Black Barbie dolls are here, and they're a far cry from Christie, Barbie's black friend who debuted in the 1960s and was essentially a white doll painted brown. Barbie designer Stacey McBride-Irby, who is black and has a 6-year-old daughter, said she wanted to create a line of dolls for young black girls that looked like them and were inspirational and career-minded. What do you think of the new Barbies?
What do you think of Mattel's new black Barbie dolls?
Thu Oct 8, 2009 4:26 PM EDT
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I can't help but wonder if Matell had made the new dolls with "stereotypical" hair features, such as an Afro or cornrows or other braids if there would be backlash for the doll being racist? Plus, honestly as a girl one of my favorite activities while playing with my doll was fixing its hair. Washing it, styling it etc. I wonder how practicle that would be with the doll.
Furthermore, I am a redhead. There are no redhead barbies! I never felt there was something wrong with my hair because Barbie had Blond hair. I think children are children, and they influences they are most in-tune to are the parents reactions to toys. the prejudices don't come from the object itself, but rather the adult communities reactions.
Redheads and blondes are big turn-offs to a lot of guys. Blondes may have more fun (they are more easily entertained and distracted) but brunettes ARE more fun. Redheads just fall outside the equation. This comes from an Irish guy whose mom and Grandmother were readheads. I'd take a brunette, 5' tall with short, cute hair any day of the week over a blonde or redhead. Sorry.
As for blacks, sorry not interested except in the most light skinned possible or mixed race. Short hair is cute, but short & curly is like having pubic hair on your head.
Now Latinas, Caucasians of Mediterranian descent, Middle, Near and Far Eastern women, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americas are the hot chicks! Dark hair, eyes, olive, tan or brown complexions and generally short. Woohoo!
The problem is none of the women you mentioned would chose you.
Too bad for you one did, and we've been together for over twenty years now.
what are you like 14?
I agree. People will never be satisfied. I'm black and I love that I can buy my daughter a doll that looks like her. But ultimetely she doesn't care. She plays with their hair and knows that it's a doll and its hair isn't supposed to be like hers. If the mothers would just educate their children then we wouldn't have a problem. FYI black women stop doing unnecessary crap to the girls hair and it will grow. We spend hundreds of dollars on our own hair but do you do the same for your daughter? I do and her hair is long and healthy and natural. When was the last time you had your daughters ends clipped?
i agree with danielle. this women created the line with th best of intentions, yet if she stereotypically made the dolls with nappy hair she fall under criticism. anyone who regards this issue as racism or stereotyping is no better then al sharpton, a racist media opportunist.
This is just one more black person jumping on the bandwagon to exploit their black roots and all trying to make something that looks like the ever so ugly Michelle Obama. Face it - anything that looks like Michelle will be a flop. No way in hell anyone would buy something that looked like her - super, super ugly Michelle Obama - and to think that she found a good looking husband is unreal - He is only good looking because he is half white.Theydeserve each other - why not name the black barbies Michelle and Hussein and be done with it and we can all watch mattel go bankrupt.
Okay that just came across as rather ignorant which I'm sure was not your intent? Do you think you couldn't do the same with a black dolls hair? Or any ethnic dolls hair?
I dont think Meeche meant that you cant wash, style and fix a black doll's hair. I am supposing (hoping, in fact :) in making that comment, that Meeche was mostly referring to the controversy over the length of the doll's hair, not just the texture. It is no surprise that whether white OR black, straighter hair has more styling possibilities than curly---albeit gorgeous--- hair. And it is no secret that no matter what texture, it is always going to be easier to wash and style longer hair vs. shorter hair on a doll's small head. Ask any little girl who's cut her Barbie's hair super short in a cute style... only to be irritated later because its now a LOT harder to do anything else with it.
Not only that, but I actually take slight offense to the uproar about the doll having long hair, as if that is not black. I agree that there should be various short styles, but you cant rally a cry against some of the dolls being made with long hair as if long hair is not a black attribute. I have long hair and so does every woman in my family, including my daughter. Would it be fair to take away the long haired dolls that some claim is an "un-black" attribute and misrepresent the many black girls with longer hair?
AND WHO'S TO SAY WHATS "BLACK" ANYWAYS?? There are some little black girls that, for various reasons, look just like those white dolls. When she sees the new line of "black" dolls on the shelves, how will she feel knowing that she is not a part of that?
And I 100% agree with the comment below me. My daughter gets her self-esteem from the upbringing, morals, and values my husband and I have instilled in her, NOT from a doll. If your child feels less worthy because of white dolls, then something has clearly gone wrong at home; and that poor girl will have a long way to go as she grows up and finds herself overrun with "white" images on TV, in magazines, on the runway, on billboards, and in her daily life.
This is utterly ridiculous! If it's not 1 thing, then it's another. Nobody can ever seem to just be satisfied. Complaints, complaints, complaints. If you do not like the length of the hair, then cut it! The problem with many people is that they TRY to see racism in as many things as possible rather than just viewing them as different and without intentional disregard for a person. As Charlie Brown would say, "good grief."
I don't see what they did different. There are dolls already on the market with this 'type' of hair. I'm sure that someone would be kicking up a fuss because one of the Barbies has more brown hair than the others. It's a frickin DOLL!!! There have been Barbies of all Nationalites, all race, creed, colors. What's the big hubbub except for the fact that Chris and Mattel are getting more free press?
Obviously Mattel thinks that addressing the race issue is important or they would not have created this "Black Barbie". They know how to make money! I just wonder, do they have an "Yellow Barbie" yet.
Progress yes! But we still have a long way to go when it comes to race/ethnicity! Let me take a line from a fellow American. Yellow, Red, Black or White, we are all precious in God's sight!
Absolutely E.I.
I can't wait to see how many white people in heaven are offended when they see blacks enter the pearly gates. Geeez people. Get a life for pete's sake. As said above...Good Grief! If these "black opinion-ators are going to harp on poor Chris and Mattel, then why not harp on Tyra for that stupid show about models...talk about stereotyping....skinny, skinny, skinny!
If you don't like the dolls...don't buy them and get on with your life!
everyone needs to get over such furor over a DOLL. Good grief. If a doll damages a child's self esteem there are certainly other contributing factors, all probably much more important than the doll. A mother's attitude towards her body and the body of the child carries a bigger impact. The dad's subtle (or not so subtle) messages about fat, weight and sexiness all play a far bigger role in the child's esteem. The names the child is called, the way the child is treated has a far bigger impact than the doll that is being played with. If a child plays with a rag doll that has yarn curls, does that damage the self image? How about dolls with painted hair? I grew up with long, straight hair. I wanted short curly hair. Did it make a difference in the Barbie (or other dolls that I played with?) Not one iota. Dolls are an expression of make-believe and a little girl can imput whatever she wants on the doll. After all, how many real girls get to get dressed by removing their head because the neckline is too small, pulling out the arms when sleeves are too tight or any of the other things that kids do while playing dolls?
Barbie's...... white, black, yellow or red look ridiculous...they are nothing but boobs and a b utt with very long, skinny legs. My daughter hated them, my granddaughter loved them until she finally threw them OUT! Thank the lord.
Their bodies were as hard as a brick and their legs wouldn't bend. I never did like them, either. Not realistic enough.
i didnt even know matel still sold barbie.. but w/e if they feel bringing this new product out will help fix racial issues with children, then the more power to them. I think that it will go far in boosting children's self asteem. No one wants to feel the odd one out. and having barbies or dolls that dont look a thing like you can really make one feel self concious (i'm not african american but i did grow up overweight.. ever hear of fat barbie? maybe they should look into it)
However i think society puts too much emphases on outward beauty. It shouldnt matter what you look like. It should only matter who you are as a person. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are nasty people on the inside and vice versa.
Tonda writes - "I didn't even know Matel still sold Barbie."
Your kidding right??? Watch Nickelodean, or any kid's channel, and 1/3 of the commercials are Barbie related... Barbie rocks btw
I'm a Barbie girl - in a Barbie world... :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEzh10_xoqw
The nation is at war, our soldiers are dying, the economy is fragile, social security is crumbling and yet we still have time to worry about Barbie being politically correct? Here's an idea...let’s act like we have half a brain and stick to burdens that actually require some attention.
Way to go reelistic1! Say it like it is!
So children have to devote their childhood to thinking about war? I disagree.
What does it matter what color a doll is? It should come as no surprise that young children like to play with dolls that look like they do - regardless of what their skin color is. We spend so much time and energy in America worrying about race. It is time to forget about it. Race is a benign characteristic - what difference does it make what an individuals skin color is? Far more important is the issue of their character.
I am simply amazed at that statement. how foolish you are. To those that say it doesn't matter, fine for them, however it does matter to me. "benign characteristic" , please explain that.
I am so glad this is a free country, so I can be proud of who I am Further I don't see anything wrong with wanting your child, or whoever, to be be able to purchase a Black doll. I wish they had been round when I was a child. If It doesn't infringe on the rights of others, I would like to know why all this controversy.
I think its a great idea for black or white girls. I would have played with a black barbie doll along with my white barbie doll and I'm white after all there are different colors in the real world I see nothing wrong about time.
I think it's great and after seeing all of the comments here I think the general population needs to grow up and chill out!
Those dolls are pretty. And the hair is fairly representative, isn't it? Waves, curls, straight, etc. There isn't a short afro version, but I can't remember the last time I saw a black female with an afro. Maybe Mattel could produce an afro wig accessory.
Come on, it's a toy doll, and done tastefully, it might surprise you that it is okay to have dolls of other races, even Barbie doll types, and most likely the children would be okay with playing with them, but the parents may not, what a shame.
If there is a Market for these Dolls, and that's what they are, then why not? It's a free market, why not capitalize...isn't that America?
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Its funny because there are more important issues at hand. However, with social issues, hair is important for black females, especially little girls. Having "Good Hair", straight, long, shinny is seen as being beautiful and more attractive. During the recession the only industry not hit hard by it was the black hair industry.
Here's an article on the topic:
http://jezebel.com/5347059/combing-through-the-deeply-rooted-politics-of-black-hair-issues
The reason this is important is that for many years black girls when given a choice thought the white dolls were more beautiful than the black dolls. Self image is very important especially now when young girls are bombarded with so many images each day that are directed specifically at them.
Poster #2, why would you say such meanness? I find it hard to believe that any woman of substance would want an idiot like you. She would have benefitted from the having her self image boosted. My point exactly.