Popular Culture Review Vol. 4, No. 2, June 1993 | Page 34

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Popular Culture Review

"Dream" houses with "Dream" pools, "Glamour Bath and Shower,"
and so forth: "Barbie seemingly has no need for employment that
allows her to purchase this merchandise. There is no such thing as a
Barbie office in any of the Barbie equipment, nor are there accessories
that remotely suggest a job situation for this carefree doll" (Cox 305).
Mattel repeatedly addresses this kind of impression with extra selfcongratulatory hoopla upon their marketing of any "career" Barbie
product. Hence Astronaut Barbie in 1986, whose surface impression is
one of occupational liberation in accord with Mattel's motto for
Barbie during recent years—"We girls can do anything, right Barbie?"
Of course, any suggestion of change in women's image is immediately
compronused by the packaging of this doll, for the wording on the box
points out the real purpose of girls in space: "Exploring new worlds!
Charting a course! Dancing on stardust!" The first two "space fantasy
play" activities here sound appropriate enough, but ultinaately these
lead simply to dressing up for a dream date. Perhaps we cannot
expect the professionalism of a Buzz Aldrin in a doll, but it is obvious
that the emphasis is on "Glamour and adventure that's out of this
world!" Astronaut Barbie's special features are her "sparkly skirt
and tights!" And inside the box we find that the "space exploration
equipment" consists of backpack and helmet, (fine, but then) pink
sequined hip boots, purse, and the ubiquitous hairbrush.
Mattel has, in fact, marketed a "Career Barbie" with the
"Barbie Home and Office" which enables the doll to pose in front of a
computer terminal and to make telephone calls from her swivel chair.
Again the facade of progressiveness collapses, almost literally in
this case, as this toy contains a transforming feature. As the box
indicates, the product consists of "Beautiful office on the outside.
Glamorous bedroom on the inside." Thus, the career context functions
only as a superficial exterior, a place to make a fashion, makeup, and
hair "statement"; for indeed at the physical center of this toy, at the
core of Career Barbie's Home and Office and hence what really
matters, is the vanity.
Doctor Barbie, too, would seem initially admirable. But the
picture on the box showing Barbie's function qua M.D.—bringing
flowers to a patient—discourages further consideration of this
"career" doll. Clearly the half-baked efforts to update Barbie's
image are at best intended to stifle criticism. Mattel has no interest