In Tofoletti’s, Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls: Feminism, Popular Culture and the Posthuman Body, the Barbie doll is analyzed for her plastic and sexist oppressed form in feminist culture and Tofoletti portrays the importance of Barbie in an interesting light. Tofoletti suggests that Barbie should not be taken as a object of ideal womanhood that should be berated and rejected by feminist theorists, it should be used as “a tool to think through the transformation of bodies and identity in a trans state after the orgy of liberation” (Tofoletti, 2007). In this she poses the idea that Barbie is an intermediate form; she is a “transformer” that is in flux between illusion and reality (Tofoletti, 2007). Meaning one can never take what Barbie is as a real person with real body proportions and real work ethic (she cannot be both pilot and doctor at the same time there isn’t enough time in a day!) instead she should be taken as an illusion of what is thought of as a woman. Barbie is not the ideal nor is she an ideal, she is a product of imagination that is constituted of imaginary characteristics that are unattainable for any person.

Although Mattel has tried to combat the wave of feminists that are criticizing Barbie, by giving Barbie a set of “smart” career paths like doctor, lawyer, teacher etc. this is not fixing the problem. To relate this to thinking diversity, Mattel represents the Mask by using symbolic activism to heighten the appeal of Barbie to the feminist market. Thereby they are placating the people who have problems with Barbie’s sexist ideals but are ultimately doing nothing to fix the problem or “change the system”.

Instead of focusing on the unrealistic body proportions of Barbie, I agree with Tofoletti’s view that Barbie should be taken as a transformative agent to delve deeper into the idea of a state of flux that the Barbie is in, between human and posthuman. Although Mattel’s efforts are considerate, I don’t think associating Barbie with intellectuality will do anything for the public’s perception of the doll considering her body is what most people take into account first. And from this, the darker side of the Barbie controversy is revealed: is Barbie then just a prototype for the modern woman, will a woman’s body or beauty always take precedence over her intellectuality?

Tofoletti, K. (2007). Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls: Feminism, Popular Culture and the Posthuman Body. New York, NY: I.B. Tauris