Is this the new Black Barbie Doll.... with a Blonde Weave?

[Tropicana]

Fact or Fiction? Meet the New Millineum African-American Barbie Doll…


The rumour is that Mattel tested this as the new African-American Barbie. Totally shocking! This is the first I have seen it:




Here is what Tommy Sotomayor had to say about it. I don't agree with him on some things but he is right on the money here:

According to MSN, this rumor is FALSE! The image above is NOT the new African-American Barbie.
Mattel, Inc., which owns the Barbie brand, issued a statement Monday denying that the doll whose image is being circulated on the Internet was ever made or sold by them.

In a statement to MSN News Monday, Mattel, Inc., which owns the Barbie brand, said that the doll in the picture above “is not a Barbie doll and is not created or sold by Mattel.”

The image is still circulating and has sparked outrage on the Internet. As you can see from the responses above, many found it offensive, while there were some who see nothing wrong with it, comparing the image to celebrity icons like Mary J. Blige and Beyonce.

YNaija.com, an Internet newspaper for young Nigerians, said that the doll strongly resembled “imagery of African-American women that is seen in some of the most famous celebrities,” such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj.

If the rumor were true, who would be the blame? Our daughters do all idolize Beyonce’s blond hair and Nicki Minaj’s cleavage… so what’s to stop Mattel from creating a doll that represents that?
What are your thoughts on the image of the new “African-American” Barbie?

Here is the real scoop behind the doll:

Just wanted to clear up that silly rumor about the new “Barbie” doll. I’ve seen it posted on numerous sites. I’m a doll collection since 2004 and that’s not the new Barbie at all.That’s a line of dolls called Fashion Royalty, created by designer Jason Wu in the early 2000’s. This doll pictured on your blog is called Perfect Skin Adele.
There are many Adele dolls available actually – and not all of them have such an “around the way” look. Some of the other Adele dolls look quite classy and are dressed more conservatively.

Read more: http://straightfromthea.com/2013/02/...#ixzz2Yxo1CZyk

[Tropicana]

Blonde Hair, Louie Bags & Cleavage: The New Image of Black Barbie?

I came across an interesting article on MSN today about the “supposed” new African-American Barbie doll. And exactly what made it so interesting? Well…

This Barbie has:

• Long blonde hair;
• Is wearing a long gold chain around her neck;
• Has two (one on each arm) bags monogrammed with what appears to resemble the Louis Vuitton logos; and
• Has quite a bit of cleavage showing.

Now, the article stated that Mattel Inc. (owner of the Barbie brand) said that this doll is not the next African-American doll from the company. This makes no difference to me. The fact is that someone created this doll and there’s a possibility that it can (and will) get into the hands of plenty of innocent and easily influenced little girls. What does this teach them?

Seeing the doll and this article made me think back to the 2009 “What is Good Hair?” episode of The Tyra Banks Show when four little girls (all minorities) described what they viewed as “good” and “bad” hair. The comments went like this (paraphrased):

“I don’t like my hair because it’s nappy.”

“When I see people with nappy hair I think they’re lower class.”

“I like my hair when it’s relaxed. When it gets relaxed it burns but I like it because it’s straight like my friends’ at school.”

“Bad hair is frizzy and poofy hair.”

On a table beside the little girls were five wigs: one with straight, blonde hair; two with straight, darker brown hair; one with braids; and one in an afro. When the director asked the girls to point to which hair they would never want to have, all four pointed to the afro wig, one of the girls saying “It’s nappy, and it’s gross.”

Also, one of the girls put on her long blonde Hannah Montana wig she’d brought with her saying she thinks she’s prettier and people like her more when she’s wearing it.

Now, some people have said this “new” black Barbie doll resembles a darker-complexioned Beyonce, i.e. the blonde hair and cleavage showing, and that this is a bad thing. Others have said it’s just a doll, and, besides, nowadays this is how black women choose to look.

My question (and concern) is what are we teaching our young girls if we give them dolls like this to play with? Is a doll like this only reinforcing the stereotype clearly evident in the Tyra episode? Or are we really saying anything at all?

We know that children are easily influenced and an individual’s adolescent years are so critical because how a person is raised, what he or she is taught, and what the child is exposed to ultimately helps shape who they grow up to become. Our character, morals, values, beliefs, habits, actions and the way we think are all affected early-on in life when we’re children.

Yet, some would say, like TV, celebrities and music, it is not these peoples’ or these mediums responsibility to be “role models” for our youth and teach them right from wrong. So, can the makers of a brown-skinned, blonde-haired doll be blamed if the young girl who played with it grew up to adore blonde hair, gold chains, and brand-name bags?
My thoughts? There’s nothing wrong with changing up hairstyles, we all desire to spice it up every now and then. But I firmly believe in looking at the motivation/reasoning behind your actions. Do you rock this blonde wig because you’re really just tired of your same style and want to try something new? Or do you honestly feel that the lighter, longer, straighter hair is more beautiful than your own and, by wearing it, makes you more beautiful?

So, if the majority of women’s motivations are the latter, how can it not be damaging to give young girls a doll that looks like the image society says is beautiful and acceptable, but, naturally, is something they are not?

If I had a daughter I would not give her a doll that looked like this, but that’s me. What about you my sistas? Is this doll sending out the wrong message to little black girls, or is it, well…just a doll?


http://brownsista.com/the-new-image-of-black-barbie/