Inventor Extraordinaire By: Maddy Willingham Pate’s Creek Elementary
Ruth Handler ( ) Her daughter and her friends liked playing with adult paper dolls more than baby dolls. Ruth thought it was important for girls to imagine what they could be when they grew up. She designed a life-like adult 3-d doll with designer clothes.
Mattel toys first said no. -too expensive -girls would not like it 1 st doll sold in Over 1 billion dolls sold world-wide. Most successful product line in the history of the toy industry is...
Criticisms Harmful messages about body image All about looks and selling Barbie stuff Originally limited career choices to: -fashion designer -nurse -flight attendant -ballerina (
Support Enhances girls’ self-esteem Girls can be anything they want to be Reflects America’s changing society Now 108+ career titles -President -doctor -veterinarian - NASCAR driver
Changes Over Time Originally: pony tail curly bangs sideways, coy glance Caucasian Now: long straight hair tanned looks straight ahead
More Changes Multicultural - Asian-American, African-American, Native American, Hispanic 50+ Nationalities Stars in movies such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker
Bibliography print.aspxhttp:// print.aspx z1CZDj9IjShttp:// z1CZDj9IjS Barbie Images. Digital image. "Subdued." Royalty Free Music. Soundzabound Music Library, CD. 50 th Anniversary Barbie 2009