happy birthday, barbie

50 years ago today, Ruth Handler's creation hit markets and, in my opinion, changed the future of feminism and gender roles forever. In my Contemporary American Poetry class last spring, one of my classmates did a fascinating presentation about the history of Barbie. The doll actually held careers in her play life before many women in the real world (astronaut, president of the United States.)

Check out this advertisement from her earliest days:



Compare that to a 2007 ad for the "America's Next Top Model" barbie:



I've never really decided what side of the barbie "debate" I fall on. When I was little, every single birthday when I blew out the candles on my cake, I would wish for a barbie. My parents to this day have never bought me one; the 4 or 5 dolls my sister and I had were all gifts from relatives or not-so-close family friends, who figured they were a safe default gift. But why did I want one so badly? Was it because I saw her as the ideal woman, with her disproportionate breasts and perfect hourglass shape? Or did I see her as a role model, the woman who could successfully take on any career she wanted, regardless of societal norms?

Today, we use Barbie's name synonymously with a whole host of terms, most of which, I might add, are negative. But whether you feel like barbie was a liberating toy for girls, or she ruined the expectations placed on women for the last 50 years, we can all agree on one thing: she ages beautifully.