But, What does Barbie Eat?
Excuse me, while I step onto my soapbox for a brief moment…
More and more often these days it seems like Princess Barbie, Hawaiian Barbie, Dream Date Barbie are a thing of the past. Young girls are so obsessed with body image that they appear to be ditching the dolls and instead making themselves into the real thing. For months, the web has been discussing in shock, awe and horror how 21-year-old Ukranian, Valeria Lukyanova would undergo plastic surgery to achieve such a “Barbie effect.” You can click through her photos and decide if it was all worth it. I was always a fan of Barbie, but come’on I never wanted to look like her. First off, I had brown skin and had an afro, and there was no such doll back then. And secondly, this chick was thin as a twig… and I love to eat!
Like any young bright eyed-pigtailed little girl, I used to collect Barbie dolls with an obsessive fervor. In the 80’s, when a new Barbie would be announced, my parents would rush to the store to make sure I had the latest, trendy new doll. Hollywood Barbie? Sure! Workout Barbie? Okay! Divorcée Barbie? Whatever! I had them all. I had the big house, the pink car, her side kick Skipper and of course, the original McDreamy… Ken.
You say it’s your birthday? Oh, look! Another Barbie doll. I’d shriek with delight, hug my parents and disappear into my room for hours. Naturally, I was a young happy girl who believed in the world of make-believe and magic. Sometimes, I would even have two of the same doll – Barbie twins!
When my family moved across the country, space in the truck was limited, and there were items that unfortunately needed to get thrown out. My Barbie collection was one of the first things to go. Gasp! My childhood vanished before my eyes. I remember Barbie and her friends being gently laid in her coffin (those plastic clear garbage bags) and with a heartfelt good-bye, the “trash” was taken to Goodwill a.k.a. the mortuary. I was crushed. I still remember her stoic face looking out at me through the crinkled bag. Barbie was much braver than I was. It was as if I was abandoning a friend.
Perhaps, my mother was inadvertently doing me a favor by tossing out my Barbie dolls just before I hit adolescence. Maybe it was because of this, that I never had a desire to be Barbie-thin or have pristine ivory skin and perfectly symmetrical features. I ate anything I liked (though I liked mostly vegetables anyway) and didn’t care about weight gain – I was a kid! Sure, I had the usual pre-teen insecurities (e.g. “Why do I suddenly have hair on my legs!? Yuck!”). And of course, I pushed the limits with my parents often probing them with questions like, “hey dad… would you still love me if I pierced my tongue and tattooed my butt?” But thankfully, I never felt the pressure to change my body to fit a certain image type. I knew I didn’t need an unrealistic Barbie body or an unnatural doe-eyed face.
Now, I digress. This IS a food blog after all. And I couldn’t help but wonder… with a 20-inch waist and a body like THAT – does this teensy Ukrainian girl Valeria ever eat? Well, to be fair, Barbie never did. She was plastic. But if she did eat, I’d like to think she’d enjoy eating healthy, organic foods. Maybe she would drive with Ken in her pink Barbie corvette to the local farmers markets and shop for fruits and veggies. She’d eat sustainably and cook a nice Thanksgiving meal for all her other Barbie friends. Heck, you’d think with a name like “Barbie,” she’d be down for grilling up some shrimps a least.
Foodie Barbie! Where are you!? Come and teach our girls how to eat right! The new generation needs you! Come back please… with some cellulite and a fatter ass. It’s OK. We’ll still love you.
Hi, I am in High School and for health class we are doing a research project on a topic of our choice. I chose Self-Esteem/Self-Image and I became very interested in the Barbie Effect. When I was little I played with Barbie and to this day, I have insecurities about myself. Do you think that if I hadn’t played with Barbie as a child I would have these insecurities?
Hi Lauren,
What a great question and fantastic topic for your class!
Let me preface by saying that I am no expert on the topic, but was merely making an observation as to how Barbie related to me in my own life. In my opinion, I believe that Barbie is just one of the many factors which shape a young girl’s idea of body image. Consider sexy TV or movie stars who have had “work done” or unnatural photoshopped models in magazine ads… The people in our everyday lives, bullies and even our own peers can also shape our perception of ourselves (even sans Barbie). I was often considered “weird” and was teased for having kinky hair and a big nose. Though, I can tell you from experience that when you grow up, those very things that you are picked on for in school, often become your best assets!
Barbie is a fun doll/toy, but should in no way be an indicator of body image or the “ideal” woman. In researching my content for this post, I came across this article that displays a life-sized doll with Barbie’s actual proportions. The writer states that “If Barbie was a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions” An interesting visual, eh?
Good luck on your assignment! Hope that helps a bit!
I saw something on that chick from the Ukraine… SO creepy! Not only because she wants to look like Barbie, but also because she DOES look like Barbie! I supposed it’s easy for me to judge and make fun, but I seriously would like to know what drove that woman to take such extreme measures. The same can be said for anyone that undergoes extensive plastic surgery. I’m all for doing what makes you feel good about yourself, but if you feel the need to spend $$$ to look nothing like your former self, something’s wrong… and I’m positive it has everything to do with what our society teaches about “beauty.”
I read an article on her, she lives on a all liquid fruit juice diet. I like juice but… ONLY juice? I’d die probably.