Rating
Mattel Dog
Mattel Dog
Happy Birthday, Barbie. Now Go Away!
Yesterday was Barbie’s 50th birthday. A celebration of a half-century of obsession by young girls with a pencil-thin, wasp-waisted, pointy-breasted doll. It is estimated that more than 1 billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in more than 150 countries since the doll was first introduced in 1959.
Mattel, which manufactures Barbie, claim three Barbies are sold every second.
In her 50 years on the planet, Barbie has enjoyed 100 different careers, had more than 40 pets including cats, dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub and a zebra and 73 acres of clothes, furniture and other equipment and assessories.
Barbie was first of all a fashion statement (still is, mainly), but with the feminist movement, she did become a career woman. Doctor, cowgirl, astronaut, soldier, politician are just a few. In 1994, the Winter Sports Barbie was introduced, with skiis, poles, and of course, dressed in designer ski wear. In 1998 Nascar Barbie started to race cars, followed by WNBA Barbie and FIFA World Cup Barbie. Ultimate female soccer player Mia Hamm was selected as the Soccer Barbie. It was a short-lived trend.
Still, it looked for awhile like Barbie might join the ranks of real females, rather than keep the unnatural figure she was born (full-grown) with 50 years ago…5-ft-11 tall, 18 in. waist and 33 in. hips. When Mattel redesigned Barbie in 1974, she was given a marginally wider waist, but she still has legs up to here.
Child experts have decried the Barbie doll as a bad influence on young girls. They say she falls into (or perhaps leads) the stereotype of the skinny-is-beautiful ideal that has been foisted on a gullible public by clothing designers, Madison Avenue and the media. Ads for just about everything-from clothing to cars to cosmetics-feature reed-like, sunken-cheeked waifs.
But rather than rebel indignantly or laugh uproariously at this utter nonsense, many girls and women conclude they fall far short of the ideal. Some see themselves as overly plump Barbie dolls. They look in the mirror and what they see is like a trick mirror image…inaccurate and distorted. This dissatisfaction and distortion can lead to eating disorders.
Women who participate in sports or are otherwise physically active are less likely to buy the hype. They see their bodies in healthier ways. Their mirror reveals curves and muscles, strong shoulders and a straight, proud posture-a body prepared to work and play hard.
Where are the physically active-looking dolls that girls can emulate? Dolls that come with skates, bicycles and water skiis. They can have an ensemble of fashionable sports outfits, hair that can be braided or pulled into a pony tail or combed out for the party after the game and come with tennis racquets, volleyballs and hockey sticks. Other assessories might be headbands, sports sox and ace bandages.
Until Barbie shapes up, fills out and joins the softball team, perhaps she should be kicked off the playing field. Happy birthday, Barbie. Now, go away.
About the Author
Journalist, publisher, author Penny Hastings lives in Santa Rosa, Author Bio: Penny Hastings is the co-author (along with her son Todd Caven) of How To Win A Sports Scholarship, 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, 192 pages, $24.95), a step-by-step guide for high school and 2-year college student-athletes who want to play their sport in college and help pay their college expenses, too. Hastings gives presentations and workshops to student-athletes and their parents, guidance counselors, coaches and others interested in helping kids learn about college sports and how to play the recruiting game successfully. Hastings can be reached at penny@winasportsscholarship.com or visit the website: www.winasportsscholarship.com. Hastings is also the author of Sports For Her, A Reference Guide for Teenage Girls (Greenwood Publishing, 1999), which is currently being revised for a softcover 2nd edition by Redwood Creek Publishing http://www.winasportsscholarship.com
|
|
Wilton Barbie Party Cake Pan (2105-3550, 1998) or (2105-9815, 1998) Mattel The contouring of the pan outlines the form and provides a generous backing to hold the cake. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. When the party is over, the pan cleans easily so there’s less time spent in the… |
|
|
Wilton Golf Bag / Beer Mug / Holiday Yule Log / Cake Pan (2105-1836, 1987) Retired Collectible $17.00 Happy wishes are in the bag! Ideal for birthdays, retirement, holidays, vacations and more…. |
|
|
Wilton Barbie with Purse Cake Pan (2105-2250, 1986) Mattel Vintage Retired Collectible The contouring of the pan outlines the form and provides a generous backing to hold the cake. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. When the party is over, the pan cleans easily so there’s less time spent in the… |
|
|
Poochie [VHS] $29.99 … |
|
|
Barbie I Can Be Vet Center $73.11 Includes pet care center, plush puppy, tweezers, stethoscope, cordless phone, IV drip with bandage cuff, blood pressure cuff, dental mirror, ear scope, scissors, and syringe…. |
|
|
Keikihouse Toothbrush Holder – Dog Brown (for kids love Colgate Crest Sonicare Disney Mickey Dora Barbie Princess Mermaid Hello Kitty Pooh Crocs Little Tikes Mattel Fisher Price Lego Huggies Pampers Bugaboo Stokke Orbit Chicco Peg-Perego Graco Britax Maclaren Combi Cosco) $5.99 Keikihouse Animal Series Holder (Dog Brown) with suction cup ideal for toothbrush, small towel, razor blade etc. Fits small infant or toddler toothbrush. For adult size toothbrush, please check out our ‘Hand in Hand’ style toothbrush holder items. ‘ Like ‘ Keikihouse on Facebook to get more promotion code…. |
|
|
Disney / Pixar Toy Story Buddy 3-Pack Sheriff Woody, Slinky Dog and Rex $24.99 Disney / Pixar Toy Story Buddy 3-Pack Sheriff Woody, Slinky Dog and Rex. Not for children under 3. Size about 2.5″…. |
|
|
Fisher-Price Easy Link Internet Launch Pad $8.08 The Easy-Link Internet Launchpad offers Internet environments that allow children to play games without venturing into other areas online. Parents simply connect it to their computer using the included USB cable to allow kids to safely visit preschool-appropriate Web sites and play online games. Kids can plug their favorite character figures into the Launchpad and be taken directly to that charact… |
|
|
D-Rex Interactive Dinosaur $149.99 Ultra-fierce and unbelievably fun, the D-REX Interactive Dinosaur is a cool, prehistoric creature with a personality all his own. Designed to keep kids eight and up entertained for days, this robotic D-REX moves, roars, and responds to your child’s voice and touch. A bone-shaped controller even lets you “train” him as a guard dinosaur or an attack pet. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica … |
|
|
Barbie Groom And Glam Pup $11.96 Barbie Groom and Glam Pups lets you adopt and take care of adorable dogs. It’s a puppy-pal paradiseFeatures include: •Choose from 6 different breeds•Bathe, brush, and groom your dog•Try on cute outfits and accessories•Train your pup to do cool tricks•Perform doggie dance routines, fashion shows, and photo shoots… |
Have A Question?
Are you looking for something but can not find it, or have a question for us? We would love to help you. Just fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
