In class, we have been focusing on many different topics including Ramamurthy, details in advertising, as well as gender, race and class exploitation and representation. In this article by Katha Pollit entitled “Why Boys Don’t Play with Dolls” a point is discussed that I feel connects very well to the conversations we have having in class, as well as the articles that we have been reading about gender exploitation and representation. The specific passage reads:
“Every mother in that room had spent years becoming a person who had to be taken seriously, not least by herself. Even the most attractive, I am willing to bet, had suffered over her body’s failure to fit the impossible American ideal. Given all that, it seems crazy to transmit Barbie to the next generation. Yet to reject her is to say that what Barbie represents- being sexy, thin, stylish- is unimportant, which is obviously not true, and children know it’s not true.”(Pollit pg.398-99)
This paragraph come directly after a story was told of a girl being given a Barbie doll as a birthday present. As the recipient opened the present, the mother who purchased the doll relayed to the child’s mother that she was sorry for choosing that gift (Pollit pg398). By the conveyed message the acknowledgement of what this dolls has come to represent can easily be seen. As stated in the quoted paragraph above, Barbie is an inanimate object that encompasses “sexy, thin, and stylish.” To achieve Barbie’s figure has become a goal, thereby turning what should be a child’s toy into a feat or a challenge. The passage tells the reader that this product is still given as gifts and relayed through generations in spite of everything Barbie stands for. The last sentence of the paragraph above, demonstrates the reason of why Barbie is still around today. The sentence states: “Yet to reject her is to say that what Barbie represents- being sexy, thin, stylish- is unimportant, which is obviously not true, and children know it’s not true.” This means that everyone knows what Barbie represents but no one can deny the fact that these are the values that are seen as crucial in our everyday society. We see women as being exploited by how Barbie has come to symbolize what the ideal American girl should really look like.
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As sad as it is, today's American culture and society advocates the idea that women have to have slender waists, toned abs and perfect hair. The Barbie products are simply reinforcing this belief, subconsciously embedding this thought in the minds of young children. Women, unfortunately, are exploited greatly in modern culture, just as Ramamurthy discussed, but there isn't much being done about it.
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