http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/21/black.barbies.irpt/index.html

Quote :

"New black Barbies get mixed reviews (CNN) -- Grace, Kara and Trichelle were created to fill a void for young black girls who for so long have been playing with dolls that don't look like them. The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women. Some have cheered the new dolls. Others jeered them, saying they're not black enough. "I love the black Barbie. It's about time," Jua Simpson said on CNN's iReport, a user-generated news community. "But the hair is still a step backwards, since most of our hair is not straight and light brown." Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles, such as afros or braids. "Many people have criticized the dolls for either having hair that's too long or too straight, but I have long, straight hair that I straightened. But it's my hair and a part of me," said Tanisa Zoe Samuel, an African-American iReporter from the Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. "Black women come in all shades, shapes and varieties that there is just no way to capture everyone with three dolls." iReport.com: Samuel shares her thoughts on the new Barbie The dolls were created by Stacy McBride-Irby, an African-American who watched her daughter play with dolls and wanted to create a doll that looked more like her. McBride-Irby said she has heard the criticism, but she also has received many kudos. "They mean so much to me because they did come from a positive place," McBride-Irby said. "My daughter loves the dolls. I've had dads thank me for creating this line of dolls that represent their little girls. These dolls are for girls all over the world." This is not the first time Mattel has released an ethnic doll that drew criticism. In 1997, Mattel collaborated with cookie maker Nabisco to create Oreo Fun Barbie. The black version of the doll, which sported an Oreo-shaped purse, was criticized by some who noted that "Oreo" is a derogatory term in the black community. The word is used to describe someone who is perceived as black on the outside and white on the inside. For some, the talk about dolls is not just child's play. Some think early play with dolls can affect a girl's self-esteem later in life. Actress Nia Long, who appears in comedian Chris Rock's new documentary, "Good Hair," recently talked about the issue on CNN. "Historically, the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated," Long said. "This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves." "

10/21/2009 1:26:40 PM

Quote :

"Afrocentric"

10/21/2009 1:27:30 PM

Do you know how hard it is to put a weave on a doll??????

10/21/2009 1:27:45 PM

10/21/2009 1:27:47 PM

darkness barbie

10/21/2009 1:28:01 PM

sharpie markers can fix 90% of the problems mentioned

10/21/2009 1:28:22 PM

Quote :

"In 1997, Mattel collaborated with cookie maker Nabisco to create Oreo Fun Barbie. The black version of the doll, which sported an Oreo-shaped purse, was criticized by some who noted that "Oreo" is a derogatory term in the black community. The word is used to describe someone who is perceived as black on the outside and white on the inside. "

jesus christ i'm LOLing over here.

YOU FUCKING OREO CHILD

10/21/2009 1:28:39 PM

I can't believe it took so long for black barbies to be made. They started to make black babydolls yrs ago...why not barbies?!

10/21/2009 1:28:50 PM

Quote :

"Do you know how hard it is to put a weave on a doll??????"

lol

10/21/2009 1:28:52 PM

WELL GUESS WHAT I'M WHITE AND ALL MY BARBIES HAD BLONDE HAIR AND BIG BOOBS

i have neither. can i get a whiter version of barbie up in here?

10/21/2009 1:29:01 PM

that's what i'm screaming kadwackle

PUT SOME CHILD-BEARING HIPS ON THAT GOD DAMNED WHITE BARBIE

10/21/2009 1:29:31 PM

Quote :

"African-American iReporter from the Turks and Caicos"

doesn't that mean she isn't african-american?

10/21/2009 1:29:34 PM

Quote :

"i have neither. can i get a whiter version of barbie up in here?"

lulz

10/21/2009 1:30:20 PM

i mean what do they want. a barbie that looks like this:



yes, that would go over well.

10/21/2009 1:31:36 PM

I will not support Mattel until they have all of the following:

White Barbie
African-American Barbie
Mexican Barbie
French Barbie
Ethopian Barbie
Chinawoman Barbie
Geisha Barbie
Burka Barbie
Russian Barbie
Eskimo Barbie
CD/TS/TV Barbie

10/21/2009 1:33:50 PM

haha gross

10/21/2009 1:33:57 PM

they DO have a persian barbie luckily. princess jasmine.

and they have mermaid barbie so we can cross that off the list, too.

10/21/2009 1:34:49 PM

i'm more interested in black ken and his car which presents an opportunity for some high quality LOLs

10/21/2009 1:38:13 PM

no rule 34 ITT?

10/21/2009 1:38:30 PM

maybe black ken will have a life like penis and make the white ken feel insecure about his bulge

10/21/2009 1:40:21 PM

http://www.cracked.com/article/137_7-hilariously-failed-attempts-at-politically-correct-toys/



[eta: NVM. the crazycode is choking on Cracked's image file name.

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 2:15 PM. Reason : []

10/21/2009 1:50:17 PM

FAIL

10/21/2009 1:51:28 PM

SOME OF MY BEST DOLLS WERE BLACK.

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 1:53 PM. Reason : .]

10/21/2009 1:53:10 PM

Quote :

"Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles, such as afros or braids. "

braids are naturally occurring? hmm

10/21/2009 2:14:17 PM

It's a barbie, it's not supposed to represent the average, it's supposed to represent the extreme...

Last time I checked (which was just now) most white don't look anything like the white Barbie.

10/21/2009 2:16:31 PM

Quote :

"Trichelle"

is that a traditional "black" name?

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 2:20 PM. Reason : .]

10/21/2009 2:16:38 PM

Do you idiots actually not see the issue here?

10/21/2009 2:26:55 PM

why so serious?


if you want a serious discussion about it, make a thread in soap box, since you clearly want to get on one.

10/21/2009 2:28:53 PM

i have no idea what the problem is here. she made a black doll! big deal. there are black baby dolls, and have been for years.

seriously, someone explain the "issue" to me.

10/21/2009 2:29:28 PM

Quote :

"why so serious? if you want a serious discussion about it, make a thread in soap box, since you clearly want to get on one."

oh okay

"BLACKS LOL"

how is that? is it dumb-fucked and blatantly bigoted enough to be in chit chat yet, or do I have to IRONICALLY drop the n-word?

10/21/2009 2:30:24 PM

The big issue here has to do with the fact that little black children will no longer confused.


I mean up until now, Black Jesus died so that Black Santa could bring them a White Barbie on Christmas, right after Kwanza.


Finally, we're all on the same page. I couldn't be more relieved.


Now lets get on that high rate of fatherless households...

10/21/2009 2:32:46 PM

*puts out a black doll that emulates white standards of beauty*

WHAT? I MADE IT BLACK ALREADY JEEZ

10/21/2009 2:35:14 PM

Its playing to the public's appeal

Black men don't like the wide nose havin, ashy kneed, "oh no you didn't" type of black women

We like the type with white features, the narrow nose, the straight hair, the ability to maintain composure in times of trouble

It will sell better than a Missy Elliot shaped barbie would, thats for sure

10/21/2009 2:35:34 PM

PSHOES WHERE IS MY SCRIPT TO MAKE IT RAIN BLACK BARBIE HEADS?!?!?!?

10/21/2009 2:35:55 PM

so many butthurt people

10/21/2009 2:36:18 PM

Quote :

"Its playing to the public's appeal Black men don't like the wide nose havin, ashy kneed, "oh no you didn't" type of black women We like the type with white features, the narrow nose, the straight hair, the ability to maintain composure in times of trouble It will sell better than a Missy Elliot shaped barbie would, thats for sure"

"I like females with that light complexion. I'm a victim, brother. I'm the product of 400 years of conditioning."

10/21/2009 2:38:58 PM

Its no coincidence that most of the "black" women that people find most attractive are Halfricans

10/21/2009 2:43:08 PM

I believe we call those Mulatto, sir.

Like famed actress Alyssa Mulatto.

10/21/2009 2:44:08 PM

some people find that offensive

10/21/2009 2:45:47 PM

Oh.

Well, its the internet.

They'll get over it.

10/21/2009 2:46:25 PM

Quote :

"Like famed actress Alyssa Mulatto."

lullz

jessica alba is french canadian / danish and "Mexican American" also known as hispanic she's a Mestizo

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 2:53 PM. Reason : s]

10/21/2009 2:49:22 PM

Quote :

"*puts out a black doll that emulates white standards of beauty* WHAT? I MADE IT BLACK ALREADY JEEZ"

maybe that would work if a white person made the doll. but they didn't. a black woman did.

and second, its fucking BARBIE. no one who plays with barbie is actually playing with a doll that looks like them.

do black babies just pop out with braids in their hair? no they don't. braid their damn hair. that is what i had to do with my white barbies. hell, before i had a ken doll i even cut one's hair short and pretended it was a boy. and i turned out juuuuuust fine.

10/21/2009 2:51:09 PM

Quote :

"maybe that would work if a white person made the doll. but they didn't. a black woman did."

*rubs forehead*

Quote :

"and second, its fucking BARBIE. no one who plays with barbie is actually playing with a doll that looks like them."

The fact that you find no problem with this to begin with is already disturbing

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 2:57 PM. Reason : .]

10/21/2009 2:57:01 PM

taking this thread seriously =

10/21/2009 2:58:01 PM

I would have felt more comfortable if, at 5 years old, I'd have received a Big John Studd action figure for Christmas, than a Junkyard Dog.


Oh, who am I kidding, I loved me some JYD.

10/21/2009 2:58:51 PM

Quote :

"taking this thread seriously = "

o ok cool *is ironically racist* LOL!!!!

10/21/2009 2:59:37 PM

I used to turn down dates because they weren't black enough.

So much pussy left on the table.

10/21/2009 2:59:43 PM

^^^^ obviously i do

welcome to 1975

or whenever barbie was invented

and again...taking this thread seriously =

[Edited on October 21, 2009 at 3:00 PM. Reason : .]

10/21/2009 3:00:16 PM

oh boy it's just the internet? cool! let me spout ridiculously ignorant and insensitive shit because i'm being ironic

10/21/2009 3:00:45 PM

see there

now you're catching on

10/21/2009 3:02:02 PM