Jelene+and+Aubrey

[|Read the article here]

Abstract: According to an article by Michele Johansen, Barbie has held more than 100 jobs since her creation in 1959. Through the years she has shown, though not always accurately, the evolution of women in the workplace. One of her first careers in 1961 was nursing. During this time, nursing was a profession dominated by females, and was considered an appropriate job for a woman by society. However, a thought bubble emanating from Barbie's head that says, "Get new shoes and call me in the morning!" This revealed how society viewed women during this time period. Career Girl Barbie was launched in 1963, right after the Equal Pay Act was established. The point is, that the different careers that Barbie held were no coincidence. The different jobs reflects the time period and the attitudes of women living in that time period. The essential question is: Has Barbie been a positive or negative influence towards women?

Questions: Has Barbie been a positive or negative influence towards women? Has Barbie influenced the way women see themselves? Do Barbies influence women or is Barbie influenced by women? Is Barbie an icon to the average American woman? Do little girls see Barbie and want to be her? Do girls/guys see Barbie as simply a "doll" or as a symbol of the American woman? What does 'Barbie' imply about American women?

Jelene: After reading this article and looking at the different pictures, I was rather surprised at the amount of jobs Barbie has held throughout her years in existence. I didn't even know that Barbie had so many different outfits. The only Barbie's I ever owned were dressed in bathing suits, party clothes, or regular mom clothes. I also owned a Barbie dream house and cars. I think this particular article showed that Barbie has been a positive influence towards women. She went from being a nurse (a female dominated profession) to being President of the United States! This article shows that women have come a long way from where they started off. They are slowly climbing their way up the career ladder, and in some respects can now be seen as equal to men. However, women still get paid substantially less in the work force. I think this article shows that Barbie has influenced women to see themselves in a positive light. Barbie influences women, but women also influence Barbie. If women had not come as far as they did in careers, there never would have been such a thing as a "Barbie astronaut" or "Barbie President." I definately think that Barbie influences little girls more than older teenagers or women. When I was a little girl, I used to think Barbie was so cool, and I wanted to be just like her! However, now, I don't even know where my Barbies are, and I no longer wish to be her. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Barbie is an icon to the average American woman, but I definately think that Barbie influences the way that women see themselves in society.

Aubrey: It's strange how Barbie manages to be the model of the perfect woman. I found this article interesting because usually negative traits are associated with Barbie. This was the first time I've really seen Barbie in a positive light. The fact that Barbie had all these somewhat "masculine" jobs makes her successful. The flight attendant Barbie caught my attention because until 1967, women had the advantage because males weren't allowed to be flight attendants. I agree with what Jelene said about Barbie influencing little girls more than women. However, I think little girls don't really focus on Barbie's beauty. They see her achievements and look up to her as a role model. It's just the opposite for teenagers and women. Teens and women want Barbie's looks rather than her achievements. I think women influence Barbie more than Barbie influences women. Without women's influence, Barbie wouldn't be able to chase after another achievement.