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10-21-2009, 09:40 AM #1
New black Barbies get mixed reviews
New black Barbies get mixed reviews
Grace, Kara and Trichelle were created to fill a void for young black girls who for so long have been playing with dolls that don't look like them.
The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women.
Some have cheered the new dolls. Others jeered them, saying they're not black enough.
"I love the black Barbie. It's about time," Jua Simpson said on CNN's iReport, a user-generated news community. "But the hair is still a step backwards, since most of our hair is not straight and light brown."
Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles, such as afros or braids.
"Many people have criticized the dolls for either having hair that's too long or too straight, but I have long, straight hair that I straightened. But it's my hair and a part of me," said Tanisa Zoe Samuel, an African-American iReporter from the Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. "Black women come in all shades, shapes and varieties that there is just no way to capture everyone with three dolls."
I figured I would beat Titan to the punch on this one...
So people are upset because the black Barbie doesn't look like every black woman in America. Do they not realize that the white Barbie doesn't look like every white woman? Some people just have to find something to complain about for everything...
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10-21-2009, 10:39 AM #2
Is there really any way to not offend someone when addressing this. it just proves how insane our country has become when it comes to racial sensitivity. I also dont really understand the whole black barbie concept. Barbie is white. Just come out with a **** black doll and give it a name. it shouldnt have anything to do with barbie. Nobody is racist because Barbie is white.
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10-21-2009, 11:05 AM #3
do you not realize that barbie doesn't look like ANY woman in America? I mean, were you upset when white women were concerned about the unrealistic dimensions of the doll? if a persons opinion is that the doll isn't black enough, they are entitled to that...just as you are entitled to think they whine too much
i think there are a lot of influences on how women view themselves...i agree with Nia Long when she says "Historically, the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated. This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves."
Have you heard about the recent Calvin Klein controversy where an ad was photoshopped really badly, and the womans head was bigger than her waist? This is commonplace with models, who are photoshopped to make their breasts bigger, their stomachs flatter, their skin lightened, etc....
I guess my point is just basically as a culture we should be encouraging people to feel good about themselves and how they look, rather than project unrealistic expectations of what beauty is
there's a lot of things you don't understand
ever heard of Ken? the barbie line isn't just one doll...these black barbies are not barbie, they are called Grace, Kara and Trichelle...mattel would be foolish to not tap into this demographic for their products
why does it bother you so much that mattel made a black doll under the barbie brand name?
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10-21-2009, 11:10 AM #4
one of my favorite lines from Nas...
"sisters up in my hood try to do good, given choices
when pregnant, drop out of school or have abortions
leave their job, try to find a man that will support them
up late night, on they mothers cordless
thinking a perm or bleaching cream will make them better when they gorgeous
white girls tanning, liposuction
fake tatas are implanted, fake lips, thats life destruction
light skinned women, bi-racial hateful
toward themselves, denying even (their own) blood"
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10-21-2009, 11:14 AM #5
It doesnt. it just bothers me that its news
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10-21-2009, 11:41 AM #6
If Barbie was a real person, her upper torso would snap off at the waist and she'd die.
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10-21-2009, 11:50 AM #7
Yes I was, I think it's stupid that anyone complains about Barbie...it's a doll and really shouldn't mean as much to America as it apparently does. I don't know any little girl that looks at Barbie and says "I should look like that...let me go puke up my lunch." The models thing you mentioned below I do think causes a problem like that, but not Barbie.
if a persons opinion is that the doll isn't black enough, they are entitled to that...just as you are entitled to think they whine too much
FTA:
The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women.
They actually made a concerted effort to make these dolls look "more black." They didn't hit the nail on the head, so what? Are there really no black women in America who don't look "less black" than others? My point is they made a black Barbie to appease people who wanted one, they made a concious effort to make the doll "look black" instead of just painting a white doll black, they did what they were asked to do and it wasn't good enough...it's never good enough.
i think there are a lot of influences on how women view themselves...i agree with Nia Long when she says "Historically, the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated. This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves."
Have you heard about the recent Calvin Klein controversy where an ad was photoshopped really badly, and the womans head was bigger than her waist? This is commonplace with models, who are photoshopped to make their breasts bigger, their stomachs flatter, their skin lightened, etc....
I guess my point is just basically as a culture we should be encouraging people to feel good about themselves and how they look, rather than project unrealistic expectations of what beauty is
I completely agree with all of that, but I look at Barbie as nothing more than a toy. Fashion ads, people on TV and in magazines, etc, that kind of stuff is supposed to be viewed as "how we're supposed to look," that's what it's there for. And the images that are presented are completely screwed up and that should be addressed. But Barbie is a toy, it's meant for little kids to play with, not to base their ideals on.
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10-21-2009, 12:06 PM #8
well i agree barbie is just a toy, but it's not legos or something...it's a woman, and maybe some girls get the idea this is how they are supposed to look when they get older...who knows...im glad you agree with me about the photoshopped models and such
anyway, the quotes used in the article aren't even bad reviews...the one negative comment was "the hair is still a step backwards" but the same person is quoted as saying "I love the black Barbie. It's about time"
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10-21-2009, 12:09 PM #9
Oh there's no doubt that's a problem. I've seen far too many beautiful girls think they're ugly or fat or whatever to think that's not happening. And if you look at teenagers now, it seems like every girl wants to look like someone from the Hills...the vast majority of girls today look almost exactly the same. So boring!
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10-21-2009, 01:34 PM #10BANNED
I agree with Titantron, Why the heck is this even news. Another point to show how sad and pathetic our culture is. It's just a freaking lump of plastic people, move on
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Originally Posted by OnePimpTiger 
