Barbie Doll; The Backstory

Barbie Millicent Roberts, a sunshine maned beauty with flair, grace, and a resume chock full of prestige, has been the best friend and mentor to young girls for fifty one years. And her ride is a pink ‘Vette, to boot.

Like most divas, she is better known on a first name only basis. Barbie, brainchild of Mattel’s founders, they had a daughter named Barbie. Their son’s name? You guessed it-Ken, has been at the forefront of women’s interests since her inception.

Naysayers expedite the notion that the plastic perfection steers children of both sexes toward misogynistic conceptions of the “ideal woman” (Point taken-In the flesh, Ms. Roberts would possess a 39 inch bust, 18 inch waist, weight 110 pounds, and stand 5’6 tall), but body image aside, Barbie has foreshadowed enormous events of the female journey for decades.

Initially little more than a debutante ball runner up, Barbie soon found herself on the cusp of greatness. While their mother’s were largely relegated to a June Cleaver existence, little girls witnessed Barbie annihilate glass ceilings with a jackhammer. In 1980, the first ethnic Barbie was introduced. Three years later, Miss America was crowned for the first time with Nubian roots. In 1986, after careers as a lawyer, physician, rock star, and Olympic ice skater, Barbie discovered the final frontier. That same year, albeit tragic, Christa McCauliffe was chosen to man the ill-fated Challenger mission. In 1992, Barbie ran for Chief Of Staff. In 2008, Hillary Clinton ran for the Presidency, Sarah Palin for the Vice Presidency, and Nancy Pelosi remains as the Speaker of the House.

No finality in sight, Barbie continues to set trends in couture, culture, and society. The pink ingénue retains the maxim of femininity without wavering from the

independence and acumen of the eminent industrialist she is. The largesse of the Barbie empire is not calculable; Sales emasculate GI Joe, sure. But the impact on the greater sex worldwide cannot be measured simply with numerals. Rather, a glance at community leaders, giants of industry, stay at home moms, and pink muscle car enthusiasts alike, reveals the influence of the enterprise that is Barbie Millicent Roberts. Any lingering doubts about this certifiable Wonder Woman have vanquished; now, we await her next act of greatness. And we know she’ll look great doing it.