New Realistic Barbie to Have Anxiety, Depression
By Morgan Pantuck
April 23, 2015
Parents and children alike are buzzing with excitement over Mattel, Inc.’s recent announcement that the company will release a new, realistic Barbie doll this summer, “Sad-Feelings Sandra.” CEO Chris Sinclair hopes the new doll will dispel criticism that Barbie does not represent the average American female.
“People always say that Barbie’s legs are too thin, her breasts are too large, she looks happy all the time,” said Sinclair. “Well, it’s the 21st century, and it’s time to make a change.”
Feminist authors have long criticized Barbie’s negative impact on women’s self-esteem. DePaul University Professor of Gender Studies Dr. Deborah Smith explained, “Barbie represents an impossible ideal. She has the perfect job, the perfect boyfriend, a super-slim body, and never experiences extended bouts of self-loathing or unrelenting feelings of inadequacy. That’s why it’s so exciting that Sad-Feelings Sandra will come with a small eyedropper full of tears and dark circles under her eyes that never go away. Finally, an attainable standard!”
Many experts, however, disagree with this analysis. According to renowned psychologist Dr. Benjamin Lemmings, “There have been no scientifically established links between Barbie and self-esteem issues. She’s just a toy, and giving her a paralyzing fear of choosing a meaningful career path instead of 150 different jobs isn’t going to change anything.”
In a University of Chicago study which examined a group of elementary school children playing with Barbie dolls, most were observed hacking off Barbie’s hair with scissors or pretending to make her have sex with Ken. When directly asked whether Barbie was impacting their culturally-imposed ideals of womanhood or perception of feminine beauty, most six-year-olds asked the researchers if they could have juice. Overall, much research remains to be done on the topic.
Regardless of these divergent professional opinions, Mattel’s website reports that the company has received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the Sandra project, and plans to release a cohort of new dolls to form her “posse” in early 2016. At press time, new Barbie pals will include “Ennui Eleanor,” “Annoying Alice,” and possibly “Kinky Kendra.”
