In the realm of toys, there are few names as politically loaded as Barbie’s. Her picture-perfect life, complete with extravagant playsets and lines of clothing, offer young children a chance to play act a fantasy world where everything is easy and worry-free. There is something to be said for this, especially for children of low-income families whose day-to-day lives might be challenging at best and depressing at worst. Sometimes a fantasy is a valid escape.
The other side of Barbie’s coin, of course, is what some have called an unrealistic role model — Barbie doesn’t work (or, rather, has so many jobs that she effectively doesn’t have one), is perpetually thin, and has no obligations. Though recent years have seen significant changes to the standard Barbie doll, the toy remains a charged phenomenon.
Regardless of public perception, the Barbie team is working to inspire girls to dream big with its “I Can Be … ” campaign, for which they’ve partnered with The White House Project, an initiative designed to increase the incidence of women in leadership roles throughout America. The “I Can Be … ” campaign asks respondents to sign an online declaration that will be presented to the Obama administration on April 22nd, to the effect that they take seriously the role of women in society and contribute to the further growth of this movement by continuing to mentor young girls.
If you’d like to support this movement to reach a million signatures by the proposed date, you can do so online at barbie.com. This is a project worthy of support, no matter your personal feelings towards Barbie.
