***Adapted from Nancy Wood Perspectives of Argument, 7th edition.
The Barbie Controversy
It is interesting that a small, blond, blue-eyed, plastic doll
Introduce the issue
Present it in question form
Explain why it is compelling you.
Describe what you already know about it
Explain what more you need to learn.
could cause an uproar. Barbie has succeeded (intentionally or not)
to incite heated opinion on whether she is fit to be the image of the
perfect woman for millions of impressionable young girls. Some
people have stated that Barbie's proportions are humanly
impossible with an exaggerated bust line and minuscule waist.
They claim that her impossible proportions could lead girls to
develop poor body image. Barbie doll defenders state that Barbie
is a part of most girls' lives while they are growing up. Is Barbie
bad? Does she have the power to affect girls psychologically all
over the country or perhaps the world?
I am interested in the Barbie controversy because, like many
girls growing up in America, I was obsessed with Barbie when I
was a child. Now, as a college student, I am very interested in
female icons and their role in self-image development. I also have
to fight the voices in my head telling me that I am too short and too
fat. and I am not sure exactly where these voices have come from.
I know that the Barbie doll product is very pervasive in
American society. I have never met a woman or girl who hasn't
played with at least one Barbie. Barbie's image has appeared in
McDonald's Happy meals, in computer programs, on her own
clothing line, on school supplies, and in every major American
store with a toy section.
I need to do more research on the validity of the claim that
Barbie affects girls' self-images either detrimentally or positively. I
would like to explore the pervasiveness of Barbie internationally and
compare the domestic sales figures to the international sales figures.
Also, if Barbie proves to be a detriment to girls' self-images, I would
like to seek out some proposed solutions and discuss their feasibility.