Barbie: Friend or Foe?

Barbie is Mattel Inc.'s most popular, best selling toy by a long shot. The fashion Doll was created and designed by Ruth Handler after watching her young daughter Barbara play with paper dolls. Ruth said that sometimes, Barbara would even give the paper dolls adult rolls. When Ruth came up with the idea for Barbie, she told her husband Elliot Handler who is the co-founder for Mattel Inc. The company, standing alongside Elliot, was not thrilled about the idea until the Handlers went to Switzerland and brought back three dolls. One doll went to young Barbara, and two went to Mattel.

Barbie's birthday is March 9, 1959. This was the date that Barbie was first introduced to the public at the American International Toy Fair in New York. The original Barbie wore a top-knot ponytail with a black and white striped swimsuit. You could purchase the doll as a blonde or as a brunette and buy additional clothes for her, all sold separately. Barbie's clothes are designed on a 1/6 scale, as is she. If Barbie were a real woman, she would be 5'9". Women require a 17-22% body mass index in order to menstruate regularly. If Barbie were real, she would fall under the guidelines. Barbie has changed many times, but the first recognizable change was in 1971 when her eyes began facing forward instead of off to the side. Another major change came in 1997 when Barbie's hips became much wider. I think this was an attempt by Mattel to make Barbie a more realistic woman.

It is said that more than 1 billion Barbie Doll's have been sold in more than 150 countries. Mattel claims that, if it were true, there would be about three Barbie's sold every second.

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Her boyfriend, Ken Carson, came about in 1961. They are said to have broken up in February of 2004, but got back together in February of 2006, all thanks to Mattel Inc.

The Barbie is somewhat controversial. She has had many, many jobs which include being a Doctor and an Astronaut. Holding those positions reassures young women that they can grow up and become anything they want to be, but then it takes a turn. There have been many talking Barbie Doll's sold around the world. She is not known for saying anything really "smart", if you will, but more phrases considered to be along the lines of "ditsy". One Barbie actually says "Math class is tough.". Who wants their son or daughter playing with a doll that prepares children for the worst? A study was also done at a university in December of 2005. The study claims to have found that there is a stage in a girls life where she hates her Barbie Doll. Some of the girls would decapitate her while others would put her in the microwave. I believe it has something to do with becoming an adolescent and going to all of the changes of the body. Either way, Barbie has been around for a very long time and shows no signs of slowing down, which is great for Mattel Inc., but who is to say if it is good for our children?