On November 14th, Mattel's Barbie released its newest addition to the "Sheroes" line, the Ashley Graham Barbie! "Sheroes" is a line of one-of-a-kind Barbies that honor women who have accomplished spectacular things. Some of the most recent Sheroes are actress Zendaya, five-year-old fashion designer Sydney "Mayhem" Keiser, dancer Misty Copeland, and gymnast Gabby Douglas.
The model shown above is Ashley Graham, and she is known for being an activist for positive body image. She is a plus size model mostly known for her work in Lane Bryant, a plus size fashion company. She will also be honored at Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Awards, and will be presented her doll then (Source).
Is this a marketing gimmick? Mattel says no, and that in an effort to start having a positive effect on young girls who may be playing with Barbies, the doll company has decided to expand its dolls to various body shapes, and skin colors. "Sheroes" has been so popular that now Misty Copeland's doll will be available for purchase during the holidays, as well as the other body types and skin colors of Barbies inspired by the "Sheroes" line (Source).
As for my opinion of the Ashley Graham doll? I think it's amazing. As we grow older, we forget how much seeing a toy that looks like us means to us. It is very similar to having a Disney princess/prince resemble us, and we can point to the television screen and exclaim how these people can be our heroes and our inspirations. Growing up as a White female, I was blessed with having a wide range of toys that looked like me, dressed like me, and had dreams like me. That is just one tiny example of white privilege.
Sure, this could be a marketing gimmick to revive the brand after many years of people spouting how damaging the original Barbie doll can be on young girls because it promotes not only an unhealthy body type but an unrealistic one. This is not to say that there aren't naturally skinny girls in this world, but Barbie's literal proportions would make her unable to walk, and her internal organs would fail. But even so, I believe that this is such a positive marketing strategy - there are very few marketing ploys that are meant not only to help attract new customers but also encourage them to love themselves?
Don't you want a girl who has a body type similar to Ashley Graham, smile widely, and turn to her parents to tell them that she now has a popular doll that looks like her? Doesn't that make your heart warm? Every child deserves a toy and/or a character that resembles them physically, and/or culturally. Not only does this normalize other body types and skin colors, but it also helps parents and guardians start that discussion of race and body image. I truly don't believe that anything negative can come from this, only love, encouragement, and happiness. After the year we've had as a society, I think we need a lot of that love, encouragement, and happiness.
