Comments on: Why No Gloria Steinem Barbie?

By: Rita

Rita — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:36:44 +0000

So, we watched Enchanted last night. It’s that Disney movie where the animated fairy tale people pop up through the sewer in NYC? It was cute. I hate Disney. I loathe Disney. I feel dirty and like I need to go get absolved by a hippie after I watch anything Disney.

But, this was cute, and very appropriate to this subject. It had all the Disney elements, and then kind of tore them apart. So, if you’ve ever seen a movie, you can figure out pretty quickly how it’s going to end, but if you’re like my 9 y.o., then it’s quite shocking.

It was nice to see them make a small attempt to undo all the years of damage they’ve done. Now, if only they can fix how they mutilated Peter Pan and put the right ending on The Little Mermaid and just take give Winnie the Pooh back to the people, then they might be OK.

By: Allison

Allison — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:17:07 +0000

I agree, I hate the “Diva” “Spoiled” and “Attitude” products out there. I LOATHE Bratz dolls. We call them the Bad Barbies, “because they wear too much make-up”. And I hate pants with words on the butt.
And call me crazy, maybe I read too much into stuff, but while shopping at Target the other day, I was looking for a shirt for my 4 year old (she’s an XS in the ‘big girl’ section) and had to sort through the printed shirts because I didn’t want the one covered in Cherries. Sorry. I must be nuts. I think it just sends a subliminal messasge. Couldn’t they have picked a different fruit!?
I just don’t want my girls being raised thinking “Daddy will give me whatever I want” and “Stuff=Love, whether it comes from a dad or a boyfriend/husband”.
I’m happier living small and within our means as a SAHM, rather than having a huge house, fancy cars, and nannies to take care of everything, and I hope my girls get that message…………..

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:25:48 +0000

I have no idea why parents, especially mothers, encourage stereo-types in their daughters.

One phenomenon that makes me crazy is when mothers encourage their Kindergarten daughters to have a “boyfriend”.

I’m far from being a feminist, but I am proudly anti-Diva and anti-trailer trash.

By: Rita

Rita — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:54:30 +0000

Yes! Yes! Yes! I have two daughters, one of them is a black belt in tae kwon do, and while she’s a Barbie and Disney Princess enthusiast, she’s also quite the mini-feminist. The misogynist messages in those movies are over her head and at 9, I figure I’ll let them stay that way. They certainly aren’t how she views herself or her gender, so why mess with it.

But, we do read Gail Caron Levine books. She wrote Ella Enchanted (wow, second time in 24 hours I’ve commented on that book on this blog), and Fairest (http://www.amazon.com/Fairest-Gail-Carson-Levine/dp/0060734086) and a bunch of other “evolved” fairy tales.” We lurve her.

Those anti-woman messages can be countered just by leading the opposing lifestyle and raising your kids with your values. Which is how I do have a feminist who watches Disney Princesses and a sweetheart with a black belt who can watch The Bourne Ultimatum without batting an eye, but going into hysterics during March of the Penguins. How you live is more important than what they see.