It appears that Barbie has found religion. After rebelling with Harley Davidson Barbie and bikini Barbie. There is even an S & M Barbie in all leather and fishnet stockings. Now, however, there is Burka Barbie.
Of course, this could be a surplus GI Joe in a Burka but the covered Barbie is on display with 500 other Barbies at the Salone dei Cinquecento, in Florence, Italy. To complete the image of subjugation for feminists, Burka Barbie will be auctioned off to the highest bidder as part of the fundraiser by Sotheby’s.
For many, the doll teaches girls to accept an obnoxious practice of women covering themselves — a practice common in areas where girls as young as ten are routinely married off. Then again, many Muslims would likely argue that, if Mattel markets kinky Barbie, why shouldn’t it also make Barbies for conservative Islamic families?
Would do you think?
For the picture of Burka Barbie and full story, click here.
Buddha wrote:
“I like people who are so clearly that comfortable in their own skin…”
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Say What? She is all plastic under that skin of hern’ from the head, way out front, and down to her toes.
She is a great, unique ‘sanger’ but she was very insecure with her natural body. I wonder how many young, naturally flat-chested girls got implants because of Dolly’s gaudiness? Not a good legacy to leave…
Her agent once remarked something like, I have known Dolly since she was flat-chested.
Ms. Simone, I do not personally know of any men who like plastic sticking out of–top heavy or not–their girls. That includes roughnecks, roustabouts, soldiers…
Since when has atheism lead us to anything but nothingness? Go “tribal” Barbie!
I long for the day the human race can leave our primitive tribal associations behind us. Atheism (or at least Agnostic) for all!
In the meantime, as this would appear to be very depressing, I’m off to watch Life Of Brian again.
oh sure you guys just like her because she’s top heavy
I have to say I dig Dolly as well. I like people who are so clearly that comfortable in their own skin as a general rule. And she’s funny. Not Gracie Allen funny, but not without charm.
Besides the purity of her voice which sends chills through me, I love Dolly because she has never been defensive about her humble beginnings, nor tried to act the part of anything but herself. A true American treasure and very classy person.
I’m ok with burka barbie it’s S&M Barbie I’m kinda trippin on right now is she called that???
FF LEO–
I’m not condeming one religion. You’ll see I didn’t reference any particular religion in my previous comment. I believe many religions profess the superiority of men–whether or not they require their women to dress in a particular fashion. That’s one reason I choose to live life as an ex-Catholic and a practicing agnostic.
Ms. EM’ wrote:
“Teaching young girls that women are not equal to men, must be subservient to men, and are not deserving of many of the rights that males enjoy is, I think, a reason for concern–especially if it’s happening here in this country.”
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Christianity has taught that for millennia. The main premise of which is that ‘god’ is a man/he. Of course, religions are all nonsense so we must not condemn one religion over the other–they are all equally contemptible.
Christa–
I would say that the practices of some religions–for example, genital mutilation–are abhorrent and could pose a great threat to the physical and psychological well-being of many girls/young women. Teaching young girls that women are not equal to men, must be subservient to men, and are not deserving of many of the rights that males enjoy is, I think, a reason for concern–especially if it’s happening here in this country.
What is this…the 11th century? Maybe we should just turn the progress clock back by a millenium.
I have mixed feelings about this Burka thing as a father of an 18 year old female.
I don’t agree with covering up from head to toe but there is a case to be made for some modesty in how women and men dress. Especially teenagers.
I think a little differently now than I did when I was 25 and having a daughter.
I think some modesty helps young women by relieving them of the pressure of having to dress/look like a Calvin Klein ad.
I think Muslims take it too far but then we have taken it too far the other way. Isn’t there a middle ground between Burkas and Booty Shorts?
Certainly not mandated by Church or State but by common sense.
As terrible as such a Barbie doll would be for the self-empowerment of little girls, there is a huge market for them. BuddaIsLaughing, conservative Islamic families live all over Western Europe and the United States. I regularly see women in Burkas walking behind their husbands at the grocery store here in Northern Virginia. If they want to purchase the doll for their children, I say we let them; there are far worse things which we should tackle first that parents do to their children than imposing conservative religious beliefs on them (and that has been happening for centuries!).
FFLEO,
Personally my favorite Parton quote is “”It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”
“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.
Dorothy Parker (1893 – 1967), (attributed”
Well, one must look on the sunny-side of the street in the world’s ever-darkening societies. At least Burka Barbies and the girls who emulate her will never get too much sun exposure skin cancer…
Seriously, we must remember the First Amendment and other rights. I would rather have freedoms of expression that shock some sensibilities than government censored Barbie styles.
Looking at that fishnet Barbie reminds me of what Dolly Parton said about the local ‘town tramp’. Paraphrastically, her comment went something like this, ‘I thought she was the prettiest thing I ever saw and I wanted to be/look just like her.’
Any girl should have that right, amongst many others…
Barbie is way too mavericky and perhaps is even going rogue.
I loathe Barbie, Mattel and everything they stand for. However,
both my daughters, when they were little were into Barbie and unfortunately I had to occasionally engage in Barbie play with them, much as I’d push Lego’s. They’re women now and feminists to boot, so I guess that Barbie leaves no lasting effect. The idea of it though is repugnant and Mattel like all corporations will act amorally to earn profit.
Elaine, that’s good.
So do they have a “Fetish” Barbie? A JAP Barbie, an Orthodox Barbie? A Burka Barbie Babe just leaves to much to the imagination for me.
Is there enough beer?
BIL–
Barbie’s anorexic–except for one part of her body. Otherwise, I agree with most everything you say.
BTW, this new Barbie is being produced by a part of the toy corporation you reference that’s called Mattaliban,Inc.
I think Barbie encourages a bad role model for little girls no matter her dress and/or supposed profession because of the ridiculous anorexic body image she promotes. That being said, Mattel should stick to toys and leave the religion at home unless they are willing to put out Jesus, Buddha and Mohamed action figures too (Now with Kung-fu Grip! Hasbro will let them use that slogan for a fee.). Otherwise they are just encouraging the fundamentalists. The same ones, who if they got their way, would kill the Mattel board for making Barbie ever appear liberated in any way in the first place.
It’s basic irony, but I appreciate it.
Lay down with dogs and you can get the fleas, Mattel.
How big a market is the Pakistani mountains anyway? Are the Taliban really that big a customer?