Is Barbie the proto-slut of modernity?

[astro]

A point to ponder in this article

Thank Barbie for Britney -She’s not that innocent. -By Kay Hymowitz

Actually, both sides are wrong. Barbie may not have prompted a national crisis in female self-esteem, but she’s no innocent either. The vampy fashion doll helped to bring about the sexualization of childhood, evidence of which is everywhere today. In truth, Barbie is the not-so-spiritual godmother of Britney Spears.

To understand this point, you need to consider Barbie’s origins. Up until 1959, the year of Barbie’s birth, little girls spent a lot of their time burping and feeding the pudgy baby dolls that were a mainstay of the toy market. But sometime in the late 1950’s, during a European trip with her daughter, Ruth Handler stumbled across “Lilli,” a popular German doll. A hard-nosed businesswoman, Handler was not especially troubled that Lilli was modeled on — and I’m not making this up — a cartoon prostitute. Nor was she evidently perturbed by the fact that Lilli was sold in bars and tobacco shops to grown-up men who evidently were taken with her tight (removable) sweater and short (removable) skirt.

[Redboss]

Barbie is just a teenage fashion model, trying to make her way in the world today.

She has also worked as an airline pilot and a doctor AND as a nurse, but she always comes back to teenage fashion modelling.

You have to go where your heart takes you.

Proto-slut? Not really. Just a kind-hearted, lively, teenage fashion model.

Redboss

[Kayeby]

Oh Redboss, that’s what her PR people want you to think! Behold the true face of Barbie!

[Redboss]

insert horrified smiley.

[anya_marie]

i thought that was hilarious. thanks!