More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Despite our collective love for larger-than-life motion pictures, I must lament the dearth of images of Black women in heroic, star-turning roles.
But in Barbieland, a topsy-turvy world where women run things—in contrast to the “real world” of patriarchy—we can imagine women in every possible role. Let’s hope Barbie’s commercial success encourages more support for films that feature diverse women as big-screen heroes. There are so many more stories to be told.
In Barbie, Greta Gerwig creates a world where femininity is celebrated in the mainstream.
Starting this weekend, girls have the chance to watch their favorite toy take on sexism in Barbieland, knowing their favorite soccer stars already have in real life.
What does Barbie mean to a Black woman who was once “the Black girl”?
She reminds me that representation does not always come in the form of a person; sometimes, it’s a doll that allows you to embrace your creativity, dreams and imagination far beyond what society believes you are capable of … all in pink stiletto heels.
Posing in front of mosaic tiles and Victorian paintings, sporting handmade outfits like feathered, cotton candy-colored dresses or quarantine-friendly bathrobes, a young woman exposes the misogynistic undertones of art at big-name museums like the National Gallery in London and the Getty in Los Angeles. She stands at about a foot tall with an annotated notecard on a small wooden stick in hand. Her name is Barbie.
Misty Copeland made history last summer when she became the first African American woman to hold the title of principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), solidifying her position as […]
On the Ms. Blog just over four years ago, I wrote about Mattel’s (then) newest and largest doll launch: the Monster High line. Mattel was proudly offering girls dolls that […]
For centuries, dolls have helped children develop their socioemotional skills by teaching them how to empathize with others. Last year, dolls raked in nearly $2.7 billion in sales, making them […]
This week, a group of black women in Columbus, Ga., started a campaign to donate 40 black Barbie dolls to young black girls. And here’s the twist: Before gifting the […]
Yesterday we introduced a project called “Drown the Dolls,” an art exhibition by Daena Title opening in Culver City, Calif., this weekend. Title’s work presents photographs and paintings of Barbie, […]
