Unless you have children, Barbie may have settled as a memory in the back of your mind rather than something you see everyday like me – the mom of a girl. Recently Mattel has tried to counter the negative image of Barbie as a blonde bimbo with body proportions that would make her unable to stand up. One of these is the “Career” set of dolls. This year’s career Barbie? Game Developer, of course.
“Barbie reflects the world girls see around them. Her ability to evolve and grow with the times, while staying true to her spirit, is central to why Barbie is the number one fashion doll in the world,” Mattel chief operating officer Richard Dickson said in an official statement.
To give Mattel credit, they have been releasing dolls with more realistic bodies, though with the exception of the film director, all of the career dolls fall into typical female roles – teachers, veterinarians, and gymnastic coaches.
Game Developer Barbie actually looks ok to me. She’s thin, but not terribly so. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt with what looks like a leather jacket over top. But the thing that most caught my eye is that she’s wearing flat sneakers in lieu of the Barbie trademark stiletto heels. That alone is a huge change for a Barbie doll. Game developer Barbie has a headset and laptop accessories.
Game Developer Barbie will be available this summer. I’m not saying I’ll be buying it, but if my daughter gets it as a gift, I won’t immediately want to throw up.
