always happy, even though her back must still be breaking due to her large bust. I wonder if the stereotypical ideal woman in America came from this dolls image. I have never seen Debbie the Disabled doll, or Fay the Fat bellied doll.

If you researched different races in the world, you would notice that all races have different bone structures, and hair types. For one example, the placement of the eyes, and broadness of the nose are different between Caucasoid humans and African humans. In the Barbie line, all the dolls have the same features, except for color. This example may add to distortions in the self image of African girls who play with the African Barbie dolls. I have noticed that all women in my life suffer from a lower self image than men. We were all raised with the media, dolls, and parents who placed high expectations on our lives.

We strive to look beautiful by considering breast implants, liposuction, and spending large amounts of money on form enhancing wardrobes. My concern is the acceptance her figure is receiving, even in present times. Barbie did not create this problem, but she is one of the only long standing reminders today..