Is Barbie too skinny to be a role model?

Is Barbie too skinny to be a role model? This is a captivating question, one that leaves most of us remembering a rainy day when we were little girls playing with Barbie dolls. Were you sizing her up? Most little girls spent long hours brushing her hair.

Barbie was launched in 1959 and sold for just three dollars. She wore, the now famous, black and white striped bathing suit with her hair up in a ponytail. At the time, over 350 000 units were sold and to date the best selling one was the Totally Hair Barbie. This information is found on Barbie .com

Barbie was named after the inventor’s daughter, Barbara. She has an entire history which includes the following: she came from Willows, Wisconsin, she attended Willows High School and graduated college in 1964. Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In 1961, Ken made his debut as her boyfriend. She has five sisters, 43 pets and many vehicles.

The main facts about this icon are ones that everyone should know. If Barbie was human sized, she would be five foot nine inches. Her measurements would be an unbelievable 36-18-33. In reality, Barbie is always eleven and a half inches tall.

Barbie’s signature color is pink. She has more than a billion pair of shoes. She also has more than a hundred new additions to her wardrobe each year. The excessive amount of accessories and fashion available reflects a lifestyle that is unattainable.

When little girls play with Barbie, they usually become what the imagination wants them to be. When I was little, my Barbie collection was meant to play with, not to look at. My friends and I would have the Barbie dolls become whatever we wanted them to. We never talked about her size or her breasts. We just dressed her, played with her, and redressed her.  We were led by our imagination; the size of Barbie’s waistline had nothing to do with our play time. Impressed by her hair, we brushed it, and wanted ours long or short, depending on how she wore hers. Her fashions also made us long for mini-skirts, bell bottoms, cruise wear, and ball gowns. Her wedding dress was the fantasy you dreamed of, if you were so lucky.

In today’s society, however, “Barbie" or "Barbie Girl” has become somewhat of a derogatory slang referring to a stupid woman. One of the biggest issues about Barbie is whether she is too skinny to be a good role model. Is it because of the reality of parents' inability to communicate with their children? Young people's decisions regarding self esteem should be based on informed knowledge, not warped ideas made by antiquated toy companies.

Barbie’s message is all about empowering women, and yet she remains controversial in her size and fashion accessories. Her lifestyle is unsustainable. It can be a joy, if left where it belongs, in a young girl’s imagination. A great parenting skill is to know you can’t give your child everything, so you need to give them something in fantasy or imagination. A sort of “what if " scenario is appropriate to get to know your children’s needs, and then give them what they want. Imagination, playing dress up, letting them play with Barbie dolls and having a fulfilled childhood is a gift you shouldn’t take away from your kids. A good parent sits and plays with them. Teach your kids about good play and what Barbie is about. Knowledge is Power. Empowering young women is the ultimate gift!