Barbie: Sexism or Feminism?

The Doll That Ruled Childhood

Growing up, pretty much every child has been exposed to Barbie. You owned the doll, or watched the shows, maybe even had a Barbie dollhouse and the hot pink convertible. She's been slapped onto everything from picture books to body spray. Everytime you enter a toystore, there are dozens of these dolls lining the shelves - Judge Barbie, Astronaut Barbie, Chef Barbie...

Barbie could be anything, and that was what made her so exciting. In the 1950s, all dolls were babies or toddlers, having the girls imagine themselves in roles of mothers and caretakers. But Barbie was an adult doll, allowing them to aspire further, to picture themselves in any role as they played - they could be businesswomen, pop stars, even the President.

The Sexism of Barbie

Barbie has been a role model for several girls across several generations. Over 60 years and a few thousand different dolls, there are bound to be a few issues. There have been multiple controversial dolls, including Teen Talk Barbie and Slumber Party Barbie, both of which were incredibly problematic.

Teen Talk Barbie was released in the '90s. When a button was pressed, she could say one of four phrases. Some of them were about clothes and shopping, which aren't problematic. However, one of the phrases was "Math class is tough!" This perpetuates the stereotype that girls are bad at math, or unintelligent. With Barbie dolls being so popular in pop culture, was this really the message they should be sending to the young girls who idolized them?

The Feminist Transformation

However, it is important to note that with the times, Barbie has changed and evolved. Where Barbie once complained about math being hard, she can now teach it. Barbie loves fashion, sure, but she can also skateboard, ride horses, get good grades in school. The Barbie doll line includes tributes to Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart and more.

The Barbie TV series, 'Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures' includes characters of different ethnic backgrounds, with different interests and skills. Her little sister, Stacie, is good at sports. One of her best friends, Teresa enjoys STEM.

In 2023, the Barbie Movie came out, one of the biggest movies ever directed by a woman, and meant to be a feminist film. While it may not have been the perfect movie, it's still a step in the right direction, especially considering America Ferrera's monologue.

"You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can't say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin."

"You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman."

"It's too hard! It's too contradictory!"

Sexism or Feminism?

In the end, Barbie isn't about Sexism or Feminism. It's a doll. But with dolls like Teen Talk Barbie, the song Barbie Girl by Aqua, and the 'Feminist' live action Barbie movie, over time it has become connect to both.

Barbie certainly isn't leading any equality movement, but as with anything that has been around as long as it has it continues to change, to grow. And at the moment, it seems to be growing in the right direction.