Over the last decade consumers have watched as Barbie, a once thin, blond, big busted Caucasian doll, took on some major transformations. While walking down the doll aisle at any local toy retailer store you will quickly discover that going to the store and buying a Barbie Doll is no longer a simple task. Now, parents have to consider things like style, hair color, seasonal, characters, personality and race. Does your daughter want a Barbie with a career? Perhaps she prefers one that looks like a mermaid or a fairy? Would she prefer the one that "looks" like her or will just any one of them do? On a recent excursion down the toy aisle I was faced with these decisions as well as a few questions for myself on how I felt about these new dolls.
It was about a month ago when my daughter approached me and said "Mommy, I would like to have the Barbie, I can be a Vet doll for Christmas". For me I was elated by the fact that she was finally asking for a Barbie Doll since in the past she's wanted things like Star Wars and Transformers. Yes, my daughter is a sci-fi geek at only 6, however she is starting to show lots of interest in more girl things like dolls, fairies, and princesses. Anyway, of course the first chance I had to hit the stores alone (kid free) I decided that I would swing by the toy section and pick up that special doll for her. While walking down the aisle it quickly became apparent that I was in over my head. For every movie that they've put out for Barbie there is a doll as well as other characters. There are versions of Barbie that support other major box office hits, have careers, and come with a wide selection of accessories that are included and sold separately. For each doll there is a complete set and sometimes even just the doll herself. As I continued down the aisle I was amazed at how much Barbie had changed over the years.
A few minutes into my search I found the section with the Barbie I can be a....dolls and was again surprised to find that each career doll came in a complete accessory set or was sold separately by herself with just a few accessories. Upon further searching I also discovered that each "career" Barbie also came in multi-racial versions. A few minutes into my search I spotted two versions of the Barbie I can be a Vet doll. One version was the doll only with a few animals (the cheaper version) and the other one was the doll with everything she needed to be a vet (the more expensive version). Both versions were African American. At first I struggled with trying to decide which one my daughter would want more, the cheaper version or the more expensive version. Well after thinking about it I decided that the cheaper version would better suit her for now. Then I started to debate a little more on whether I should get her the African American version or go in search of a Caucasian version. This debate, I have to admit, was a little more daunting for me.
When I was growing up I didn't play with many dolls, but when I did they were all "like me". It was an unspoken rule or so I thought that Caucasian girls played with Caucasian dolls and African American girls played with African American dolls. Never in my years as a child or up until now had I considered that what was happening may be wrong or affect me in the way that it does now. So as I stood there on that aisle holding that African American Version of Barbie I can be a vet and gazing at it apprehensively I began to ask myself: Would she play with a doll that was multi-racial? What would people think if I bought the African American doll? What would people think if I stood here holding the doll then decided to put it back and select a doll that was Caucasian? Which is the best doll for my daughter? What would I do if I bought this doll and my daughter rejected it? Well after a quick phone call to my husband and a few more minutes debate my mind was made up. I bought the African American doll.
As I continued my shopping I also continued to debate my feelings on this new doll as well as other dolls that I or someone else may purchase for her in the future. Would someone else be willing to go to the store and purchase a multi-racial/cultural doll for my daughter if they were asked? What lessons would I be teaching my children by making the different choices on the dolls? In the end I decided that I was going to get African American I can be a vet Barbie.
Playing is a part of childhood and pretend play is how we, as children, learn vital social skills and behaviours that will be used later on in life. By giving our children stereotyped or "like me" dolls and toys I think we are unconsciously teaching them a social behaviour that says different is not okay. Children can identify early on that when they go out into public and later to school that every one is different in appearance. We teach our children that people are different. We all come from different parts of the world, have different skin colors, our hair is different, our languages are different, and so are our religions. Any honest and good parent also teaches their child to love others for who they are and not what they look like or believe in. So why is it then that when we buy dolls for them we tend to choose the dolls that most closely represent their physical appearance? Isn't that a contradiction of everything we are already trying to teach them?
I went home that day feeling pretty good about the decisions and purchase that I'd made and was totally convinced that I'd done the right thing. I also felt confident that I'd taught my daughter well enough to believe that it wouldn't matter what doll she received as long as it was the Barbie I can be a vet. I could not have been any more wrong!
Later that evening as we were finishing up dinner I asked my daughter casually if the doll she'd asked for was Caucasian or African American. She responded "Caucasian". I then asked her how she would feel if the only one available at the store was the African American version. Her response: " I don't want that one I want the one with blond hair". (My daughter is a brunette) I then asked her why she didn't want the African American doll and she responded "Because I'm not supposed to play with African American dolls. I'm supposed to play with Caucasian Dolls." My worst nightmare was now coming true. My daughter was already shunning a doll that she hadn't yet received because of it's race! Calmly I sat her down and asked her about the different people in her school and in the general public. After a long discussion about how everyone is different I then asked her "So, if the world is made up of different people with different skin colors and lots of other differences why shouldn't your dolls be different too?" After a few minutes thought she responded with "Mom, it doesn't matter. I'd play with the doll even if she wasn't Caucasian".
Now I am completely convinced that I made the right decision for both myself and for my daughter. As for Barbie....well she is currently wrapped up and under the tree waiting to be opened for Christmas and yes she is African American!
Welcome to the blog world! Interesting post! I wonder what my girls would say, maybe I will ask them!
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