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In the past fifty years the image of successful women has changed drastically. Women went from being stay at home moms to being in high power positions in the work place. They are resented for competing with men in the workplace and that has caused backlash from men. I find it amazing how American women have progressed from one end of the spectrum to the other end. Although women have made great progress, there is still the problem of body image. A contribution to this reality is the over rated Barbie doll, cartoons, and the music video industry.
Young girls are influenced by Barbie advertising and cartoons that show a family situation. Barbie sends out a negative image of an unreal and un-proportional body that could never be real, also a message that she is perfect and that is how women should be. Barbie has been around for the past fifty years, and she has been drastically under weight since the beginning. Barbie got her start as being portrayed as a German woman in a comic strip named LiLi, LiLi was known for talking about sex, politics and fashion (Scribd, 3). The Vanderbilt research group did a study to show how a real life size Barbie would measure up to real women, Barbie would have to walk on all fours, have one necessary bone in each part of her body and she would wear a size 3 shoe (life size Barbie, 1). If Barbie were a real women, “Imagine Anna Nicole smith’s breast, suspended above Kate moss’ waist (after a fast) all resting comfortably on Cheryl millers frame (after a mid-life growth spurt) (Jervis, 1)”. When young girls are children their minds are very impressionable. If they are seeing images of Barbie that are skinny, and big breasted, they too will want to try to be skinny and big breasted.
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Barbie portrays the cool girl at school with the cool clothes and all the friends. Barbie features all the cool new trends and the newest accessories. Young girls who are
Insecure may find Barbie as a savior to all...