7-Year-Old Girl’s Honest Reactions to 10 Barbies Will Shock the Doll’s Critics

by Jeanne Sager August 16, 2012 at 11:49 AM

barbie I'm not sure if there's any toy as fraught with controversy as Barbie. The doll is blamed for everything from decimating girls' self esteem to encouraging them to dress like hookers.

The whole debate is enough to give any mother of a girl a serious case of agita before each and every birthday party, lest one of the little gift givers comes walking in with a doll box. But with a 7-year-old in my house who has played with the occasional Barbie (none of which I purchased) and still seems to have a pretty hearty self esteem, I was curious: how much is the Barbie debate in our heads? Do little girls really think what we think they think when we see a Barbie?

I decided to find out.

I went online and found 10 Barbie dolls that range from slutty and skanky to pretty run of the mill. I found the tattoo Barbie who started the whole debacle last year. I found some designed to encourage girls to aspire to big careers (even president), and some that are decidedly not for kids.

And then I placed the photos one by one in front of my 7-year-old daughter and asked her what she thought. I didn't coach her beside telling her that there were no wrong answers and she wouldn't be in any trouble ... and asking her a question or two (would you play with this doll? would you dress like this doll?).

What she said made me feel a lot better about letting her play with Barbies ... not to mention my parenting. Take a look ... it might surprise you.

What's your take on little girls and Barbie?

Image via Flavio (back for awhile)/Flickr

Barbie Through the Eyes of a Real 7-Year-Old

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I would play with her. I kind of like that skirt because it's pink and yellow. I think she would be a fashion model. I wouldn't want to look like her because she has skin showing, but if she didn't have that, I would want to really, really play with her.

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Comments 188

Nonmember comment from rhonda

August 16, 2012 at 2:25 PM

I personally think its funny ppl get upset about barbies outfits cause all my kids barbies end up naked and in the tub hair all messed up lol.

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Kaymad41

August 16, 2012 at 2:29 PM

Over thinking things is a waste of time. I played with barbies and didn't grow up thinking I needed to have DD boobs with a 10 inch waste. Puleese. My (now) 23 and 14 year old daughters played with barbies and seem to not have been harmed. Buy your kid a Barbie for heaven sakes if that is what she is interested in.

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Amyirene74

August 16, 2012 at 2:36 PM

Sounds like mom has taught her good morals and values. I let my daughter play with barbies but only with modest clothing.

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Facebook comment from Heidi Ayn Harden

August 16, 2012 at 2:47 PM

I just showed these to my four and six year old girls, they had simular reactions, but they were not shy about the skin showing, they just made up sinareos in which they would wear the outfits...

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No_Difference

August 16, 2012 at 2:48 PM

I have a few neighbors who don't allow their daughters to play at our house because I allow my daughter to play with Barbie and they don't like the "message Barbie sends." I was honestly baffled and couldn't stop myself from asking, "What message?" I received answers I'm still not sure how to handle because they're all based off of WTF... It is a doll...The doll can not come to life and whisper horrible things to the kids. Barbie is just as "bad" as American Girl or any other doll for that matter. Its the information you present your child, and how you monitor what they hear/see that will affect their play with Barbie. If you don't like the clothes because they're too slutty - then get a different doll or different clothes...9 times out of 10 the kid could care less about that.
From personal experience tho, if you make it to age 10 and still play with Barbie or dolls...girls will typically tend to start making fun (even if they're secretly playing with them) for being "childish"...

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thumphrey

August 16, 2012 at 3:02 PM

My daughters are 2 & 7. My 7 year old would rather play with American Girl dolls, her keyboard, guitar or ATV outside. My 2 year old loves anything girly and pink. :-). I think parents, coaches, teachers and friends are more of an influence in self esteem then any toy. We need to build our girls (& boys) up while also teaching them respect and responsibility. Expecting some toy to do all that means you as a parent are failing!

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Nonmember comment from Daevans

August 16, 2012 at 3:20 PM

You is kind. You is smart. You is important. We need to teach our kids about self esteem. A Barbie has nothing to do with it.

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KourtneyBZ

August 16, 2012 at 3:28 PM

Noticed she like the ones with the tattoos the most, and that is awesome. There are so many negative people who think tattoos are gross or for criminals, but yet a seven year old girl liked them as for what they are...art. I mean she called the "pictures". I have tattoos, and my son colors on them, so mommy is a walking coloring book.

Anyway, Barbie is not to blame for low self esteem, and if you think she is, YOU (as the parent) probably have something personal against Barbie. So for whatever reason you have a discrimination against Barbie, you blame "her" for lowering your daughter's self esteem? Sounds like the parental version of trolling to me. Yeah, because Barbie is skinny, now you think your daughter thinks she is fat? Or could it have been one of those "popular" girls your daughter goes to school with who called her fat? Plastic can't talk, so I am guessing its the people she has interacted with, somewhere, at some point.

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cklamour

August 16, 2012 at 3:36 PM

I had quite a few Barbies growing up. Did I want to be like her, no. Did I want to dress like her, no. Did I think I want to "look" like her, no. I did what I was supposed to with her, use my imagination and do as I wanted with her. She didn't control how I felt about myself nor did she determine how much of my heritage I knew about.

I love the way she (the little girl) expressed how she viewed each Barbie. It's we as adults who push ideas that do not exist to the child. Let them make their own minds up on what a TOY represents.

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Facebook comment from Jeray Peterson

August 16, 2012 at 4:14 PM

sounds like more indoctrination of your own ideas is what seems to make this ok, but its not really. why your daughter NEEDS to mention what doesnt look appropriate is taught, not natural, if you walk around with nothing but jeans and a tshirt on and talk about how its nasty for women to wear what they want? then guess what? just my two cents. There is a difference to be being modest and attempting to teach them that its wrong. Youre teaching her that its wrong. Not thats its a choice to be. A barbie doll in a swim suit shouldnt be ridiculed as being whorish, its a bathing suit. Dont you wear one? If not then i can see why this conversation took place. I cant tell if you're a feminist or a deep moderate conservative. The tattoos are a choice, not immoral. Thye swimsuit is a choice, NOT immoral. No way am i gonna raise my daughter to be the prude who talks down on others for wearing a two piece to the beach.

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