Brand Barbie

The Barbie world is overwhelming - especially the popularity of this adult looking doll creating an adult world that has become a necessity for constructing the gender identity of little girls. You can resist it but you cannot escape the pink world of Brand Barbie as it stares you in your face through brand bags, pencils, lunch boxes, shoes, accessories and even gift wrapping papers. Barbie finds her way into her house if not through you bit through the well meaning but thoughtless gift givers. I think my son has a couple of things - a bag / a toy piano gifted to him - pink in colour with a smiling Barbie logo.Brand Barbie has created a girlie world of shared interests, language and identity. The brand has taken over and how- if you are not into it you cannot belong - you are an outsider.

II

My friend who has a 3 year old daughter has strictly been trying to avoid a Barbie-free up bringing. Steer clear out of the pink world of Barbie is the motto. The conversation went on about the difficulties of doing so and her daughter's possible alienation from peers with a shared interest in the Barbie world. So she encourages her daughter by saying “There is nothing wrong in being different, " Be proud to be different” - and so on went the conversation .

A few days later my son watching an ad about a new Barbie doll avatar says to me, "Mamma please buy me a Barbie?”
I am surprised at this car crazy boy’s request and ask,” Why do you want a Barbie? Do you like dolls?”
He replies, “No, not that much.”
“Then why?”
"Well none of the boys in my class have Barbie – so I want to be different – its good to be different. "