mm. as a feminist I have to agree that both barbie and bratz are pretty screwed. yes. it's just a toy. and yes. parents also play a role in their children's values. but it is also a toy that is popular with all of a child's friends, as was mentioned. and it is also true that young children do not see sluts and hoes, as was mentioned as well.
so the way I see it is that all of a child's friends love this doll because it's so pretty and the children do not see it as slutty so they idolize it. their parents have a say, but all of their friends have it and they beg and plead and whine. even if their parents don't let them play with it, they still covet it.
even without the doll, children are surrounded by images of tall, thin, leggy, busty, sexual, scantily clad women their entire lives. movie stars. dolls. cartoons. music videos. even characters in books. if anyone has seen mean girls, the scene where they go to Regina's house for the first time and her little sister is dancing in front of the TV was kind of sad to everyone, I think. it becomes programmed into us and that is what I disagree with. because so few people fit that model. [and even if a lot of people did, I think we should be free to make our own judgments of beauty. not just believe something is pretty because it's the only thing we've seen our entire lives.] then when we don't grow into long legs, huge breasts, and small frames we feel disappointed. at least I know I still do occasionally.
if you're interested read the beauty myth by naomi wolf.
I'm not anti-barbie at all. I loved her as a child. and I do really appreciate mattel expanding her racial and occupational options. It was a really important thing to happen. I agree that bratz offends me a lot more, as a feminist, than barbie does. because while barbie supports aesthetic stereotypes she is at least a careerwoman, as was mentioned before. But even so, barbie and bratz are the symptoms, not the disease. and our social standards of beauty and the pressure that it puts on women is what needs to change. the rest will follow naturally. [love the current dove ad campaign, if you couldn't guess.] all of this blahblahblah was just to explain why barbie is controversial to a feminist mind. since someone said they didn't see what the big deal was.
in response to why feminists wear makeup. as a feminist and an artist, I like makeup for the individuality aspect. It's nice to look pretty as well. I would be a liar if I said being all dolled up didn't give me a little self-esteem boost. but I don't feel the need to wear makeup all the time. I think I'm rather pretty without it as well. i see it as, feminists are against the idea of "needing" makeup. I don't feel any woman needs makeup. but it's fun. i like buying it. i like wearing it. and I wouldn't say I'm an exception because Kathleen Hannah wears makeup and she is quite possibly one of the most well-known feminists out there. and obviously, there are other feminists registered here on specktra. [I also want to add that this statement was probably the only thing said in this thread to genuinely make me feel angry. stereotyping is exactly what feminism is against.]
it goes both ways with boys and gi joes and the way manliness is portrayed. it puts the same unattainable [not to mention violent and undesirable] ideal and pressure to reach it on men. but I won't go into that. it isn't the topic at hand and I've rambled enough as is. XD if anyone actually reads all of this.
that being said! I think I am excited to see this collection. I thought the disney TLCs were adorable and I think this will be cute too. I do hope her face isn't all over it though. because I feel like that would just look tacky. but since they've made sure to say that it is targeted for adults, I'm pretty sure that won't happen. While a woman putting on lip conditioner with the little fish from pinocchio is cute. a woman pulling out a compact with barbie on it would seem pretty ridiculous to me.
