Does America Need a Plus-Size Barbie?
Replies
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Oh my God we are talking about damn toys. Will soon be there a social movement that fights about prejudice against toys? LOL, we as society are enjoying in so much comfort that we are dealing with this stupid subject.0
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I don't care if they make a plus-size barbie. I find it disturbing that people are so obsessed with the body-type of a doll.
I mean, I get that Barbie sets some pretty unrealistic beauty standards for little girls; but, for the record they set some other pretty unrealistic standards too. There are lawyer barbies and doctor barbies (careers which only a select few people succeed in) and in 2012 there was actually "President of the United States" barbie. Shouldn't we be concerned about that? It's an ideal that is totally unrealistic and practically impossible for girls to achieve because, like their dolls, they will be judged solely on their appearance.
In a country where 6 year old girls are more likely than not to worry about their weight and/or getting fat, and where exists a $200 billion dollar a year weightloss industry worldwide, and a $170 billion dollar cosmetics industry, and a $500 billion a year fashion industry, I am okay with being a little rough on Barbie for having a waistline that's equal to the width of her eyes. As tough as it can be to get there, there ARE women who are doctors, and lawyers, and heads of state. There are not women whose waistlines are equal to half the width of their faces, and holding that up as something to aspire to is horrifying.0 -
This is better:
http://www.babble.com/beauty/what-would-barbie-look-like-in-real-life-a-new-study-in-comparison-by-artist-nickolay-lamm/image-3571-2/
But it compares her to the "average" 5'3.5" woman which is a little misleading. Of course a short woman is going to have different proportions.
Barbie's Measurements:
91.44 cm bust | 36 inches
45.72 cm waist | 18 inches
83.82 cm hips | 33 inches
55.88 cm head circumference | 22 inches
22.86 cm neck circumference | 9 inches
I am 5'9" as well.
Bust: 35
Waist: 29
Hips: 40
Head: ~23"
Neck: ~14"
Her waist and hips are too narrow for her bust and her limbs are very thin but really she's not that bad.0 -
How about a Barbie based on a normal healthy weight woman. That is where we should be going. Either the current Barbie or the plus sized Barbie teaches lessons we don't want to teach our kids. I saw pictures of a Barbie created using healthy BMI statistics and she was slim and attractive without being unrealistic. Now that is what I am talking about.
But why? It's just a doll.
Maybe this is where males/females differ. When I was little, I certainly wouldn't want to play with an average GI Joe. I'd want the guy to be ripped, tough looking, and have lots of guns. I'd want my GI Joe to be tougher than my friend Hercules figurine. I didn't care that his extremely low body-fat percentage was unhealthy.
This. It is just a doll. I played with Barbies - they always had the fanciest dresses, their own Camaro and airplane and RV...it's fantasy play. FANTASY. I never once thought about whether or not I would grow up to look like her. I didn't care. It was play. Maybe it's just me.0 -
There is nothing wrong with being fat
There is nothing wrong with existing in a larger body
The attitude that "being fat is not okay or is wrong" is what causes so much self hate so much sickness and mental health issues
stop it , if you want to change your body do it but never EVER shame someone else for theirs
Oh & having a bigger barbie is not going to make kids fat all the sudden so do not even play that silly **** :laugh:
I agree ^^^^0 -
No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.0 -
Wheres the short fat ken doll?0
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No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change that. I don't care what you or anyone says.
You have your opinion and I have mine.0 -
I don't think there should be a plus-sized Barbie but I would like a more 'average-sized' one. I think the Barbie ideal isn't realistic. I believe that my daughter is going to to look to me and the other women in her life to be her role model before a doll. That is my #1 motivating factor.0
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No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change th.at. I don't care what you or anyone says
You have your opinion and I have mine.
I'm not necessarily worried about what other people are doing and I have no problem with overweight people. But the entire culture is ridiculous. As I said it's not just a doll that's doing this but it's one of many factors that are leading people to be MORE complacent and ok with being overweight. I'm not saying people should be ashamed or hate themselves but telling kids that there is nothing wrong with being fat? Please... There are loads of health risks that come with being overweight.
Edit:I don't think there should be a plus-sized Barbie but I would like a more 'average-sized' one. I think the Barbie ideal isn't realistic. I believe that my daughter is going to to look to me and the other women in her life to be her role model before a doll. That is my #1 motivating factor.
Also agree with the people in this thread that are saying things similar to this.0 -
No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change that. I don't care what you or anyone says.
You have your opinion and I have mine.
So a fat doll won't make a kid think it is ok to be fat, but an unrealistically thin doll WILL make a girl think she has to attain that body type.
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Personally I think America would benefit more from a doll that delivers Alec Baldwin's "pep talk" from Glengarry Glenn Ross."
But change coffee to cake.
hmmm...
*goes off to find some coffee cake...because I'm a closer dammit*0 -
What would be wrong with teaching our kids that they should understand their realistic potential as human beings and that they shouldn't aspire to imitate a piece of plastic?0
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Oh gawd might as well make a butterface barbie too.0
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No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change th.at. I don't care what you or anyone says
You have your opinion and I have mine.
I'm not necessarily worried about what other people are doing and I have no problem with overweight people. But the entire culture is ridiculous. As I said it's not just a doll that's doing this but it's one of many factors that are leading people to be MORE complacent and ok with being overweight. I'm not saying people should be ashamed or hate themselves but telling kids that there is nothing wrong with being fat? Please... There are loads of health risks that come with being overweight.
Edit:I don't think there should be a plus-sized Barbie but I would like a more 'average-sized' one. I think the Barbie ideal isn't realistic. I believe that my daughter is going to to look to me and the other women in her life to be her role model before a doll. That is my #1 motivating factor.
Also agree with the people in this thread that are saying things similar to this.
I agree with the health risk. And you do make valid points.
However, I believe that a doll isn't going to make or break a child's weight. A child we are talking about. Someone who is raised by adults.
It is the adults responsibilities to teach the child. I am more concerned with generational habits from ALIVE people than a plastic doll.
If that was the case then I guess I would have been striving to be this unrealistic Barbie with unrealistic measurements that they say can not be achieved by the average or woman in general.
That did not influence me. But that is me. Perhaps I'm stronger than most and love myself. And guess where I got that from.... the people who raised me.0 -
No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change th.at. I don't care what you or anyone says
You have your opinion and I have mine.
I'm not necessarily worried about what other people are doing and I have no problem with overweight people. But the entire culture is ridiculous. As I said it's not just a doll that's doing this but it's one of many factors that are leading people to be MORE complacent and ok with being overweight. I'm not saying people should be ashamed or hate themselves but telling kids that there is nothing wrong with being fat? Please... There are loads of health risks that come with being overweight.
Edit:I don't think there should be a plus-sized Barbie but I would like a more 'average-sized' one. I think the Barbie ideal isn't realistic. I believe that my daughter is going to to look to me and the other women in her life to be her role model before a doll. That is my #1 motivating factor.
Also agree with the people in this thread that are saying things similar to this.
I agree with the health risk. And you do make valid points.
However, I believe that a doll isn't going to make or break a child's weight. A child we are talking about. Someone who is raised by adults.
It is the adults responsibilities to teach the child. I am more concerned with generational habits from ALIVE people then a plastic doll.
If that was the case then I guess I would have been striving to be this unrealistic Barbie with unrealistic measurements that they say can not be achieved by the average or woman in general.
That did not influence me. But that is me. Perhaps I'm stronger than most and love myself. And guess where I got that from.... the people who raised me.
Oh no, I completely agree with you on that. I'm just saying that the doll is a part of this insane culture we're living in now and it just keeps getting worse. Wasn't really saying the doll would cause obesity or anything.0 -
I've never been a fan of Barbie. She started off as an impossible roll model for girls (if we can even use that term to describe a doll).
I just don't think the world would respect a woman in a pink business suit with teeny-tiny feet and teeny-tiny hands holding a pink briefcase and driving a pink plastic Maserati no matter what her size.0 -
No.
I'm so sick of people trying to push the "fat is ok and you can be just as healthy" thing going on these days. You're not helping people, you're allowing them to rationalize a problem.
And this whole "fat shaming" thing, it's ridiculous. Yes, ridiculing someone for being overweight and legitimately shaming them is wrong, but people are using this term for things that aren't even shaming.
The people that are saying it won't make kids fat, you're right a doll won't make them fat, but it will make them think that being overweight is ok and become complacent. And I'm not saying it's just a doll that's going to do that, but the entire culture that's spreading through America.
Former fat kid checking in. Come at me.
And I'm so sick of people worried about what others are doing with they body or life.
And there is no way that a doll, will ever make a fat kid think its okay. Impossible in our current culture of constant, images of skinny people being bombarded daily in their brain.
People are complacent NOW without a doll being present so I do not understand your argument.
It boils down to individuals and also how they are raised. A doll isn't going to change th.at. I don't care what you or anyone says
You have your opinion and I have mine.
I'm not necessarily worried about what other people are doing and I have no problem with overweight people. But the entire culture is ridiculous. As I said it's not just a doll that's doing this but it's one of many factors that are leading people to be MORE complacent and ok with being overweight. I'm not saying people should be ashamed or hate themselves but telling kids that there is nothing wrong with being fat? Please... There are loads of health risks that come with being overweight.
Edit:I don't think there should be a plus-sized Barbie but I would like a more 'average-sized' one. I think the Barbie ideal isn't realistic. I believe that my daughter is going to to look to me and the other women in her life to be her role model before a doll. That is my #1 motivating factor.
Also agree with the people in this thread that are saying things similar to this.
I agree with the health risk. And you do make valid points.
However, I believe that a doll isn't going to make or break a child's weight. A child we are talking about. Someone who is raised by adults.
It is the adults responsibilities to teach the child. I am more concerned with generational habits from ALIVE people then a plastic doll.
If that was the case then I guess I would have been striving to be this unrealistic Barbie with unrealistic measurements that they say can not be achieved by the average or woman in general.
That did not influence me. But that is me. Perhaps I'm stronger than most and love myself. And guess where I got that from.... the people who raised me.
Oh no, I completely agree with you on that. I'm just saying that the doll is a part of this insane culture we're living in now and it just keeps getting worse. Wasn't really saying the doll would cause obesity or anything.
My bad. I tend to play devil's advocate a lot and most will see that. lol
:flowerforyou:0 -
Haven't we already determined that the traditional Barbie has an impossible body type?
This. Traditional Barbie is just as problematic IMO as an overweight Barbie.0 -
I've never been a fan of Barbie. She started off as an impossible roll model for girls (if we can even use that term to describe a doll).
I just don't think the world would respect a woman in a pink business suit with teeny-tiny feet and teeny-tiny hands holding a pink briefcase and driving a pink plastic Maserati no matter what her size.
Hmmm didn't they make a movie about this.....Legally Blonde. Lol
Carry on.0 -
It doesn't matter to me. I never cared for Barbie when I was a child; and, when I received one, I typically destroyed it quickly.0
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America needs to get over the low fat nonsense. America needs to stop allowing companies to advertise junk food to kids. America needs to alter the entire subsidy system so that healthy foods are the cheapest and the unhealthy ones cost the most, and America needs to stop feeding kids garbage in schools.0
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America needs to get over the low fat nonsense. America needs to stop allowing companies to advertise junk food to kids. America needs to alter the entire subsidy system so that healthy foods are the cheapest and the unhealthy ones cost the most, and America needs to stop feeding kids garbage in schools.
^^^
I think there should be legitimate nutrition classes in schools. Would solve a lot of the issues if people actually learned about it instead of thinking they have to do a fad diet, failing, and then saying it's impossible to lose weight.0 -
Haven't we already determined that the traditional Barbie has an impossible body type?
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America needs to get over the low fat nonsense. America needs to stop allowing companies to advertise junk food to kids. America needs to alter the entire subsidy system so that healthy foods are the cheapest and the unhealthy ones cost the most, and America needs to stop feeding kids garbage in schools.
^^^
I think there should be legitimate nutrition classes in schools. Would solve a lot of the issues if people actually learned about it instead of thinking they have to do a fad diet, failing, and then saying it's impossible to lose weight.
I agree wholeheartedly with both posters!0 -
I don't care if they make a plus-size barbie. I find it disturbing that people are so obsessed with the body-type of a doll.
I mean, I get that Barbie sets some pretty unrealistic beauty standards for little girls; but, for the record they set some other pretty unrealistic standards too. There are lawyer barbies and doctor barbies (careers which only a select few people succeed in) and in 2012 there was actually "President of the United States" barbie. Shouldn't we be concerned about that? It's an ideal that is totally unrealistic and practically impossible for girls to achieve because, like their dolls, they will be judged solely on their appearance.
In a country where 6 year old girls are more likely than not to worry about their weight and/or getting fat, and where exists a $200 billion dollar a year weightloss industry worldwide, and a $170 billion dollar cosmetics industry, and a $500 billion a year fashion industry, I am okay with being a little rough on Barbie for having a waistline that's equal to the width of her eyes. As tough as it can be to get there, there ARE women who are doctors, and lawyers, and heads of state. There are not women whose waistlines are equal to half the width of their faces, and holding that up as something to aspire to is horrifying.
You misunderstood me. My point was that we should stop focusing on or judging women's (or female dolls) appearance above all else. If young girls never heard comments about how one woman's body is "unrealistic" or another one is "unhealthy" than maybe they wouldn't worry about their weight at all or buy into the $170 billion cosmetics industry when they get older.
My point was that discussions LIKE THIS ONE don't help anything.0 -
Nope. My daughter knows they are just toys and are fake. That's because I, as a parent, don't give her false ideas of beauty. I don't fat or skinny shame. I am very careful to not talk negative things about my own body around her.
That plus size Barbie looks like something out of Robot Chicken. Does she come with her own trailer? lol0 -
Haven't we already determined that the traditional Barbie has an impossible body type?
Merlin!0 -
Barbie is a brand. All brands, especially major brands like Barbie, are managed to a high degree. Brands have Profit & Loss Statements, and it is the goal of brand managers to guide the brand in a fashion that leads to revenue and/or profit maximization. Barbie is part of Mattel, which has shareholders, and the creation and maintenance of shareholder value is paramount.
I am not privy to market research reports regarding the viability of a plus size Barbie. My sense is that a plus size Barbie would not be a commercial success. I believe based upon what I have seen that Barbies that embody a feminine look are ones that have maximized profit for the Barbie brand and made it one of the world's most iconic and valuable brands.
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A Barbie embodying traditional feminine ideals is what I think fits the end user mindset best.
That's interesting, because "traditional feminine ideals" and what's considered a "feminine look" change depending on culture. Barbie is an international brand, so maybe plus-size barbie would be a success in countries where heavier women are considered more attractive?
I really like the point about Barbie being an international brand. It is not unheard of for major brands to make alterations to their product line from market to market. McDonald's sells a kimchi burger in South Korea and wine in France. Try ordering a kimchi burger and wine in the US at Mickey D's.
However, I think this falls outside the analysis of the original question, which focuses on the US market. But it could warrant exploration in a different context.0 -
I agree with the other posters.0
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