90s Barbie And American Doll?

In China in the 1990s, girls were proud to own a Barbie doll. When I was a child, I was also one of the passionate fans of Barbie. I was obsessed with their beautiful appearance and exquisite clothes, and fantasized about them. I can be like Barbie. However, in today's United States, girls' favorite doll has changed from Barbie to "American Girl".

As the best-selling doll of the 20th century, Barbie, which was born in the 1950s, has undoubtedly achieved great commercial success. Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, estimates that there are more than 100,000 Barbie collectors worldwide, with an average of More than 20 Barbies are purchased every year, and 45% of collectors spend more than a thousand dollars on Barbies every year. The price of a collectible Barbie doll is several thousand dollars, which is enough to prove that many people's " Barbie episode”.

But with the progress of society, Barbie's controversial nature has become increasingly apparent. Many Western media have reported that the images of thin women that now dominate people's lives, such as Barbie dolls that are too perfect to be true, can make little girls and young women feel dissatisfied with themselves. For example, a 2006 study from the United Kingdom showed that when 162 little girls aged 5-8 years old were shown different picture books and then asked questions related to their physical characteristics, the girls who had seen the Barbie doll images showed that they were more dissatisfied with themselves. Lower body satisfaction and a greater desire to be thin, and this early age effect may increase the risk of developing eating disorders and weight cycling in the future. A 2008 study including adult women came to the same conclusion. Nowadays, there are frequent news that young girls have gone through dozens of plastic surgeries in order to become a real-life Barbie, which is always sad. In Western society, "Barbie" is still used as a synonym for a vase. Her carefully modified appearance and lack of connotation of gender settings have been criticized as hindering equality between men and women. Racial issues are another major controversy for Barbie. Although in the decades after Barbie became popular, African-American and Hispanic dolls have appeared one after another, the most popular image is still the blond and blue-eyed white Barbie.

Compared with Barbie, which has taken the world by storm, the doll brand "American Girl" is still little known in China. If you walk into the beautiful store of "American Girl" for the first time, you may be very surprised - almost every little girl brings a doll that is almost the same as herself! This little girl has smooth blond hair and big blue eyes. , the doll in her arms is also blond: the little girl has blond hair and olive eyes, and the doll she carries on her back also looks the same as her. The most important thing is that not only the color of their hair and eyes, but also their skin color, facial features and even their clothes are exactly the same! In "American Girl", what comes into view is a group of dolls with various appearances, clothes and life scenes. , like a small society. There are blond dolls, African dolls with dark skin, Native American dolls with brown skin and long braids, and of course Chinese dolls with black hair and eyes wearing cheongsams. Different features are rigorously classified and numbered for easy selection. In addition to specifying skin color, hair color, eye color, you can even specify the appearance of facial features and the location of freckles. There are dolls living in the city, some living in the countryside or on farms, some dressed fashionably, and some wearing traditional clothes... It is no exaggeration to say that no matter what the appearance and cultural background of the little girl, she can be Find your mini self here. From the mainstream media in the United States, we can learn that there are fewer and fewer girls playing with Barbie dolls in the United States today, while more and more families accept and support "American girls." Because the concepts conveyed by "American Girl" can improve children's self-esteem and allow them to understand different histories and cultures. These various dolls are also the epitome of America's diverse society. People's love for them shows a kind of tolerance and beautiful ideals that are harmonious but different.