Barbie, Consumerism, Historical Evolution and The Pervasive Spectre of Racial Politics!
Yes. That is the truth is that, like many material icons, Barbie has had a complex history. When Mattel introduced Barbie to the public in 1959, America was getting deep into the throes of the Cold War. The modern civil rights movement was beginning to gain steam and the nation was largely embracing the status quo. While the second wave of feminism became a radical force on multiple fronts — racial, sexual, political, etc. — the doll was immune from intense criticism. To many, it was seen as a toy for little girls of all races to enjoy. It was viewed as being in the realm of childhood and was, thus, seen as unworthy of attention by progressive, socially conscious women.
During the 1980s and early 1990s America made a political U-turn to the right and an era of conservativism saturated the nation. Many movements and institutions that were considered “too radical” or “insufficiently patriotic” were denounced and targeted. The feminist movement was not spared. The backlash against women’s liberation was stark and continued throughout the decade into the 1990s.
The fall of 1991 introduced the nation to the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings and blasted the issue of sexual harassment into the mainstream. Sexual assault on college campuses and in the larger society become an…
