As a society we place too much value on television characters, sports players, performers, and toys. Where did a girls toy that some of us enjoy collecting once grown become a role model? Should we give that status to anything that is made of plastic and a permanent size two?

Barbie is not a good role model for girls because she is a toy. Toys are meant to be played with. Explore and discover new things with your toys. If Barbie is a role model in your home, eagle eye your daughter when she plays with her. Many of us used a naked Barbie and Ken to experiment what we knew about the facts of life. Don’t act shocked, at least Barbie and Ken wedding kissed once. And you put them in a bed, fully clothed or not. If Barbie is a toy that one is creative or experimental with, does that make naked Barbie and Ken good role models?

Barbie is not a good role model because she can’t stay married. How many versions of wedding Barbie have we seen on the market now? What keeps causing her to divorce blond Ken and marry brown haired Ken? Is she a Ken hopping floozy? Is this a good role model? How many weddings do you plan to pay for your for your daughter? There is a limit even to a platinum credit card and how many Vera Wang dresses one can afford.

Barbie is not a good role model for the same reason many of today’s young stars are not good role models, they have the body of a twig. Barbie does not promote an overweight girl to feel good about herself. Barbie doesn’t boost the late bloomers self esteem. She is a plastic doll that they have yet to put out in Plus size. If you love the sight of your daughter running to a restroom after every meal to purge it out of her body, then promote Barbie as a role model.

Honestly, I went for a humor angle with this category. But the fact is there are many people who place too much emphasis on Barbie as a role model in our culture. She is a toy. A historical, well rounded toy to be sure. But a toy at the end of the day. It’s because we expect her to be a role model and teach our girls things such as they can be or do anything they want, we get distressed and scream loudly when Barbie’s such as Totally Stylin Tattoo Barbie hit the shelves. How dare they! They put out a Barbie with a tattoo gun, tattoo’s, and her own little tramp stamp. What is that teaching our little girls?

That Barbie is a toy. That the world is diverse and Barbie changes with the times. If it goes against your value system then don’t buy