The Barbie Doll Dilemma

What would you do?

You ask your Sprog what they are going to write in their FIRST EVER letter to Father Christmas and they say they want a Barbie.

To say I'm not a fan of Barbie is like saying I'm not a fan slavery, genocide or marzipan (I mean, seriously. Who invented a cake topping that tastes like cyanide!?). 

Let me list the things that I don't like about Barbie:

  1. She perpetuates a completely unrealistic body image.
  2. She is clinically anorexic.
  3. She is massively over concerned with fashion and the way she looks.
  4. In fact some of her clothes are just plain inappropriate for a 4 year old to be playing with.
  5. She's portrayed as a complete bimbo (past representations have uttered such phrases as "Math is tough!" and "I love shopping!")
  6. Oh, and she's plastic!
Barbie stood next to a figure that was created using the average measurements of a 19 year old US girl (Source: Children's Media specialist Dr. Rebecca Hains)

Barbie stood next to a figure that was created using the average measurements of a 19 year old US girl (Source: Children's Media specialist Dr. Rebecca Hains)

The only decent Barbie I know needs a couple of shrimps thrown on it by a stereotypical Fosters swigging Ozzie.

No, there's no way I'm getting the Sprog a Barbie!!

But here's my dilemma. The Barbie is quite literally the only thing that she has asked for. I've tried to explain to her that Barbie it too skinny and being too skinny is bed because it will make you poorly. She's just not getting it. 

I don't blame her. Trying to comprehend anorexia at the age of 3 is quite a tall task.

Why don't they make action figures out of real role models? Why can't I get a Anna McNuff doll or a tiny Sarah Outen figure complete with a model sea kayak? Why can't you buy a model replica of Malala?

In fact, you can!

Sort of.

malala doll.jpg

I searched online and found this awesome site where they'd taken the hideously deformed Bratz dolls and repainted and re-clothed them to make them into real role models. From JK Rowling to Jane Goodall. 

But these aren't real dolls. They still have the abnormally small wrists and ankles and massive heads. Can you seriously imagine meeting one of these creatures if they were life size. You'd think we'd been invaded by aliens (actually that's not a terrible idea for a science fiction book).

And you can't buy these online. You actually have to create them yourself.

But what if you could buy a realistically shaped doll for a real positive female role model? Wouldn't that be incredible!

Until that day I'm still stuck with the Barbie dilemma.

So, if you have any clues as to which way I should turn, please comment below. I've got four days to make the decision one way or another!!