Born in the late 1950s, Barbie dolls quickly gained popularity in the United States and spread globally. They are often described as cultural icons and a symbol of aspiration for young girls. However, critics argue that the life portrayed by Barbie, filled with pink and plastic, is far from perfect.
Cultural Icon
Mattel introduced the first Barbie doll in 1959. (Photo: Robyn Beck).
Since its creation in 1959, Barbie dolls have become increasingly popular. Initially, they were toys designed for young girls. Over time, Barbie’s fame led to appearances in animated films, television shows, and most recently, live-action movie adaptations (released on July 21). Moreover, Barbie has influenced the lives of many girls, becoming a role model and a lifestyle.
When first launched, the classic female Barbie dolls were typically slender, with long, straight blonde or brown hair, and curvaceous figures. Barbie’s appearance astonished the public at the time.
Before passing away at the age of 85 in 2022, Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie, shared that the producers did not expect the public to accept a doll with adult features meant for children. “I knew they were wrong,” said the co-founder and former president of the toy company Mattel.
Handler was right. Barbie became an instant bestseller, selling nearly 300,000 dolls in its first year.
“Before Barbie, the dolls available at that time were baby dolls because most women then became mothers,” Cindy Eagan, author of The Story of Barbie and the Woman Who Created Her, shared with The New York Post in 2018.
However, times have changed. With Barbie, girls could take the lead in their future, not just as mothers, but as women with careers.
“I love the idea that Barbie is not a one-dimensional doll like most other dolls. As a child, I often ran to stores hoping to get my hands on a Barbie doll,” said Chandler Bishop (24), who works in advertising and is a huge Barbie fan, sharing with The Post.
Ruth Handler, the creator of the globally famous Barbie doll. (Photo: Matt Campbell).
In 2023, Harmony Healthcare IT, a company managing healthcare data in the U.S., conducted a survey of nearly 1,000 women from different generations about their experiences growing up with the iconic toy.
Among them, 53% of Gen Z women believe that Barbie represents the ideal body shape, while 39% see Barbie as a role model.
“I admire how Barbie says she can be and do anything. She has broadened my perspective on life and inspired me to go out and pursue my dreams. Barbie has it all, so why can’t I?” Bishop declared.
The Unforeseen Dark Side
The influence of Barbie dolls is undeniable. However, it is not as glamorous as it seems on the surface.
According to research by Harmony Healthcare IT, 82% believe that Barbie dolls promote unrealistic body expectations for girls and women.
Moreover, 69% of participants rated Barbie as potentially leading to dangerous body image issues. The doll’s slender yet curvy figure strikes at the insecurities of many women, creating a Barbiecore aesthetic (dressing like Barbie in everyday life), Pepto-colored interior designs (pink resembling the digestive medicine in the U.S.), and a “Barbie girl” army seeking extreme cosmetic surgery to look like the toy.
“I’ve played soccer my entire life, and even at my peak physical condition, my body has never achieved the proportions of a Barbie doll. As a child, Barbie made me question whether my body was normal,” said Stephanie Rodriguez, a 26-year-old video producer from Brooklyn, New York, to The Post.
Barbie is a dream for little girls while creating an obsession with appearance. (Photo: IG).
Additionally, when Mattel introduced the famous blonde-haired doll 64 years ago, the company only produced white female and male Barbie dolls for nearly the next ten years.
Despite her love for Barbie, Chandler Bishop could not escape the influence of the beauty standards that the doll created.
“Barbie is the beautiful girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, white skin, and super skinny, while I am not. As a Black American woman, it made me realize that she is the beauty standard in America, and I am not,” Bishop said.
Faced with backlash over the lack of diversity, in 1968, Mattel created dolls representing women of color, such as Christie – the first Black Barbie doll. However, it was not until 1980 that the first Black and Hispanic Barbie dolls were introduced.
While customers were thrilled to see a wider variety of dolls, they still struggled to connect with the brand due to the significant body differences between Barbie and average women.
“I have no connection to Barbie. She’s tall, skinny, and blonde; while I’m a chubby girl with brown hair, not an athlete, and unable to do the things Barbie does,” shared Brianna Mati, a speech therapist in Orlando, Florida.
Barbie Slumber Party promotes the message of starving oneself to maintain a slim figure. (Photo: Mattel).
According to a 2018 study, in the 2000s, the average weight of American women was over 77 kg. In contrast, the Barbie doll, designed to resemble a human, is 1.75m tall, weighs nearly 50 kg, and has a BMI of 16.24.
The South Shore Eating Disorders Coalition emphasizes that Barbie’s human-like shape falls within “the weight criteria for anorexia.”
The company has consistently promoted unhealthy habits to its customers. A clear example is the 1965 Barbie Slumber Party doll, which came with a bathroom scale permanently set at nearly 50 kg, along with a book titled How to Lose Weight, which suggested the tip: “Don’t eat.”
Changing with the Times
Fortunately for Barbie fans, time changes everything, including Mattel’s business mindset.
In 2015, the American toy company released a new Barbie collection representing three body types: curvy, tall, and petite.
Today, Mattel’s website showcases the brand representing 35 skin tones, 97 hairstyles, and 9 body types, with plans for further expansion.
60% of respondents in the Harmony Healthcare IT survey believe that the new Barbie dolls reflect a better representation of all body types.
“I am excited about the new era of Barbie. I have bought my daughter many Barbie products. I am also considering buying her a doll with darker hair that represents a mixed ethnicity,” said Brianna Mati (26).
“I love the current Barbie, which is more diverse and inclusive. I think having representative dolls is very important, especially for little girls. The path Barbie is taking is definitely making a significant difference in the self-esteem of these girls,” Bishop remarked.
Adapting to the ever-changing toy industry, Mattel has clearly figured out how to keep Barbie a cultural icon from 1959 to the present.
Diverse Barbie dolls receive support from customers. (Photo: Mattel).
