Has The role of Modern Women changed?
With the times changing at a rapid pase we have been brought into a world where the way that we treat people has changed from the society that we once new.Men and womens Roles in society has changed as to where they dont fall into the sterotypical Males on terrior of "Masculine" duities and Women Fall into domestic house lives.But even so as we progress it seems tha we still relie on these arcatypes for men and women when it coem to way they are represented in the media.Althought Some have tried to make a change to this they still fall short in some aspects.
One said company making the switch to a more positive outlook for women is none other than Barbie.We all know that for as many years as Barbie has been out her days have been plagued by bad press claiming that her body proportions are to thin and leave girls craving a more slim body and a more stylized ego craving nothing more but good fashion and keeping up her appearance.To combat this Mattel has brought on some new dolls that feature a Slim,tall,curvey,and petite body change with ranging raceal colors and differing hairsyles.
The article For the world's most scrutinized body, Barbie has a new look By BETH J. HARPAZ Associated Press sums up all the typical reviews of the latest attempt by Mattel to make amends with the scrutiny cause by barbies most recognizable form.In the article the new barbies get reviews like
“ But Kris Macomber, who teaches sociology at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, says she's "reluctant to celebrate Barbie's new strategy because it doesn't change the fact that Barbie dolls and other kinds of fashion dolls still over-emphasize female beauty. Sure, all body types should be valued. And, sure, all skin colors should be valued equally. But why must we keep sending girls the message that being beautiful is so important?"and Josh Golin, executive director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, said Barbie's changes are a testament to activists who for years have challenged her "unrealistic and harmful body type." But body type "was only one of the criticisms," he said. "The other was the brand's relentless focus on appearance and fashion."
These are common complaints the emissive that all barbie has become more inclusive she has also excluded the children that aren't into fashion and might make them feel as though they have become feel as though they are ostracised from playing with the doll because it does not represent said child's interests Many feel like this is just Rhetoric of Ethos to protect the legitimacy of the Company targeted at children.This new ploy would get many off their backs and make them “inclusive”.But despite this Barbie has fallen short when it comes to the African american and darker skin community it seems as though no has ever really found the right way to represent the children that play with these toys in a real way that truly represents them.The thoughts on Mattel's attempt goes as this
“Kumea Shorter-Gooden, co-author of "Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in 
America," has said in the past that Barbie has a bigger impact on black girls struggling with messages about skin color and hair. Shorter-Gooden applauded Mattel "for diversifying the size and look of Barbie," but noted that "European-American hair still prevails," and that the dolls' outfits still "convey a traditional and constraining gender norm about how girls and women should look." And “Quiana Agbai, an African-American mother of two who has written about "the effects of dolls not looking like my 5-year-old daughter" on her blog, www.harlem lovebirds.com, said Barbie's new look is "a step in the right direction" but noted that "there are brands already filling this need in greater detail." Agbai husband's family is Nigerian, so she found a Nigerian princess doll for her daughter from a line called Queens of Africa. Agbai herself grew up playing with the American Girl doll Addy, whose story line involved escaping from slavery.”
America," has said in the past that Barbie has a bigger impact on black girls struggling with messages about skin color and hair. Shorter-Gooden applauded Mattel "for diversifying the size and look of Barbie," but noted that "European-American hair still prevails," and that the dolls' outfits still "convey a traditional and constraining gender norm about how girls and women should look." And “Quiana Agbai, an African-American mother of two who has written about "the effects of dolls not looking like my 5-year-old daughter" on her blog, www.harlem lovebirds.com, said Barbie's new look is "a step in the right direction" but noted that "there are brands already filling this need in greater detail." Agbai husband's family is Nigerian, so she found a Nigerian princess doll for her daughter from a line called Queens of Africa. Agbai herself grew up playing with the American Girl doll Addy, whose story line involved escaping from slavery.”
These quotes show that although the black community has shown some favor to the new doll it black signature black traits like the Curly coarse hair that many of us of African descent have grew up with and through much scrutiny have fought to have are natural hair without it being declared ”nappy and unkept”.The Quotes used show the Pathos rhetoric of the emotions that are strongly held in the Darker skin community and that black communities themselves had created dolls that can truly represent them.
But despite all this what do the the children who actually play with these dolls have to say about the new changes made to the iconic doll?
Young Girls React to Seeing the New Barbies for the First …
In the Video by Glamour Magazine it shows girls ages 6-13 seeing the new dolls for the first time.The girls were first presented with the original form of barbie in her classic form of Blonde hair and blue eyes with a slim physique.The girls made commentary on the dolls that when like this:
The video begins with the two girls age 7 saying that barbie is a party planner and has very “Girl oriented qualities” Then
Perry age 7 said “Every single barbie in the world looks exactly the same”
Eileen age 13 after being presented the new images for what mattel's new doll would look like said”Wow I'm actually surprised at what they looked like because I expected them to look exactly like this one(The original Barbie) but there all different now and I like that.”
Perry age 7 later went on to make comment on the fact that the new barbie has a beauty mole and that if a child is being tested on the look of her face then they can Buy the new barbie and feel better about themselves.Than girls then began to assign traits and characteristic to the dolls the girls began to name women that represent the new dolls like the darker skin dol looked like rihanna,miley cyrus,and katy perry (all women these girls may look up to) and the younger girls say women hat could easily be spotted on the street.
These words by the children really use the Pathos and Logos Rhetoric because it really hit home that these girls really are affected the ways that Barbie is portrayed and that the new dolls help the girls picture the way that they see their world and the real women that look up to.These New dolls have also the logical effect on the girls where they might feel empowered by the new look of Barbie.
