Nov 12, 2009

Plastic in Motion


They are making a movie about Barbie. Not one of those cartoons we've all grown up with. A movie with REAL people. I think that's kind of cool..
Anyway. That's her the girl who's going to play Barbie. She's gorgeous, don't you think?!

I'm doing a speech on the controversies of Barbie in my Comm 1010 class. There are some really hilarious ones, some that are a little ridiculous, and some that make you want to smack people. All in all, I'm really enjoying putting this speech together. I think it will be entertaining for my class.

In spending so much time with my childhood friend, I've realized that I've verbally abused her in my teens, and I wanted to take some time to formally apologize.

Barbie, you did a lot for me. You allowed my imagination to blossom. You helped me develop my own picture of an ideal life. You helped me decide what was important in life. You made me recognize the importance of being an individual, instead of trying to be the "ideal" woman. You helped me to learn how to take care of my home (because of that grill-thing.. that was downright foul after a couple weeks). You made me want to take care of my figure. :D

So, my dear friend Barbara. I'm sorry for talking about you behind your back, allowing Eric to rip of your heads (and rip off Ken's leg so that he could pretend it was a hotdog), and abusing you in so many different ways. Thanks for always being there for me. Despite your perfect looks and the jealousy all girls feel toward you, you are a true friend.

Haha.. I can't decide if I was really being serious or mostly sarcastic.. I mean, I really do feel bad for all the neglect and cruelty Barbie faces not only from me but from most teenage girls. She can't help looking perfect! In fact, I'm pretty sure that if she DIDN'T look the way she does, girls would have no interest in playing with her in the first place and she wouldn't be nearly as successful as she is.. which is probably why the pregnant Barbie faced so much criticism.

On the other hand, I feel bad for the girls that make it their goal to look like her, because it's impossible. I mean physically, there's no way Barbie could exist with the proportions she has. Her waist to hip ratio wouldn't allow menstruation. Her ankles wouldn't support her weight. The company claims they make her with those proportions so that the clothes are easier to make, causing the doll to cost less.

Basically I loved playing with Barbie when I was little, I didn't care that I didn't look like her, and I don't mind that I don't look like her now. I'm pretty sure it all comes down to how confident you are with yourself.

3 comments:

j said...

When I was in 7th or 8th grade there was a talking Barbie that came out and one of the things she said was "Math is hard." So our math teacher had us all go down to the principal's office and phone in complaints to the complaint line, that Barbie was sending the wrong message to girls.

Jill said...

i had no idea that there was a prego barbie!
haha i probably would have been one of those kids who decided not to play with that one...that would have weirddeeed me out. hahaha

Julie said...

Celeste...another reason to why I love you. I, too, owe a lot to Barbie. Me and Lizz are going to play soon. We'll invite you over.