Barbie gets inked and sparks controversy
Mattel’s latest Barbie features tattoos, stirring controversy.
Barbie, the doll who has been president of the United States, a doctor, Olympic gold medalist and never married, can can cross something else off her list: a trip to the tattoo parlor.
The latest Barbie doll released by Mattel dons a pink bob, punk clothes and tattoos all over her plastic neck and shoulders.
But as a staple among children’s toys, Barbie is stirring up controversy, with people questioning whether it is appropriate for a young girl to have an inked doll, CNBC reports. The doll is not being marketed towards young girls; a $50 collectible, it is aimed toward an adult audience. Only 7,400 dolls were manufactured and they are already sold out, CNBC reports.
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Barbie’s latest look is inspired by tokidoki, a Japanese inspired brand. It is being sold online in Mattel’s Barbie Collector section and select retail outlets, the New York Daily News reports. It will not be sold in children’s toy stores.
"Barbie has been dressed by more than 70 fashion designers over the years," Mattel said in a statement, the Daily News reported. "Many of Barbie's most pop-culture couture outfits have been designed for the adult doll collector."
This also isn’t the first time Barbie rebelled and got tatted up. In 2009 “Totally Stylin’ Tattoos” Barbie came with stickers to put on the doll, U.S. News and World Report reports.
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So is it a big deal that Mattel released a Barbie with some body art? This isn’t the first time the plastic goddess has come under fire for her appearance and the stereotypes her tiny waist and blonde hair conjure up. Are the tattoos on the children’s toy inappropriate or is it already crossing the line to think of a plastic toy as a girls’ role model?
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