Barbie and Self-Image

Every time the subject turns to Barbie and her influence, her unrealistic dimensions can't be overstated:

Barbie’s life-size proportions, on the other hand, come out as something from a science fiction movie. At 5 foot 9, Barbie would have a 39-inch bust, an 18-inch waist, 22-inch hips, and would wear a size three shoe. The day you see a real-life woman who looks like this, please let me know. 

In case you’re more a visual learner than a numbers person, take a look at a lineup of Barbie dolls side-by-side with four American Girl dolls. Imagine you have an eight-year-old daughter. Maybe you do. Which of the two would you want her emulating as a role model? (Adios Barbie )

But I still want to ask (particularly someone who has children of doll-playing age), does anyone really consider Barbie a role model? Kids are pretty savvy; they know no one looks like that. The original poster praises American Girl dolls as a more viable alternative, but they're a pricy option, and not a realistic one for a lot of families. Doll play in general has gotten a raw deal over the years since it has witnessed several waves of feminism, but Barbie in particular is seen as self-esteem's prime nemesis. I have only my own childhood -- and that of my friends -- to go on, but none of us was trying to look like Barbie, or even wanted to. If anything, Barbie was kind of a tabula rasa a kid could fashion (literally, with that wardrobe) into anything.