I am in a death match with Mattel over Barbie. It is what it is.
All of the arguments have been made, so I won’t rehash here. I will simply say that I’ve always believed that there is a room somewhere in California where shiny new marketing grads are tasked with how to get me.
I’m the little girl who fell for Barbie as a kid, but grew up into the woman — the blonde woman — who is very, very unhappy with Barbie’s legacy. The woman who now has a blonde daughter who loves shoes and the color pink. The woman with just enough disposable income that she could be brought back into the fold right quick if only we could figure out how to get her back.
Damn it.
Barbie as Joan Jett, Ladies of the 80’s series. I’d be okay with my daughter having this doll. I think. I might even want her to have it.
I love rock and roll. I hate Barbie.
Coincidence that I started phasing my lifelong blonde to brunette this week?
Put another dime in the juke box, baby. We’ll just have to let this one play out.
Esse Diem 
Y’know, I did the Barbie thing when I was a kid. I also did the Johnny West thing, which predated the Barbie years. Actually, they all ended up interacting, and Barbie was much more wild west than uptown.
I don’t really remember any of my Barbie stuff. I still have all my Marx Johnny West horses, however. 🙂
As late as college I was asking for Barbie for Christmas. I’m not well.
Mom never let me have Barbies, or any kind of dolls for that matter, though I’m not sure why. If it were only Barbies I would understand (because of the whole body image thing) but why boycott ALL dolls? I ended up having a TON of stuffed animals though.
…I like the Joan Jett Barbie. Still listen to her music.
Hmmm….I can’t say. Interesting about the no dolls, period. We should ask her.
Body image is actually pretty far down on my list of concerns about Barbie believe it or not. I don’t think children should engage an adult human form as an object. Children should play with baby dolls if anything to develop a sense of nurturing others.
I’ve seen a lot of kids get angry with the adult dolls, and I think they are confused. There’s a whole world of writing waiting to be had about why so many Barbie’s are naked and banged up and piled in the corner. And it’s not a good story. I’ll let someone else tell it.
Jennifer Government, E.