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Of course, Barbie herself is ridiculously proportioned, and it doesn't help young women with their body images. Mattel points out that the doll is not proportioned to human bodies, which is important for parents to convey to their children. Have you made sure your young children are aware of this fact?
College student Galia Slayen created the life-size Barbie doll to help show just how unrealistic the doll is. She wants to draw attention to the fact that the toy is not real in hopes of helping bring attention to eating disorders because she suffered from anorexia, and is working to beat the disease.
Eventually, Slayen took her life-size Barbie to the "Today Show" yesterday, and now the entire nation has had the benefit of seeing what the doll looks like when blown up to the size of an actual human. You can see the segment in the video below.
While they are careful not to blame Barbie for eating disorders, experts do believe that the unrealistic views that are presented in the media and in toys help contribute to them. What role has Barbie played in your household? Is she held up as a role model, or do you know that she is simply a toy and nothing else?
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Comments: 4
A good (but saddening) exercise is to walk through any toy aisle. Count the number of girls' toys you see there that DON'T focus on prettiness and outward appearance. The number is so small. Why don't we see girls' toys that focus on smarts and substance, not just image?
Plus, if Barbie were a real person and had boobs that big, she would be in almost contant back pain.