Barbie gives girls a false sense of reality.

1
WE CAN DO ANYTHING WITH BARBIE ELIZABETH
NELSON CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY
METHOD
RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
Students in the course, Reality, Fantasy, and the
Media, saw both videos mentioned above and then
created dioramas using Barbie and Ken to depict a
media image of women or couples. They discussed
their dioramas in a journal entry Why did you
choose this scene? How does it relate to
representing women or couples in the media? The
professor displayed the dioramas for the
university community.
The scene I created in my diorama was of the
glass ceiling
that many women find on their way up
the corporate ladder. The corporate world sees
families as a setback for women. So, I put
pictures of her family to demonstrate their
importance to her. I gave Barbie a nicely
decorated office, however it is small. I chose
this scene because it is a very important topic
for women. They are going to college to get high
paying jobs. But if they have a family, this will
hold them back. It seems that television is
trying to step away from this image. For example,
Ally McBeal has a high level job, though she has
no family. Judging Amy is a show about a judge
who is trying to raise a family on her own. She
would have to have dedicated a great deal of time
to her profession to reach this position. The
movies still depict women as fighters and b itchy
if they make their way up the corporate ladder.
Julie Roberts in Erin Brockovich had to prove
herself time and time again, even to other women.
At the end of the movie, it seemed like a great
triumph since she received a higher level
position.
The film Media Impact describes how film and
television affect thoughts and attitudes. Mass
communication is not limited to these forms of
media. Toys can influence perceptions of self
and others. The video Barbie Nation tells
viewers that Barbie has impacted both childrens
and adults views on body image, sexual
relationships, gender roles, and family life.
I created a club scene that originally formed
around the feminine Ken and the masculine Barbie.
It then evolved into a gay club with drag queen
performers and lesbian club goers. This is rarely
represented in media except in talk shows where
the homosexual guests often must defend
themselves from an onslaught of heterosexual
criticism. I had originally wanted to play on
the myth that women always look like Barbie and
men always look like Ken. But that message
seemed lost on most people who still believe
that if youre not like Barbie then you are gay.
So, I guess I represented a false stereotype. The
project evolved on a grand scale as more dolls
were added and more members of my family helped
and added impact.
The diorama I
created was a covered in pictures of skinny
girls who are societys stereotype of the
perfect body and what is beautiful. The
inside of the box is supposed to be like
Barbies room, with these pictures covering the
walls to remind her how she needs to strive to
look everyday. Barbie knows that anything less
than this considered ugly. Barbie, like any
normal human being, and any woman, had a sugar
craving. She gave into this craving and started
to eat some Twinkies. Her rationalization of this
act was that she was weak and this would
inevitably set her back from being the ideal
woman, hence the strip across the box saying
After binging, Barbie knew the damage from the
second Twinkie would b e irreparable. There is a
mirror inside the box on the wall showing
Barbies perception of herself after she indulged
in the Twinkies. It is a picture of a woman much
heavier than she obviously is. Because of this
perception, Barbie did not feel like her life was
worth anything. So, she took it by hanging
herself. Twinkie cream still covered her lips to
show how quickly she came to the conclusion that
she was ugly. This box was not meant to be
disturbing, but to merely show the images young
girls and young women feel they need to fit in
order to be considered beautiful and having any
worth.
Barbie gives girls a false sense of reality. I
made a more realistic situation for Barbie For
my diorama, entitled Barbie at the Free Clinic.
I had mommy Barbie, with her five small children
running amuck, at the free clinic for various
methods Of birth control. There was the
Paranoid Virgin, who wanted to be dipped in
latex. Of course I had prostitute Barbie with Her
various STDs and backpack/sleeping roll. And
finally Barbie finding out about her STDs for
the very first time. STDs lay a predominating
role in our world, and yet the world of Barbie is
somehow immune to all b ad things. STDs is still
a taboo topic in America. I wanted to bring
attention to our own views of the world by
introducing the evils of our world onto Barbies
perfect world.
I created adventure Barbie and turned her into a
rock climber. I included all sorts of action
photographs that helped describe Barbies
lifestyle. I work at Outdoors, Inc., and I see
how very little women participate in extreme
Sports. I do myself, but I will say it is very
difficult. I have found only one other woman rock
climber in Memphis to train and climb with. My
only other choice is males, but they give me a
hard time whether they know it or not. When I
climb, most routes are structured for taller
people, which tend to be men. Representing Women
discusses women doing what men usually do, and
men try to put them back where they were. Men
dont like seeing women stepping on their toes.
DISCUSSION

• The Barbie diorama can be created by both male
  and female students in a variety of courses to
  depict the individuals understanding of topics
  such as stereotypes, discrimination, fantasy,
  violence, propaganda, psychopathology, drug
  abuse, and dreams.
• It was a fun project that allowed for
  creativity.
• While this might be exaggeration, I did feel the
  environment was a little male hostile, and at
  times I felt downright uncomfortable. But that is
  ok, I understand the course would have to be
  altered greatly to change that, which would
  affect the effectiveness of the class itself. I
  enjoyed this class thoroughly.