Barbie gets a lot of criticism. I'm glad that it seems like they have listened to some of that criticism as they are bringing out new "Curvy" dolls.
However, it doesn't bother me that Barbie is skinny (or that Monster High dolls are even skinnier.) Although I certainly don't think that Barbie, Mattel, or other dolls are above criticism, I don't think this is a very useful criticism, and there's a better way to look at it.
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| Thin, thinner, thinnest |
Why I Don't Skinny-Shame My Dolls
1. Barbie was never meant to be a realistic human being. She's basically a cartoon. Cartoons are known for having exaggerated features. And if we are talking about the Monster High dolls- they aren't even meant to be human. I don't know if Barbie has made some little girls feel bad about their bodies, but it hardly seems comparable to airbrushed magazine covers based on real photographs. Here's a good discussion about the subject.
2. Barbie wasn't meant to be examined naked. She's meant to wear clothes. Designer Tommydoll says: "anyone who has ever sewn a doll dress can tell you, Barbie’s proportions work in tandem with her clothing, and the way she appears fully dressed (bulky seams make Barbie look even odder than she does naked – everyone knows that)." [note: some of Tommy's posts are NSFW]
3. It's convenient for Barbies to all be the same size so they can share clothes. (I know this is a cop-out reason, but I feel sad my new curvy dolls only have three outfits to share.)
4. Some people are thin. It doesn't mean we need to criticize them, judge them, or accuse them of poor health. You don't know someone's health or habits just by looking at them. I had thin arms and legs in high school, but I wasn't anorexic; I was an athlete.
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| me, maybe age 14 |
5. This criticism of dolls mirrors criticism of people. In attempt to support size diversity, some have said "real women have curves," with good intentions, but is hurtful to thin women, or to women with muscles. (All women are real women.) I can't say it's not okay to criticize one size of people, and then turn around to criticize another group of people. Either way, we end up encouraging body hatred.
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| Can't we get along? |
Why I Expect More
1. I do want Barbie diversity. Real life is diverse, and it's exciting to reflect that in play, display, and art. I don't think every fashion doll needs to look like a Lammily doll, but I am very happy that Lammily exists, and I hope they'll continue producing great work.
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| We can be friends |
2. Fat (or curvy) dolls can be one way to teach children to treat all people with respect (including themselves) no matter what their body type.
3. Curvy Barbie is a good first step for Mattel. But I hope they don't see it as the end, or as a way to avoid criticism. Keep going!
It also seems like some on the internet dislike Mattel's addition of curvy or fat dolls. (Something about how kids don't care or won't notice.) I disagree. Representation matters.
My expectations of dolls with diverse body types have largely not been met in the doll world, but many crafters have modified their dolls to reflect reality and dreams in exciting ways.
Anyway, here are the new curvy dolls! So happy. If only Mattel would make these ladies with articulation...
And I have an update on how Curvy compares to other doll sizes:
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From left:
Mimi Bobeck, Curvy Barbie, Rosie O'Donnell, Lammily, Barbie Fashionista, and Monster High Cleo
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It's especially interesting to see how much Mattel changed their design from the 90's Rosie to the 2016 Curvy. Curvy has an hourglass figure, while Rosie is blocky with an exaggerated chest.
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| 3/4 angle view |
Curvy's proportions are not wildly different than a Lammily doll, although there are some noticeable differences, especially Lammily's long torso and shorter legs. I suspect Lammily's success is a big part of Mattel choosing to make a larger doll.
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| Side view |
Curvy still can't compete with Mimi for curves. I hope Mattel will be brave enough to make fat dolls in all sizes some day.
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| Wonderful ladies of all sizes |
Your thoughts on this matter are really good to read. They aren't meant to be realistic and they are (especially the Monster High ones) based on cartoons. I would still argue that all the dolls bieng sooooo skinny does matter because of representation, not because girls really expect to look like they have Monster High portions or Barbie's proportions. But then, that's why you were saying you hope they make dolls in many shapes!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I really loved that Mattel had multiple body shapes in that line (petite and tall as well as "regular" and curvy). In all honesty, Curvy actually looks like a real (but still a model) woman would look, to me. Not someone who is fat or "curvy" even. Still, I love her. They are all so cute. It is really interesting too to see the comparison of bodies.
Yeah, Curvy is definitely "average," not curvy. Seeing her next to a Lammily helped confirm that. But I'm so glad they made her anyway!
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