Totally Stylin' Barbie is Totally Tasteless

by Loryn Wilson · 2009-04-30 09:47:00 UTC
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The Daily Telegraph reports that Mattel has given Barbie an extreme makeover for her recent 50th birthday.

The doll now comes with a set of sticker tattoos so children can make her look like their heroes, such as Amy Winehouse.

Barbie and her brunette version Nikki are now marketed as "Totally Stylin", and makers Mattel said the tattoos give children the chance to be creative and express themselves.

"Customize the fashions and apply the fun temporary tattoos on you too. Choose from Barbie or Nikki dolls, both include additional fashions, tattoo stamper and tattoos."

Read the rest of the article here.

While I am not a parent, I question the message we send to our girls when Barbie has a lower back tattoo and midriff-baring tops. As if the body and hair politics behind Barbie wasn't enough, we now also have to break down to our 8-year-old daughters, sisters, and nieces that trashy tattoos aren't the epitome of female empowerment or beauty for that matter. Again and again, the media--including toy companies--oversexualizes our girls, telling them that the goal is to be sexy and "edgy," not smart, confident, and comfortable in their own skin.

Am I saying that young people shouldn't be able to express themselves outwardly through clothes, hair, and even body art? Of course not. My mother allowed me to grow dreadlocks at 16. When my sister turned 16, she asked my mother if she could get a tattoo. They talked over what was okay, and not okay (lower-back was deemed "not okay"). My mother then took my sister to a safe, licensed tattoo parlor to get a pretty blooming rose on her foot. The difference is that we were older teens. She let us express ourselves throughout our teenage years but also made sure we weren't "acting too grown."

I would love to hear comments from parents who are aware of this story. If you have or had a daughter, would you buy her a Totally Stylin' Barbie?

Loryn Wilson
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