Vogue Italia's Black Barbie: A Step Forward or a Step Back?
Published August 04, 2009 @ 07:32AM PT
This month, Vogue Italia is doing another take on last year's successful Black Issue: a fashion spread featuring all Black Barbies.
from Jezebel:
Last year, Italian Vogue shook the fashion world with its "All Black issue, which sold out on many newsstands. This year, the July issue features Kristen McMenamy on the cover, but comes with a delightful supplement devoted to black Barbies.
It is Barbie's 50th birthday, after all, and Mattel does have those new black Barbies to promote. And while this supplement is not full-sized like a regular magazine (it's about 6 inches wide; 7.5 inches long) somehow the doll scale makes sense.
As a girl growing up with in Los Angeles, my mother always made sure to buy us Black dolls, especially Barbies. I even had a Black Ken doll! And while it was great to have a doll that looked like me, the reality was that it still sold me and other little girls dangerous ideas about what a woman's body should look like, and what was considered beautiful. In preparing to write this post, I spoke with a friend of mine who happens to be a Black dad with a young daughter. He told me that while he reluctantly buys his daughter Barbies because she loves them, he is concerned about what it teaches his little girl about having a positive self-image. As a result, he makes it his responsibility to teach his daughter about how special and beautiful she is as a black girl.
I loved Vogue Italia's Black Issue last year. I loved that it featured Tocarra, a voluptuous, curvy woman who was far from a size 2. And I like the concept of using all Black Barbies in a Vogue spread. But I have to wonder if it is actually a step backwards. Barbies themselves use the white female body as a the prototype for beauty. Even the new Black Barbies do not have the hips, ass and curves that myself and other Black women possess. It's great that Mattel has barbies of all shade, but what about all sizes? What taking into consideration that other races and ethnic groups have different ideas of what women's bodies actually look like? The fashion industry often creates fashions, ad campaigns, and yes, even Barbie photo spreads that leave Black female bodies out of the equation and therefore, out of the question when defining what a "perfect body" looks like and who is able to possess it.
So what does everyone else think? Is the Black Barbie issue of Vogue Italia actually progress? Or does it still perpetuate anxiety and even denial of the Black female body as one that is indeed normal and beautiful?
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Comments (38)
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Author
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Loryn is a native of Los Angeles, California. While attending The George Washington University, she founded the Black Women's Forum, a discussion series for African-American female students. She is pursuing a career in media relations and has worked on media and communications campaigns for Microsoft, MGM MIRAGE, and the Service Employees International Union. Her personal blog, Black Girl Blogging, explores women and girls' advocacy, black society and leadership, and the 2008 presidential election. Loryn is passionate about public service, women and girls' rights, hip hop, and Womanism. A self–proclaimed foodie, Loryn loves to cook and to try new restaurants. She also enjoys music, art, basketball, and reading.
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I personally think their should be barbies of every size. Short and round as well as Tall and round. That's a good idea I hope mattel will embrace.
Posted by Turk Fowler on 08/04/2009 @ 08:14AM PT
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I am happy that Mattel is now embracing a variety of shades for Barbie, but Mattel is still far from setting a good example for little girls. Yes, all sizes and shades are beautiful when it comes to women, so it is up to the parents for now to teach their daughters what Barbie obviously cannot-THAT EVERY WOMAN IS BEAUTIFUL IN HER OWN SPECIAL WAY.
Posted by alyssa dockter on 08/04/2009 @ 11:43AM PT
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@alyssa You said, "all sizes and shades are beautiful when it comes to women". What about men? I don't suspect you meant any ill intent, was just pointing it out.
I would counter the comment that "all shapes and sizes are beautiful" to the extent that children should be mindful of fitness. However, Barbie doesn't represent fitness... so I don't suspect an "grossly overwieght Barbie" was your intent either... just adding a talking point to the discussion.
Posted by I C on 08/04/2009 @ 12:42PM PT
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I'm simply amazed by an article written by an adult, lamenting about a doll. Oh yeah, it is a doll for children and i highly doubt that little girls are sitting around questioning the measurement of Barbie. When are parents going to stop using their children to advance their ideology. That, I feel is dangerous NOT barbie (blonde or black).
Let the children play....otherwise there is always the FUBU approach..For us by us:) Paging puff daddy and all the bling blingers
Posted by Etrangere M on 08/04/2009 @ 02:17PM PT
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whoa
okay so this isn't really just a lament about barbie
i just think that sometimes, what's on the market does instill different messages about self imagin.
i mean damn have you ever heard of the DOLL experiment?
did you know that there are STILL Black children picking the white doll as the more attractive/favorable one?
....exactly.
don't simplify my message and then say that it's "just about a doll."
Posted by Loryn Wilson on 08/04/2009 @ 05:29PM PT
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Point taken..!! Well said and thank you for speaking up!!
Posted by leatrice brantley on 08/05/2009 @ 06:59AM PT
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"I highly doubt that little girls are sitting around questioning the measurements of Barbie"
Correct. They don't question the measurements of Barbies when they're little girls. The problem is that they grow up to be women who question their own measurements, seeing that they can't seem to force themselves into Barbie-sized packages (figuratively speaking, of course). While many women understand that disconnect as a flaw of perception rather than a flaw in themselves, many others do not.
The fact that society finally recognizes that beauty can belong to a member of any race seems to halt at skin and hair color. Body type and distinctive facial features more specific to women of nonwhite ethnicities don't seem to get the same mainstream acceptance that a tall, large breasted, straight-haired, thin hipped and waisted, straight and thin nose and lips, regardless of skin color, do.
The "Black" Barbie, along with many Black female celebrities, no more celebrate the features of women of African descent than the features of white European women in 'black face' makeup. That is something that should worry people trying to raise tolerant and respectful children.
Posted by sarah karp on 08/05/2009 @ 08:00AM PT
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Just to throw in a monkey wrench... There's a scientific study (which I've been trying to Google, originally saw it as a documentary) about facial beauty. What they found was contrary to the notion that a barbie doll imprints any notions of beauty.
They took 100 photos of women. Some had actual disfigurements. The others had various facial structures and types. They started having participants rank thanks from the least beautiful to the most.
Shockingly, the test revealed one huge unexpected result. Nearly every country ranked the images the exact same way. Even third world countries devoid of barbie dolls, television, etc. There was a universal consensus on beauty, regardless of influence.
Furthermore, this same test used images of "averaged faces". You may have seen this as it is relatively easy to google for. Take lots and lots of faces cropped out the same and average the features together. The result, typically, gets ranked as beautiful.
The study suggested that there was a inherent concept of beauty that may be genetic.
If this study is accurate, the impact it has on the barbie conversation is huge.
Posted by I C on 08/05/2009 @ 09:21AM PT
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I don't think its a genetic anamoly about beauty, I think its the overall pervasiveness of American culture. Hollywood is so ingrained into the daily lives of the planet that people even in 3rd world countries don't realize that they reject their own sense of self for this artifical reality. What about the Chinese women having plastic surgery to round their eyes? Remembre that report form years ago?
Posted by Elise Butowsky on 08/05/2009 @ 09:56AM PT
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Well mr. M.
Im not a parent BUT I think we should all be concerned about what steriotypical toys teach our children about body image, role expectations and such...I mean, if I sired kids then I certainly wouldnt want them to grow up thinking they have to meet any set of unrealistic expectations just to be successfull and definatly not at the cost of their own sense of self respect and/or ability to love themselves for who they are...Unfortunatly, toys like the barbie doll do exactly that...They teach young ladies that if theyre not thin enough or if their boobs aint big enough then they aint gonna make it and thats wrongfull teaching.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/05/2009 @ 02:44PM PT
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Intriguing mr. dudley but all that tells me is that we have both a universal concept and a concept thats largely manufactured and/or maintained by those who want to perpectuate a particular view of success and/or attractiveness.
Now, the ones guilty of this could well be the corporations that profit from it but Im not too sure we should limit the blame to just them.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/05/2009 @ 02:59PM PT
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You guys can insist that the perception is generated purely by marketing if you wish. I don't have the documentary to reference so I can't truly speak from an educated point of view.
However, the study I'm referencing went so far as to approach cultures that were rather isolated and found the same results.
The documentary went on to discuss the golden ratio and a "mask" of beauty that one man created based on these ratios.
Beauty wasn't universally based on skin color or thin noses, but rather how well faces fit into an arrangement of golden ratios...
This is the same ratio that designers and artists work with when creating esthetically appealing presentations.
*shrug*
Posted by I C on 08/05/2009 @ 03:53PM PT
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Evolutionary psychology studies reveal that we all have different traits because, over the past hundreds of thousands of years, humans have been practicing "sexual selection" (different from natural selection) to choose our mates. That is a big factor of why we all have different traits. Humans in different parts of the world had different ideas of what was beautiful or not. This explains why skin or hair color doesn't really affect our chances of survival.
When studying animals that practice "sexual selection" as well, it has been shown that they tend to choose a mate that represents the "familiar". For example, a blue goose in canada will choose to mate with another blue goose as opposed to a white one, because his/her parents and siblings were blue.
Similarly, humans have a tendency of thinking that whatever is beautiful is whatever they see in front of them the most. It can be their parents, a doll, a constant message from the TV, etc. So yes, Barbie dolls must have an impact on our idea of beauty.
My sources? Mostly a book called "The Third Chimpanzee" by Jard Diamond and other articles on Human Sexuality, I can't recall the names.
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/05/2009 @ 04:00PM PT
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addendum:
Since we are speaking about Black women / images/media... The fact that I rarely recognize the (celebrity)women featured on Black Hairstyle mag. Retouch much??????
Posted by Etrangere M on 08/04/2009 @ 03:06PM PT
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I have a love/hate relationship with barbie. Loved them as a kid- LOVED them. Did the mess with my body image? Maybe- but I tend to think of other things (protrayal of women in media, real life experiences, etc) messed with it more. Do I think, as an adult, that it's an unrealistic body imagine? Hell yeah.
I think, when/if I have children, and he or she asks for a barbie I'd get one. Maybe not the princess barbie, but astronaut barbie or doctor barbie? I don't think I have an issue with them.
Posted by Erin Monk on 08/04/2009 @ 09:52PM PT
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Loryn..Point taken.
Reality check..parents should turn off the TV's and spend some serious TIME talking to their CHILDREN about false body images and throw in a lesson about CONSUMERISM and it's affect on the CONSUMER...
...the American consumer has been consumed by CONSUMERISM....!!!!!
Posted by leatrice brantley on 08/05/2009 @ 06:57AM PT
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Also, we should stop calling each other consumers.
As a marketer, I'm having a hard time not using that word, but I'm trying hard.
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/05/2009 @ 04:03PM PT
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But we are consumers... that's exactly what we are.
And a marketer's job is to tell us that we want to buy something.
Posted by I C on 08/06/2009 @ 10:20AM PT
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There is some truth to that, but by calling ourselves consumers we are perpetuating an idea that we have to have anything and everything. The term "consumer" was coined specifically for that.
The word consumer has been criticized for being used to define all of us, as if our only purspose is to consume (or use up resources).
Anyway, as a marketer I use my skillks in the Fair Trade movement, so I'm trying really hard not to refer to people as consumers.
I also recommend reading this: http://mistinthegarden.com/2009/02/04/dont-call-me-a-consumer/
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/06/2009 @ 12:27PM PT
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Sounds a lot like using language that makes a person feel better about things.
The previous company I worked for was rock solid when to comes to having only Fair Trade goods. In questionable situations, we'd actually send people over to examine the production of goods. It was an amazing company on that level.
There was a lot of talk about consumer empowerment through purchase decisions and how we can positively impact the world by the goods we choose to buy.
But at the end of the day, make no mistake, the company existed to make money and Fair Trade goods was just another marketing vehicle.
As a marketer, the very core essence of your job is to encourage people to feel good about buying the products you represent. Be it an appeal to the consumer's ethics or just their ego, you psychologically manipulate people to increase your bottom line.
You can call me a consumer, a madman, a freak, a god, a turd, whatever you want... but what you call me doesn't change what I am.
Posted by I C on 08/07/2009 @ 08:58AM PT
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Wow, that's a very pessimistic view on life. Did I challenge your views?
I don't really get that last thing you said... do you mean to say you are and always will be a consumer?
You seem to see many things in absolutes. Maybe that is why you are convinced that my job title, my degree or whatever defines my intentions and my work (I don't think I psychologically manipulate people). It also looks like the current economic system or reality is really engrained in you, making it hard for you to believe that some people may actually trust and believe in Fair Trade.
And you're right about one thing, we do want to make a living. And we want artisans or farmers to also make a living. Where is the evil in that?
Finally, it is interesting to note that everyone has been "going green" for the past couple of years. That is because consumer demand of "green" products went up. It didn't happen out of the goodness of a company's heart, the change was driven by demand.
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/07/2009 @ 09:32AM PT
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I should probably tie in the previous comment to the subject of this blog. I think that Mattel will keep on reacting to the way us, the customers, act. If we demand different body shapes, then they'll do it. They cannot exist without us. We can perfectly choose an alternative if we don't like their products.
Hopefully, we can accelerate the process through dialogue with them. In addition, if we really want to see greater changes in their product design, we can spread the word and have more people join in and demand the type of doll they like better.
Thoughts?
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/07/2009 @ 09:59AM PT
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@Juan -You did not challenge my views at all.
My last comment was to say that, it doesn't matter what you label me (or anyone else) - it doesn't change who we are. Calling me a consumer or not calling me a consumer doesn't make who I am any different. When building software, I call the people who will use that software "users". I could call them something else, but it wouldn't change a single thing about who they are. That's all I was saying.
I think a lot of people honestly do trust and believe in Fair Trade and I respect that. Just like the green movement, which I also respect. For the most part, I see both efforts and good and positive things.
I also totally agree that Mattel is going to respond to consumer demand. To that extent, I would say that Barbie is what she is because we continue to buy Barbie dolls. If another brand of doll came out with a different look and we started to purchase that doll in higher quantities - then Mattel would probably change Barbie.
I haven't been bringing it up here, but I personally feel that Barbie is much more a reflection of us rather than we are what we are because of Barbie. Women (and men) have felt insecure about themselves long before Barbie existed - and no amount of changes to Barbie is going to put an end to that. But, most of the time, I keep that opinion to myself. Folks seem to feel better when there's something to blame.
I think, largely, an effort to get Mattel to change their dolls is an epic waste of human energy. But hey, so is my poking around and leaving comments on blog posts... well, most of the time. Sometimes good stuff comes from it.
I actually, in a way, hope that your career path becomes obsolete. No offence to you, of course. I actually love marketing. I find it engaging, interesting, and full of creative opportunity. However, the role within our culture is changing significantly with the rise of social media and the many-to-many communication channel it creates.
More and more, folks are looking for recommendations from people who do not professional represent a product. I like this, I favor this. I actually used to dream about this sort of thing as a teen ager (I know, I'm pretty messed up). It's exciting to see these changes happening and I hope we go to a place - a good place - that none of us ever imagined we could.
Posted by I C on 08/07/2009 @ 12:04PM PT
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Loryn,
Your message is your message...I have no power to minimize it. I shared my thoughts and thank you for sharing yours.
let's have a beer, dear;)
Posted by Etrangere M on 08/05/2009 @ 07:05AM PT
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I have white skin, and my measurement's truly don't reflect the, "white prototype of beauty," that you claim they made Barbie from. I thought they used an, "anorexics prototype," honestly. I'm not disregarding your valid point though. I did notice that, the Black Barbies of my era, looked exactly the same as the white ones, with the exception of darker hair,(which was very straight,) and a darker shade of plastic for their skin.
Realistically, Ken doesn't depict the body of most American men either. Our population is too diverse for any company to make a doll that would reflect each and everyones individuality. So, if Mattel was really thinking equality, Barbie and Ken would be made to order by people's specifications.
Posted by L.S. hope on 08/05/2009 @ 01:51PM PT
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Personaly, I think that barbie needs a complete and total make over...Make her less steriotypical and more realisticly beautifull by adding a few pounds then take her completely out of the "Women cant do anything but serve" roles and come out with more 21st century versions showing just how powerfull women can be.
I mean...Damnnnnn if she were real, the way she's portrayed now...I'd be scared to death to date her for fear of being falsely accused of necrophilia...That and my girlfriend would be pissed...LOL.
But seriously folks...Mattel really needs to get with the program and join us in the 21'st century.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/05/2009 @ 02:38PM PT
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I do not see the black barbie as a step forward at all, since the body style of the doll has changed. That's like saying, "well, we've peddled our unrealistic body images to white women for decades, so we need to be fair, and make black women feel like crap too."
I don't think Mattel is in any rush to make Barbie more realistically beautiful. Here's an interesting tidbit from an article about a 1965 Barbie:
In 1965 Mattel came out with a "Slumber Party Barbie" that came complete with a bathroom scale permanently set at 110 pounds. The doll also came with a book entitled How to Lose Weight. And inside this book it gave the advice: "Don't Eat". The matching Ken doll also came with slumber party accessories, but his were milk and cookies, sending a very different message.
Here's another interesting fact: for what U.S. parents spend on Barbies each year ($5.6 billion), we could put 100 million uneducated children in school.
That said, I think the Bratz dolls are even worse.
Posted by Romy Carver on 08/05/2009 @ 03:24PM PT
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This is definitely a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
What else is needed? Well, for starters, African American women need to be given some sort of agency when Mattel thinks of designing and making these dolls, so they can define the way they consider themselves beautiful. As opposed to letting society, Mattel or anyone else tell them what beauty standards they need to achieve.
When a group of people, a culture, a community, etc. decide for themselves what determines themselves as related to others and social processes, that is when they are given an agency. This usually involves a group of people trying to go against stereotypes, in this case a stereotype of beauty that everyone "should" achieve.
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/05/2009 @ 03:32PM PT
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How about, for ALL women and men?
Posted by L.S. hope on 08/06/2009 @ 11:54AM PT
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That sounds good :-)
Posted by Juan Portillo on 08/07/2009 @ 09:32AM PT
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I do not think that Barbie represents any woman's size, regardless of what race. If Barbie were a real women her measurements would be 39" 19" 33". I am quite confident that no woman has been born with that body type. As for any race, women vary in size. I see African Americans that are size 0 and I see larger sizes. I think any race has variable sizes and body proportions. I think maybe we should look at Italian Vogue's issue as a celebration of African American beauty and not read too much into it.
* I played with Barbie Dolls when I was young and did not think I had to grow up to look like Barbie. I think if we are raised to have confidence and self-esteem, a doll is not going to have such a dramatic effect on our personal views.
Posted by Jaycie Tipton on 08/05/2009 @ 04:35PM PT
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It seems obvious enough that there are black women who look like the archetypal Mammie ,,, black women who look like Ophra ,,, black women who look like Whoopie Goldberg and Venus and Serena tennis sisters andblack women who look like Grace Jones.
Self-esteem is an integral and ephemeral concept that encompasses body mind and spirit but it is applied in the playstyle and then lifestyle choices of every little girl.
I hope every little girl can grow up to be the best person she can be. Healthy within the limitations of her genetic phenotype.
A doll is a doll is a doll ... Maybe it would be better to identify with One's Higher Self ...
Posted by Leslie Levy on 08/05/2009 @ 05:00PM PT
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Is there a TYRA BANKS doll out there...???? That girl has curves for days...
Posted by leatrice brantley on 08/05/2009 @ 11:28PM PT
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I had Barbie while I was growing up and here is how she worked for me: Barbie owned the airport where Ken worked as a pilot, she liked to look good and surprise people that she had a brain as well as breasts, she was kind and considerate and did not tolerate rudeness, and she believed in herself and stood for the rights of girls to be all that they could be! and she developed her identity within the concept of feminine values that did not include race or sexism or exploitation.
Posted by Karen Duncan on 08/06/2009 @ 06:06AM PT
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Why can't they make a barbie that has a slight mustache? It's a common issue with women where I live.
Posted by Turk Fowler on 08/06/2009 @ 08:01AM PT
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I agree with the self image, however black women arent the only ones that have curves, hips, and ass. The white girls who dont starve themselves or deprive themselves, have a plenty of curves, and ass. As well with ALL ethnicities we have a wide variety of hips. Pun intended. Dont get me wrong, im very happy that there are black barbies being featured the the poor doll looks anorexic!
Posted by Miss Vikki Parsons on 08/10/2009 @ 12:41PM PT
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"But** the poor dolls anorexic!"
Posted by Miss Vikki Parsons on 08/10/2009 @ 12:42PM PT
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i definately agree that they should make barbies of all shapes and sizes :) but i think the media is going to argue that its going to teach kids about being obese and that it is okay. Our society is so hyped up on being healthy that i don't know if anything will be done about this. I think that making them all sizes is definately an amazing idea. I also think that if you did it would teach kids better values on body image. Good article.
Posted by Jessica Nicklin on 08/10/2009 @ 10:49PM PT
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