Mattel (the maker of Barbie dolls) has partnered with a non-partisan, non-profit organization (The White House Project) that seeks to increase women's participation in politics.
Information on the $14 doll is here and more about the story is here and here.
Fans of Barbie who want to help her shape a political platform can do that on Barbie's new Tumblr and Instagram pages.
Barbie's pink skirt-suit was designed by award-winning fashion designer, Chris Benz. He has also designed clothes for First Lady Michelle Obama.
What do you think?
I think that's great. It's wonderful to encourage young girls to know and believe that they can be involved in politics; it's not just for the boys. The things you play with as a child have an effect on you, why not tell young girls they can be president someday. :)
ReplyDelete♥ Principessa Gabriella
I think it's a great idea. I still don't think I'd let my kids (if i had any) play with barbies. My mom didn't let us play with them and looking back, I think it was a good thing.
ReplyDeleteToo Cute!! I have a Barbie for President doll that I bought years ago. Different doll of course. It was a Toys R Us exclusive from 1999?? Not sure. Very Cute doll.
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool. When I clicked through, I also saw the Tokidoki barbie. I think being angry about any specific barbie being made is not cool because the whole point of barbie is showing variety. New Barbies are designed and released all the time. Not gonna make everyone happy all the time. *shrug*
ReplyDeleteI grew up with books and rollerblades as my favorite toys. I did have Barbies, but they were only to play with other friends. I think kids get more influence from the time spent with parents, siblings, and friends versus dolls imo.
Well, it's great to have a woman running for the highest office in our great country, but oh, that suit makes me want to cry :(
ReplyDeleteMhm... I know opinions on Barbie are divided. I loved the dolls as a kid but I never played with them quite the (über-commercial) way its makers intended - for one thing, I sewed them clothes and made them furniture that were decidedly not pink! I've come to love pink as a color, but it's somewhat limiting, and thus contradicts the message that, apparently, Mattel is trying to send...?
ReplyDeleteWell, I am all for a positive message and I think that is the intention here. Though I know when I was young enough to play with Barbies I don't know that I was role playing "Barbie running for President" I usually sat and braided her hair and dressed her and then got bored and moved on to something else, lol.
ReplyDeleteGood idea. Though I am not one to buy into Barbie as a Role Model either.
ReplyDeleteHaha, as soon as I saw it, I swore it was Reese from when she was in "Legally Blonde" :P I think she's cute! Encourage young girls to be interested in political science one day.
ReplyDeletei was a huge Barbie girl growing up
ReplyDeletehad a million of them and all the things that go with her
i have to say never once did i pretend that she was the president lol
brett
I used to set my Barbies on fire when I was a kid.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
Twitter: @GlamKitten88
Ugh, I'm not sure I like this much at all. This seems a lot more like a marketing ploy than an actual attempt to do something good for the children. Especially in that VERY pink suit. It seems a little much even for barbie.
ReplyDeleteI need to know how she feels about healthcare and gay rights.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. I always liked Barbie and don't buy into that crap about negative body image. I don't know, but when I was younger, I wasn't oogling Barbie's plastic body with thoughts like, "Golly, I sure wish my six-year-old rack was just like hers! Then I'd be a REAL WOMAN!" I just played with them. Doctor Barbie conducted check-ups, Malibu Barbie sat her ass in a lawn chair, and if I had a President Barbie back then, she'd have been a damn good president. I like the idea!
ReplyDeleteI had about 25+ Barbies as a kid. I loved how she had so many different jobs. People get hung up on her big boobs and perfect blond hair, but they forget that Barbies taught many girls my age that it was OK to have a career and believe you can do anything.
ReplyDeleteYou go, Barbie!
It's just marketing.
ReplyDeleteIf they really wanted a change of mind... they would add some meat on the doll :)