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BARBIE BLING The first ever adult play toy for girls, it’s one of the most popular across the world

She’s always in the centre of controversy – always getting her manicured hands, blow-dried wavy hair and pedicured feet in some plastic mess

. Ruth Handler, who noticed that her daughter Barbara assigned adult roles while she played with dolls, recommended to Elliot, her husband and co-founder of Mattel Toys about the concept of an adult doll.

Mother of eight-year-old Tara, E. Cherian recalls, “I was uncomfortable with the fact that you’re giving a young girl a fully-developed woman as a doll.”

From the all-American blue-eyed blonde, she started fitting into cultural moulds post-globalisation. While she was the charming black-haired, brown-eyed Monica for Indians, or African-American Christie, the body is the same — big eyes, long legs and tip-toe feet that slip easily into high heels.

Says psychologist Manika Ghosh: “Duplicating the supposed European body type in other cultures has created havoc for the physical, mental and reproductive health of women.” Sukanya Anand, mother of ten-year-old Anahita says that though she didn’t believe in indulging her daughter with Barbies, she did not deny Anahita either.

“I didn’t want her to lose out, but fortunately, she didn’t become obsessed with the doll as it was not cuddly.”

Anahita recalls: “I liked playing with them because I could change their clothes and she could move around.” Sukanya and Cherian feel if one denies Barbies to girls, there is a chance of a rebound reaction, as children would anyway come across the doll thanks to peers or the media. She loves to shop; dress up, play house, travel and for her, life in plastic is certainly fantastic. Aqua’s song “Barbie girl” which was a huge pop hit in 1997 had almost every girl lip-sync “You can brush my hair/ undress me everywhere…”

Real-life Barbie dolls are everywhere — from child beauty pageants and the fashion world to pornography. When you give a six-year-old a Barbie doll with make-up kits, outfits, iPods, cars, fancy Jacuzzis and royal four-poster beds, what is the message?

Ghosh says: “Barbie dolls strengthen social stereotypes.” About the natural mothering instinct, Ghosh says: “If it comes ‘naturally’, why do we then teach and present small girls with toys that tell her to be caring, kind, mild and have no brains?” Mother of eight-year-old Raaga, Usha Shetty feels: “Barbie is certainly a mindless plaything, but I am thankful for it – as it got my daughter off from watching too much telly.”

She notes that playing with the doll then became an interactive pastime with other children unlike television which is one-sided. Usha knows that though Raaga will soon outgrow Barbie and as such will not be subject to any long-term influences, she is aware of the effect the doll’s blonde, slim and tall look will have. Raaga says she likes the way Barbie looks and wants to become Sleeping Beauty when she grows up. This brings to mind the merging of two feminine stereotypes; the Disney fairytale virgin ideal and the male fantasy of the dumb, willing, playful blonde.

Ghosh notes: “Like all other games which have undergone technological advancement, Barbie dolls have also assumed a virtual life. Instead of a doll imitating a human’s life, girls copy Barbie’s lifestyle.” Also, Barbie is definitely a toy for children of the rich with lower-middle and middle-class children feeling left out. The cheapest Barbie is priced at Rs. 175 and the most expensive at Rs. 2,000 (accessories go up to Rs. 3,000). Walking around in a shop that has a Barbie section, pink plastic screams shrilly at you. Barbie as dreamy Cinderella or hot shot airhostess goes about creating a misleading, biased world of roles that girls and women knowingly and unknowingly play out.

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