Stacy McBride-Irby, creator of the new Barbie, poses with the dolls.
Make no mistake, Mattel hopes to profit from the surge of interest in Black dolls. The Black Barbies with their neon wardrobes from the 1980s have become a favorite in Canada. Designed by Stacey McBride-Irby, Grace, Kara and Trichelle were created to fill a void for young Black girls who for so long have been playing with dolls that don't look like them. These dolls differ from the original Barbie and her family and friends. The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent Black American women, but you can't make everyone happy. Some have cheered the new dolls. Others jeered them, saying they're not Black enough. Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles, such as afros or braids. It's hard to encompass all Black people in three dolls.
The dolls have "Beyoncé-looking" long hair that can be curled and styled. And focus groups persuaded McBride-Irby to curl Trichelle's hair. But she wanted to create dolls little girls would play with. Next season, Ms. McBride-Irby will deliver an even darker-skinned Barbie pal named Sandra to increase the "diversity." This is not the first time Mattel has released an ethnic doll that drew criticism. In 1997, Mattel collaborated with cookie maker Nabisco to create Oreo Fun Barbie. The Black version of the doll, which sported an Oreo-shaped purse, was criticized by some who noted that "Oreo" is a derogatory term in the Black community. You know someone who is perceived as Black on the outside and White on the inside. Barbie has had a Black friend, Christie, since 1968. The first collector Black Barbies turned up in the 1980s, looking identical to the White-skinned originals. Barbie acquired three Black friends briefly in the early 1990s, the "Shani" dolls that supposedly looked more "ethnic."
Actress Nia Long, who appears in comedian Chris Rock's new documentary, "Good Hair," recently said, "Historically, the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated. This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves."
The new "little sisters" are designed to inspire Black teens to mentor younger girls, either their own sisters or in the community. Each doll also matches an academic side. Kara, for example, is into "math and music."
I say it's about time...Why should White girls get to keep all the Body Dysmorphic Disorder for themselves! Black girls want to hate their bodies too! If Barbie were life size at her current proportions, she would be unable to stand upright, due to her unrealistic assets. So while it's great that they are making Barbie multicultural, and easier to associate with, it would be great if there were actually a doll that celebrated realistic human figures. Instead of telling little girls they have to be thin and white to be pretty, they just have to be thin.
For those who say that the new Barbie are unrealistic and not Black enough, I say, Of course the Black Barbie is unrealistic. It's a BARBIE! Your little girl is never going to look like Barbie, whether she is Black, White, Brown, Yellow or Red. They are a fantasy and almost every girl loves Barbie.
Indeed, I think it's a wonderful idea that little Black girls can have dolls that "look more like them". However, it's not like the White Barbie dolls are accurate representations of the White (or ANY) female anatomy nor do they capture all the different hair types or styles White women have.
Whether Black or White, the Barbie doll is a very poor representation of the female body and that may have more impact on little girls than the hair type, texture or even facial features. So if you're going to complain about the doll why not start with universal "issues", such as the unrealistic body? Besides, many of these complaints are coming from women with “good hair”, you know, weaves and relaxed hair. All women come in different shades, shapes, and varieties too. If there is such a call for a 'Blacker' Barbie, another company will probably make it. The thing about Barbie is that she represents a type of beauty than most living women do not, Black, Brown, Red, White or Yellow.
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