I loved that Barbie from the very first moment I saw her. She is now in a box with old toys somewhere, but I plan to rescue her soon. For me, that Barbie doll was the epitome of beauty and elegance.
Before you ask, NO, having an arctic blonde Barbie doll as my paradigm of beauty did not create in me any inferiority complex whatsoever, and absolutely no dissatisfaction with my own appearance.
This is not because I was the most beautiful girl in school, though I was certainly pretty. I wasn't a blonde either. I love blonde hair, but the Barbie did not create any form of obsession in me.
On the contrary, I felt inspired by Barbie! I felt proud that a woman could look as lovely as Barbie. I always knew that Barbie was unreal. She was an inspiration, a good story in the form of a doll -- a fairy-princess come alive.
I am still a huge Barbie fan and, if I ever have a daughter, I will certainly buy her Barbies! There is nothing wrong with admiring beauty, so long as you know that beauty is multiple and that we all have a beauty of our own.
Besides, as feminist studies of Barbie have shown, Barbie can tell girls that they can embark on any career they like: Barbie can be a police officer, a fire-fighter, even an astronaut. Feminists argue, successfully, that Barbie's great success is in feminizing all those roles: even as an astronaut, Barbie is feminine, pretty and sexy.
When I was eight years old, I wrote a story where my Barbie came alive and took me to see her home in Doll land. We supposedly flew together and had a wonderful time in Barbie's home country.
Nothing can stop Barbie, I think! She can be anything she wants to be, and she is a great inspiration. She can be blonde, dark, red-haired, in trousers on in costume, but she is always a friend. Beauty is always a friend, because beauty is to love yourself and live comfortable in your own skin. This may sound cliche, but it is an absolute truth.
Have a good night and be well! xxx
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