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Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
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BaileySalinator
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
This is a variation on 3 dolls that were available from Mattel in the '90s: African-American friends of Barbie named Asha, Nichelle, and Shani. One had a fair complexion, one had a medium tone, and the last was darker. Each had distinctive facial features, including different eyes, lips, and noses. They were each beautiful and were included in the Barbie line for several years. The facial molds have shown up in other Mattel dolls over the years. But it's nice that they're reintroducing the idea; beauty comes in many hues.
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NoWireHangers
07/16/09

@BaileySalinator: Yes, we had an Asha doll:
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Kali Mama
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Now I'm no expert on African American girl names, but these seem like very focus-group oriented, weighed alternatives between the stereotypical and the plain.

Obviously there's no real way to do this right but is naming represented equally?
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kityglitr
07/15/09

@Kali Mama: I'm a black girl named Leah, and I grew up with friends with names like Cheryl, and Julia, but also Terakesha and LaTonya. As diverse a people as we are, so are our names.
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Ailanthus-altissima
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Back in the 90s, Blonde Barbie said that math was hard.

Now, Kara likes music and math. I say that is a big step in the right direction.
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Edited by Ailanthus-altissima at 07/15/09 4:14 PM

save jinger
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Perhaps I should buy one for my cat, since she has more black fur on her than white. Her current Barbie is a blonde veterinarian. I think I'd go with the cheerleader here - the pompoms be a hit.
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LittleDogLaughed
07/15/09

@save jinger: See, you should look underneath the fur what the skin color underneath is. My dog has white skin under his black fur and pink skin under his white fur. But really, it's about what your cat feels comfortable with.
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CGirl
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Those look beautiful. But I wanna see Barbies with flat chests or bigger waist lines, maybe even some with bigger thights.
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thesciencegirl wields the truth like a mighty axe.
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Wow. I want a Trichelle doll. I would definitely buy these for my nieces (they like dolls anyway; might as well get them ones that look a little more like them).
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BytheSea
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
It's cool they have actual personality, like white Barbie does. I remember in the 90s, there was like, "Lawyer Barbie," "Cheerleader Barbie," "Ballet Barbie," and "Black Barbie." Like black was a personality trait and that was all Mattel needed to do to make Barbie relateable to non-white girls.
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RubyPenelope
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
I really feel like this is important for young girls. I remember being Upset when I got a doll that had a box with her name on it and it was the same name as me but she was blonde. I remember being upset about that so I can only imagine that for girls with darker skin tones, not seeing that represented in their toys can really be internalized.
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Caitfish
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
The Trichelle and Kara dolls are GORGEOUS. Good job, Mattel.
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thegogglesdonothing
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
I'm glad that the 'little sister' clarification was included in the article, because until I got to that point I was pretty sure that these black Barbies were all supposed to be teenage mothers or something. How would that be for a one step forward, two steps back in terms of uncomfortable stereotyping?
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dj_chick
07/15/09

@thegogglesdonothing: I'm glad someone mentioned this... I didn't go click on the article and I was wondering why they were all made to be "baby mamas".
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angiek
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
My inner 8 year old wants these Barbies RIGHT. NOW. When I was little I had only one Black Barbie. I never liked the way she looked (Long, brown hair with gold in it. WTF? I thought at the time. My hair is black, shouldn't hers be black, too?) and then her head popped off. I never got it to go back on and no one ever bought me a replacement. I stashed her behind my toybox and prayed that the "headless, zombie Barbie" wouldn't attack me in the night. When I played with my other dolls I just pretended that their friend was "in the bathroom" or "off on a vacation". Anyway, these dolls are gorgeous. Love the variety of skintones/hair styles. I really appreciate that.
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ishabisha89
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
I wasn't allowed white dolls when i was a kid so I had kenyan barbie which my dad scoured the ends of the world to get me. She was awesome and beautiful- until that tragic zippo lighter fire.

my point is this- white,black, non specific race ala bratz dolls- don't all barbie-esque dolls meet similar fire-y, mutilated ends? there is more that unites than divides
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
07/15/09

@ishabisha89: My mother was really conscious about gender roles, etc. when we were kids, and as such was reluctant to buy me Barbie dolls- all but one of mine were either gifts, hand-me-downs, or bought with my pocket money.

The one Barbie doll that she did buy for me was one of the 'special edition' world Barbies- she wanted to get as close to a Polynesian/Pasifika doll as possible, which meant that I ended up with the 'Hawaiian Barbie'. Freaking expensive in comparison to the 'regular' Barbies, and she didn't even look the teensiest bit like a Pacific Islander.

My mum helped me (slash did all the work) make costumes for her though, and she made a piupiu for the doll out of paper, and even wove this miniature cloak thing, which totally psyched me out.

I don't know where that Barbie is now, but I definitely remember her most fondly, and I'm pretty sure she ended up with a buzzcut and a couple of decapitations, just like all the others, ha!
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CissyPants
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Why is Kara holding her flute the wrong way? That is a flute, right?

With that said, I love these dolls. I also like that they're diverse and not relying on sterotypes for black women. Yay!
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Edited by CissyPants at 07/15/09 4:01 PM CissyPants was starred CissyPants was unstarred

mbot says Spock yeah!
07/15/09

@CissyPants: The little one is also holding her violin backwards. Mildly annoying, like when actors fake-play instruments.
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Eric Northman is mine
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Honestly if they're going to do a black barbie they're just going to have to really pay attention to the hair. Just dipping a regular barbie in brown paint won't do. There definietly needs to be diversity in hairstyles and shades (black isn't one color). I mean and really it's a marketing/sales win, you can have afro barbie, braids barbie, natural barbie, twists barbie, i mean the great thing about black hair is the possiblities are endless but enough with just long silky hair. If you're attempting to give black girls a reflection of themselves why not go all the way, you know. But yeah these changes are great and i love the big sis/lil sis idea.
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shananigans aka reluctant california resident
07/15/09

@Eric Northman is mine: I think these are great hair representations. You have the waxy, staraight and tightly curled. I would like a little more variation in length but either way it has to be brushable.

I have a black Harley Davidson Barbie with braids and I love her but I could never do her hair which is half the fun of a doll.
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babydollhathnofury
07/15/09

In reply to Mattel's New Black Barbie A Step In The Right Direction
Ha! I swear Grace looks just like me!

But in all seriousness though, this is an improvement. I would of appreciated this in my Barbie days.
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Eva_baby
07/15/09

@babydollhathnofury:

LOL. I was just about to post how much Trishelle resembles the women in my family. Especially the hair!
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