Is it just me or is Barbie even more racist than before?

Question

I'm upset. I bought my daughter 11 Barbie movies. Barbie Princess Collection and the Fairytopias. Not one of them has a black, asian, native american or hispanic in it. All of the characters are white with different hair colors. My daughter who is five caught on to this. She told me she can never be a Barbie Princess or a Fairy (like I would want her to) because Barbie doesn't like her skin. That pissed me off.

Answer 1

Bratz are cooler anyway.

Answer 2

Are you kidding me? It's a freaking doll. I'm MIXED and my Barbies weren't "Black, Asian, native American" and I grew up perfectly healthy and without skin color issues. Instead of making a big deal about this why don't you tell your daughter that she's beautiful regardless and that she can be who ever the h**l she wants to be. She can be polka-dot person if she wanted to! And no, barbie isn't racist. I don't know about you, but a D-O-L-L can't be racist, first off. It's not telling your daughter that she isn't beautiful. Nor does Barbie, a doll, act superior to anybody. And clearly Barbie ain't that racist if you brought 11 movies. Better yet, instead of focusing on skin color why don't you focus on the fact that your buying your daughter a doll who promotes somewhat unrealistic body standards. I find it funny, that rather focus on body image you'd focus on something as shallow as skin color. Fetus Fajitas, I agree with what you said.

Please, do tell me how it doesn't relate to your child or any child of color. My friends are I (some of who are mixed, some black, some white, some asain, etc) grew up on Barbie and we don't have any skin color issues. My cousin who is mixed and has a darker skin tone then me also grew up with the same Barbies as me and it appealed to both me, her and my white neighbor as kids. So...in my opinion, that's just pathetic. I didn't know "magic" and finding a prince charming was a strictly "white" or a certain color thing. You need to encourage your daughter that just because she's a certain skin tone doesn't mean she can't be Barbie or a Fairy and stop relying on Barbie to build up your child's self-esteem. Don't blame Barbie for giving your daughter a negative self-esteem about her skin tone. If that was the case, then I should have such a LOW self-esteem because Barbie doesn't have tan skin like me. Be a parent and talk to your daughter instead of making a big deal about this and attempting to write the NAACP. They have better things to deal with then to deal with non-color Barbie, for god's sake.

Answer 3

http://www.angelicdreamz.com/store/barbi...

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Nothing about Barbie is good for young girls. Even if she was of different races, look at the way her body is shaped.

Barbie is all around a disgrace.  

Answer 5

Barbie's ALWAYS been like this, hence they're going out of fashion a bit (at least in Australia).

Maybe next time you can have a look for a childrens program that's multicultural?

Answer 6

You should buy her cabbage patch kids!

they are good for every child, and plus they dont have over sized plastic body parts!

good luck to you.

Answer 7

Don't buy her BARBIE'S then............

Answer 8

I picked up on this at only six years old!!!!

So I never played with Barbies growing up instead dinosaurs and horses since they seem to be diverse. But its so sad and I would never have kids because no matter if there black or biracal they would never get the aattention they need like a white child. This world is sick and unfair and it kills me that I never grew up like a girl should have.

Its like asians and Hispanics and blacks are not worthy of anything.

lol the first poster said just don't buy her barbies...wtf....if the tables were turnned trust me we would be hearing an uproar.

To the poster Debra below are you on crack? She should tell a five year old to wake up and forget about barbies and so on? WELL tell a white child that and see if her parents kick your a$$!! SHE IS FIVE not an adult to be knowing that stuff anyway....you must be real old to forget kids like toys...how stupid can a person be?

Answer 9

the 1st Barbie was white  that just the way it is but there are black Barbie i hear Disney is makeing a black princess i think MikeShinoda is right mosty black ppl always take everthing in a racist way

Answer 10

go to the store and by her some black barbies and give it to her and show her that there is a barbie that is just like her. it is a shame how racist this country is. i fell so sad and angry that your daughter saw that and said that. teach her to love herself for who she is. teach her that she is perfect the way she is.

Answer 11

if it makes you that mad, stop buying them!!! its a doll. its something for kids to play with and then break after a week. if your that torn up about it, then buy her the black barbies. they do make them ya know. and im sure barbie has been around just as long, if not longer than you. you cant get mad b/c you knew the color of her skin when you bought them.  

Answer 12

It is not racist at all, why do blacks feel the need to be included in everything but able to exclude whites at their discretion.

An inanimate doll cannot be racist.

You just like complaining and need to falsely cry racism just because you don't like something.  So typical.

Answer 13

Well that is sad for your daughter to feel that way,but Barbie has always been portrayed as blonde,and white...I think that there should be Barbies from different backgrounds and skincolor,because for a 5yr old to notice this,it is obviously a problem...but the thing is there are black barbies,they just arent in the movies...Tell her barbie likes all skin colors and maybe try getting her a Bratz movie because they offer more diversity

Answer 14

You should write to the producers about it.  Maybe they will change, or if I am looking through rose colored glasses, you could send this into the NAACP and have them look into the issue.  Barbie is suppose to be a universal figure for all kids...(I am not a barbie fan though as I think it puts a  particular image of body perfection into the minds of young girls which lead to anorexia, body dysmorphic disorder, so on and so fourth, sorry I am a therapist in training so had to throw that in there)  but I think it is worth complaining to the production company about. I would be upset as well

Answer 15

Well you know thats the way barbie has become famous. And I'm not being funny but if you don't like it then don't buy it for your freakin daughter. Why do people have to look at everything in a racist way. Pisses me off to the max. And no I'm not English so don't even go there.