Barbie Info

The following brief discussion took place on WMST-L in May 2000.  It
offers resources for information about Barbie.  For more WMST-L files
now available on the Web, see the WMST-L File List.

Hey, all,

I am doing a standing display about body image and plan to use Barbie as
part of it.  I am looking for all that great info about Barbie's
proportions and so on.  While there are TONS of references TO that feminist
critique on the net, I haven't been able to find any of the old stats
themselves.  Any ideas?

Also, I know this may sound piddly, but I am constantly challenged as to
how to stay creatively within the strict bounds of the bulletin boards I
have for displays in the halls of the collehe where I work.  I can't "color
outside the lines," so to speak -- nothing on the walls, no balloons,
nothing too graphic, etc.  I'm looking for materials and ideas for
materials beyond my usual collages and so on.

Thanks,

Pamela Kemner
Academic Director of the Women's Center
Clermont College, Ohio

For stats on Barbie try Jacqueline Urla and Alan C. Swedlund's "The
Anthropometry of Barbie: Unsettling the Ideals of the Feminine Body in
Popular Culture."  It appeared in DEVIANT BODIES: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON
DIFFERENCE IN SCIENCE AND POPULAR CULTURE, edited by Jennifer Terry and
Jacqueline Urla (Indiana University Press), but I'm not sure whether that was
a reprinting.  Urla and Swedlund report the findings of students in a
graduate seminar who measure Barbie, Shani, U.S. Army "Norma," Ken, Jamal,
and U.S. Army "Norm."

Ann Haugo
English and Women's Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

There is also a book called something like _The Barbie Book_ (or something
equally uninspired) which is nothing but a compilation of interesting
tidbits about Barbie. I know it has the measurement piece you are looking
for, as well as some stuff about multi-cultural Barbies, etc. It is a small
pink book, you might even be able to find it at a Barnes and Noble or
similar chain. It may also have illustrations which could be of use to you.
Good luck


Kari Kesler
Texas Woman's University

The small pink book might be _Barbie Culture_ Mary F. Rogers, Sage
Publications, 1999.  Core Cultural Icons series.  The cover is white with a
pink "shadow" of a Barbie image.  I've used it as background for an into to
Women's Studies, comparing it to American Girl (Pleasant Co., now also
owned by Mattel), adding info from Enloe's _Bananas, Beaches, and Bases_ to
demonstrate that our smallest decisions are felt internationally -- the
person is political.


At 08:38 AM 5/5/00 CDT, you wrote:
>There is also a book called something like _The Barbie Book_ (or something
>equally uninspired) which is nothing but a compilation of interesting
>tidbits about Barbie.

One thought about "The Barbie Book":  When we discussed it not too long ago
here, I remember some one posting a note that Mattel had sued the publisher,
a small independent press, for copyright infringement, I believe, with the
use of Barbie's picture.  Does anyone know the outcome of that case?  Please
respond directly.

Thanks,
Lisa Burke
LBurke2    AT    njcu.edu

Mattel sued the publishers of "Adios, Barbie," a book which is not about
Barbie but contains a interesting set of essays by young feminists about
body image.  It ddoes have a picture of Barbie ont he cover, and
apparently they did not ask permission to print it.  I don't know the
current status of the case.

There is now a website for the book _Adios Barbie_ at <www.adiosbarbie.com>,
where one can find information about the lawsuit by Mattel against Seal Press
and get involved if desired.

Anne Carson
Cornell University Librry
Ithaca, NY 14853
carson    AT    law.mail.cornell.edu

Online advocacy re: Mattel/Fisher Price's "dumbing-down" of computer
software for young girls:

http://www.shopforchange.com/activism.cfm

Cheers~

Holly, U/Maine


***********************************
HOL31    AT    umit.maine.edu
 ICQ UIN#:  38794153 & 11685507
Odigo #303057

 http://members.mint.net/nosey2

I just filmed a young woman talking about a Barbie project at a local
school.  She said that the way they got the body proportions were from math
class. They measured Barbie and they recreated her on a wall as if she were
a 5'5 woman. They simply used ratios and they drew her.  Then they got
information about the average size of different internal organs and of
course could not fit some ot them in.  If you need more details, email me
directly and I will try to put you in touch with the teacher. Margaret
Lazarus at CDF


Cambridge Documentary Films, Inc.
P.O. Box 390385 Cambridge, MA 02139-0004
ph (617)484-3993  fx (617)484-0754
www.shore.net/~cdf
cdf    AT    shore.net

The URL below won't take you straight to Mattel/Fisher Price info -- click
on Activism, and then Past Actions.  It looks like a good database to know
about.  Thanks, Holly.
Marilyn Grotzky

At 12:47 PM 5/5/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Online advocacy re: Mattel/Fisher Price's "dumbing-down" of computer
>software for young girls:
>
>http://www.shopforchange.com/activism.cfm