There is has been extreme controversy over the Barbie Doll  from Mattel, originally created by Ruth Handler. It seems as if both arguments have a lot to say about the question we have all been asking--does the perfect, slim-looking Barbie really affect girls and their self-esteem, or is it really something else? Let's take a look at both sides so that you can decide for yourself.

Chaya Rivkah Jessel says, “In my current environment, Barbie symbolizes everything that I, as a newly observant woman, rejected about Western culture. She is all body. There is nothing about her that even remotely suggests spirituality and internality. She is a representative of a culture that objectifies women.” Would you agree with her? Are we really idolizing women and leading girls down the wrong route? Self-insecurity, low self-esteem and low self confidence about girls’ body weight leads them down a road that no one wants to take, but still they decide that being skinnier will help them be more accepted in society. By high school, 1 in 10 teens have eating disorders. A lot of them endure anorexia, bulimia, and binging in order to lose weight because they feel as if being skinnier will result in a higher self esteem for themselves. Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binging are very similar; when emotions cause a person to consume more than they regularly do, they take drastic measures to make sure the pounds don’t add on. Laxatives and pills that make you vomit are more vile risks that teens take to stay slim.

What could have caused this? Our world today is filled with advertisements in magazines, TV commercials, and pictures that seem to show beautiful women with superb figures. It sends a message to kids that to be successful, rich, and famous, you need to be skinny and perfect. Why would we want this for our children? Studies show that 57% of girls are discouraged about their figure. 47% of girls confessed that they felt despondent and dispirited about their figures because of magazines. Is our world turning into an all body, all looks machine?

Many, moms especially, think Barbie is part of the blame for all of this. Girls who played with the Barbie Doll look back at the doll’s perfect hair and slim figure and think, why can’t I be more like that? Because media has targeted the realm of trying to attract people with pretty faces and perfect figures, many think it gives children the wrong idea of what true beauty is, on the inside. Because Barbie seems to follow after this, many people have been against the doll because they think toys should not obtain these qualities. It shoots straight out at kids and hits the bulls eye. Other studies have shown that 10 year olds think they are overweight, and 42% of 3rd grade girls want to be thinner. What is to become of this? Is Barbie really to blame for this false outlook of the world because of her slim body and perfect looks, and is it the cause of this unusual behavior coming from kids and teens? Slovie Jungreis Wolff agrees. She writes, “Too many feel that their self-esteem is connected to their bodies; they don’t see the treasure that lies within.”

Many people think otherwise. “Its just a doll,” says a mother, Teresa. Many people agree. Moms have been poking, probing, and scrutinizing the Barbie Doll enough that perhaps they have overlooked the fact, that really, its just a doll. Would a seven year old look at the Barbie doll and think about her figure? Not likely. The only thing they would care about is the clothes and the hair and the accessories. Thus, is it really right to blame Barbie? Let’s take a look at this side of the argument.

When Barbie is put to size, her proportions are highly unrealistic. If she is just a made up doll that would not be possible in real life, then obviously there is nothing to worry about. It also seems as if many people overlook the fact that she is not just all body, she has a creative, career-driven personality that inspires imagination from kids. With the doll, you can be whoever you want, and by her being realistic looking, (even though she would not be proportional in real life,) you can really imagine it. Barbie has over 125 careers, and she encourages girls that you can be whoever you want. Sky's the limit with the Barbie Doll. She has many different types of versions that look like from people from places from all over the world, not just in America. It broadens girls' world from just their living room to all over the globe.

Not only is Barbie an inspirer of imagination, but she is available for everybody. The doll usually ranges from $15-$25 or more, but it all depends on the doll you get. Barbie started just at $3 when it first came out! It’s cheap, and those with not much money to spend on toys have a chance to get their child something special. With hundreds of accessories and clothes, she is unlimited and in turn lets girls’ imagination run like the wind.

There is another reason why the Barbie may not be the blame. Maybe it's not the doll, but actually the mothers who are the cause of girls' low self-esteem. Daughters look up to their moms for everything, and when their mother says something negative about themselves, their clothes, or their personality, it becomes degrading to their self-confidence. Peers are also a big problem. The older you get, especially in middle school, the more you compare and contrast yourself to others. What friends or classmates may say also affects a lot of children's emotions and feelings, so can we really accuse Barbie of this whole mess?

In my experience, I didn't have any problems with the doll. I actually loved it. My sibling and I had countless times where we played for hours, and almost every 3 months a new Barbie doll was added to our collection. We went all out with her and her accessories. Covering the floor of our room with a whole Barbie school, creating a town, making the doll from being anything to a school teacher to a mermaid. Although I don't play it much anymore, I can mostly only recall pleasant memories. Never once did I envy the dolls figure or looks. All I cared about was doing her hair, dressing her up, and deciding who exactly I wanted her to be that day. I must add, however, although we never had that problem with Barbie, many girls do envy her, despite the fact that she is just a doll. Everyone is different, therefore it really depends on who you ask. Did Barbie make you feel insecure about your own self when you played with her when you were little?

It is up to you to decide. Would you banish Barbie from all toy shelves, or is she really not to blame for all this? Would you let your child play with a Barbie Doll knowing they may grow up seeing similar stuff on TV, or is it really just a doll and couldn't do any more but inspire an avid imagination? Then, to the final and most important question of all, based on evidence from both sides of the argument, do you think the Barbie Doll really affects people’s behavior, or is it an illusion mothers create to obscure the fact that maybe they are the problem. The only person who can answer that is you.

                                                     Works Cited

Wolff, Slovie Jungreis. "Blaming Barbie: Raising Daughters With Self Esteem." Aish.com. N.p., n.d. Web.

Jessel, Chaya Rivkah. "Banishing Barbie." Aish.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

Bellis, Mary. "History of Barbie Doll and Inventor Ruth Handler."About.com Inventors. About.com, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

"The Barbie Effect: Is Barbie Good or Bad for Young Girls?" RSS. N.p., 24 Mar. 2011. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

"Dumb Blond-or Diehard Feminist?" Theguardian.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015

Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Bulimia." Bulimia. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

Golgowski, Nina. "Bones so Frail It Would Be Impossible to Walk and Room for Only Half a Liver: Shocking Research Reveals What Life Would Be like If a REAL Woman Had Barbie's Body." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 14 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

"An Epidemic of Body Hatred." Dying to Be Barbie. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.