FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS: Plus-Size Barbie Gets Slammed For ‘Inaccurate’ Portrayal Of Curvy Women
A mocked-up image of a plus-size Barbie beside a traditional Barbie has sparked a debate about the doll’s impact on female body image.
The Facebook group Plus Size Modeling shared the powerful post a week ago, with the question: ‘Should toy companies start making plus-sized Barbie dolls? In all honesty, we want to know…’
Since then, it has generated nearly 36,000 likes and over 1,600 shares – as well as mostly negative comments from many who felt the plus-size Barbie was an inaccurate representation of curvy women.
One user, Kyle Boise, wrote: ‘Yeah lets promote poor health and eating habits. Just what America needs.’
And Lindsay Keg-leg Kahlig commented: ‘[The] average [dress] size these days is 14-16. A doll that shows real life perspective, rather than the ideal unhealthy weight like 0 or unhealthy negative display of obese is a better more healthy approach [sic].‘
Melissa Audet added: ‘I hope she comes with a blood pressure cuff to show young girls that how many chins she has is not what’s important but the health issues that could come along with being this size.’
Indeed, the doll’s chins, in particular, sparked ridicule.
