cassie-1-2-3 This applies only under the premise that Barbies are actually sexist. I don't wear much makeup, myself (because I don't feel I need it, however arrogant that sounds), but I see absolutely nothing wrong with having a little bit of control over how you look.

terhenetar And aren't they? You can't deny the fact that Barbies enforce gender stereotypes by presenting young girls with an overly feminine, anatomically impossible "role model" whose main goal in life is dressing up and having fun. Instead of teaching kids to build, create or think, they teach how to dye hair or apply glitter. I don't want to destroy all Barbies or prevent kids from having them, hell I' ve had a few, I'm just saying that with their ubiquity and the lack of "constructive" toys marketed to girls, they pose a serious problem. But that's off topic. I'm not talking about using make-up, but about using it so that you make yourself look like a doll, let me use google as an example: http://www.buzzpatrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/polkadotcollage.jpg or http://cdn.babble.com/strollerderby/files/2012/03/venusangelic.jpg. Moreover, as I said before, it doesn't apply solely to make-up, but also to clothes and the way somebody acts, their pose, the whole "package".

cassie-1-2-3 I can deny it, and I do. Barbie is probably the most well rounded character out there. She had just about every professional occupation out there, as well as family roles. I think people just overlook that because she's "pretty" and people don't think it's possible to be a respectable professional and pretty/fashion consious at the same time. THAT is what I find to be sexist.

terhenetar Barbie is sexist because all that the kids have to do while playing is dress her up.They do not learn anything, neither create anything nor solve any problems. Even if Barbie has a career, the most important thing about it is still her appearance giving the impression that perfect body and perfect make-up are the most important factors of a career. Moreover, they teach young girls that they need to look pretty in order to be accepted and fit into the society. And that isn't only my opinion, you will find many articles supporting it. Here's one http://www.unc.edu/~dcderosa/STUDENTPAPERS/childrenbattles/toysrusdenise.htm. You say that Barbie is a good role model, because she "pursues" different careers. Yet, as I said several times before, it doesn't teach kids anything apart from changing clothes. The only thing girls can do with this doll is change her ballroom gown into a swimsuit and into an uniform. Life doesn't revolve around clothes.

cassie-1-2-3 [i]all that the kids have to do while playing is dress her up[/i] I guess, if you're a painfully boring kid with zero imagination. I don't really care about the number of people who share your opinion, that doesn't make it a more valid opinion, above anyone else's. You're still saying that caring about your appearance is bad, but why? Appearance is important in society, and I do not see this as a bad thing. Also, what is it that makes you believe that appearance is the most important thing about Barbies? Besides, Barbie's only look nice if you make them look nice. I didn't say Barbie is a good role model (For the most part, I don't believe in role models at all). All I said is that Barbie is well rounded.

terhenetar Please, enlighten me then what else can you do with a Barbie? And what else is important about them? I never said that caring about one's appearance is bad. I said that teaching girls to care ONLY about appearance is misleading, unrealistic and harmful to their development. Do you really need me to tell you why?

cassie-1-2-3 [i]Please, enlighten me then what else can you do with a Barbie[/i] Create families, play out scenarios, create characters. Imaginatively become a teacher, mother, sister, gymnast, astronaut, lifeguard, chef, doctor, ambassador for world peace, firefighter, Sea World trainer, air force pilot, and pretty much anything else. Play out different family dynamics. At least that's how I played with Barbies. Maybe I was just a stupid kid. Having access to my imagination and all. How does a Barbie encourage kids to "care ONLY about appearance"?

terhenetar LEGOs give kids a chance to build and create new things, improve their spatial visualization ability as well as inspire them to think outside of the box; MONOPOLY teaches kids to make reasonable choices, plan their expenses and investments; I could go on listing toys and games which teach children and encourage activity. What you listed concentrates mostly on stereotypical gender role of a wife and mother. As for the different jobs, that is still "passive" i.e. girls imagine themselves to be lifeguards or doctors, but do they learn anything about these careers? Do they get a chance to create something new or do they only play with the things that have already been made? Can they change the things around them to better suit their abilities, personality et cetera or do they need to fit into the given roles? My issue here is this - toys marketed to boys encourage them to build, create, basically shape the world and make a change, whereas Barbies (and many other “typically girly" toys) give girls the ability to imagine and play out different scenarios. Do you see the difference between these two things? It’s not Barbies that I dislike, it’s the whole gender stereotyping in children’s toys. Appearance, here we go again, if Barbies are not about flawless looks why do they have an almost impossible shape? Does a fire-fighter need full make-up and jewellery? Why are Barbies' legs created to fit high heels as a default? Maybe I'm weird, but I don't care what a pilot or fire-fighter look like, I care whether they’re good at their job or not. I would stop saying that Barbies are mostly about appearance if there were at least a few Barbies that wouldn't fit into the beauty standards. Barbies with accessories which encourage girls to create, build and change (e.g. the Barbie's car or house could be sold in parts instead of an ready-made product). I agree with you when it comes to role models. I still think it is necessary to give kids more gender neutral toys. Most of your arguments are about giving girls the same old opportunities of playing out scenarios instead of taking action. Before you attack me, I think that imagination is a wonderful thing and should be encouraged whenever possible, I just don't think that Barbies actually encourage it. Why? Because, as I said several times before, they present kids with a set of accessories, clothes, tools et cetera that leave no room for change or improvement. To use the example of the fire-fighter Barbie (http://justingrider.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/firefighter-barbie3.jpg), the accessories are still mostly uninventive. They could include something e.g. a water pump (I'm not a native speaker - is it the right term?) that would come in parts, needed to be put together and could actually pump water. Play & learn. Now that would be cool. Seeing as there seems to be no middle ground, maybe we should agree to disagree before the debate turns into an argument? :)

Dragonclaws If girls are literally dressing like dolls, isn't that just a form of cosplay? If it's just similar fashion, you're talking about the wider topic of femme fashion.

cassie-1-2-3 Of course those other toys help build skills as well, I never said Barbie was the only productive toy in existence, a list is unnecessary. "Family" is not a stereotypical female dynamic. Males are part of families also. Barbie is an entire corporation, they produce more than dolls. They do produce learning material as well. Are you trying to suggest that all premade toys are harmful or discouraging imagination? Dolls, stuffed animals, figurines, toy trucks, and all of that? [i]Do you see the difference between these two things? [/i] No. I know I had a lot of "girly" jewelry and art kits. Lisa Frank was huge back them. [i]Barbies are not about flawless looks why do they have an almost impossible shape?[/i] Sorry, but I don't se what the big deal is, almost all visual fiction has "impossible shapes". I don't see why Barbie is so frequently singled out. Have you ever watched cartoons?

cassie-1-2-3 It looks like you're putting so much weight into the accessories. I have never met a child who even cares about these accessories, they're hardly the crux of the product.

kiwiXtheXfruit Dolls are just like roll playing, but instead of just playing one or two characters you play them all. I don't see the harm in it. People roll play all the time, especially on fanpop. Also, whats wrong with dressing up as a doll? There is no harm done to anyone else. Its just a person dressing up as a character they enjoy.