Barbie 2.0: The classic doll gets a new look

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Abby Bourque, Opinions Editor

Whenever you think of Barbie, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me and many of my peers, it was always the typical blue eyed, long blonde hair, skinny doll that I had played with for years. Now, Barbie has gotten a makeover with sixteen brand new looks. Mattel, the makers of Barbie, recently released their new line of Barbie dolls that now includes twenty-two eye colors, twenty-four hair colors and multiple facial expressions. Instead of  having the same body type, Barbie now ranges between tall and curvy to short and petite. The new dolls were released in stores on March 1st of 2016. The drastic changes were done to show young girls that not everyone has the same body type or ethnicity and that beauty comes in all different shapes, colors, and sizes.

    Mattel has really outdone themselves on this new release. I remember when I was younger shopping for or playing with Barbie and never having more than a few dolls since they had all looked alike. Having the different body types is one of the biggest improvements to Barbie because now girls have a realistic idea of what women look like. The original Barbie was not proportional giving the idea that if you want to be beautiful, that’s how you have to look. She had a way too tiny of waist, her neck was unusually long, and her breasts were unnaturally big. If she was human, she wouldn’t be able to hold herself up. Findings from a 2006 British study had found that  “girls exposed to Barbie reported lower body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body shape.” The new dolls have brought a new message to today’s youth: Regardless of a person’s skin color, or whether they are tall, short, thin, curvy or petite, beauty comes from within. The new line of dolls should build a stronger sense of self esteem for young girls than the traditional Barbie. The message the dolls are bringing is so much more powerful than people think. I for sure wish that when I was growing up had more options when it came to Barbie instead one the basic few they had available at the time. Having a toy company as big as Mattel expressing diversity among people is a huge step in creating a better future for not only younger children, but for the whole world.

Our society remains plagued with racism and inequalities. Something as simple as changing the Barbie doll is a huge step in the right direction

. This is the type of toy that could really impact a child’s sense of self and esteem. The other day, I had a friend start telling me how she was shopping for a cousin and saw a doll that looked just like her. Imagine a young girl in high school being excited about a Barbie doll that looked like her. If a teen who doesn’t even play with Barbies anymore is getting excited then just think of the way it’s affecting young girls everywhere.