What does a real life Barbie look like?
Life-size barbie at Today show
Galia Slayen crafts life-size Barbie to raise awareness about eating disorders
Ever wondered what a real-life, human-size Barbie doll would look like? If you're thinking Heidi Montag, think again. Hamilton College student Lisa Slayen built a life-sized Barbie doll out of papier-mache to expose how ridiculous and disturbing Barbie's idealized proportions would look in real life.
Slayen brought the life-sized doll to the Today studios yesterday to show off her handiwork. Life-size Barbie stands about 6 feet tall with a 39" bust, 18" waist and 33" hips. She is made of wood, chicken wire and papier mache, and is dressed in a size 00 skirt that was a remnant from Slayen’s one-year bout with anorexia.
“I’m not blaming Barbie [for my illness] — she’s one small factor, an environmental factor,” Slayen said. “I’m blond and blue-eyed and I figured that was what I was supposed to look like. She was my idol. It impacted the way I looked at myself.”
The goal in creating Barbie’s likeness was to start conversation. “Talking about eating disorders is taboo to many people, and this made people talk about it,” Slayen said. “It’s a shocking image. A lot of people have seen it, and it’s started debates,” she said, particularly after she wrote about it for the Huffington Post. “Her proportions are not 100 percent correct, but her look is not invalid.”
“As a pop-cultural icon, Barbie is often used as art to express one’s own personal opinions and views,” a Mattel spokesperson said in an email. “Girls see female body images everywhere today and it’s critical that parents and caregivers provide perspective on what they are seeing. It’s important to remember that Barbie is a doll who stands 11.5 inches tall and weighs 7.25 ounces — she was never modeled on the proportions of a real person.”
Slayen introduced her Barbie to her college, Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., at its first National Eating Disorders Awareness Week this year.
At the school, there were different activities for each day of the week, including covering mirrors with pictures, facts and information on eating disorders, something Slayen had done at her high school. However, “there were just eight mirrors in my high school. There were over 300 in my college,” she said with a sigh.
Story source msnbc
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Sharon B.
@slim c. The barbie that "most" people have done the measurements for (because this controversy started in the 80's) is the doll copyrighted BEFORE 1999. Which if you look at one is extremely disporportionate! And thats where more than likely the discrepancy is.
Slim C.
The controversy over Barbie has inspired me to create a video graphic novel that tells the story of a Doll that is persecuted and marked for destruction for being a ”bad influence” on the girl that owns her because of her appearance and the “message” that she sends. The story is told from the point of view of the Doll. If you are interested in this issue I think you might want to check it out. You can watch it for Free at this website http://toyboxbitch.com
Ashley P.
Keep in mind that the older barbie WAS much closer to these proportions than the new barbie of the 2000s. Her rib cage used to be huge. Today's barbie is much more realistic.
http://todayilearned.co.uk/wp-conte...
Asami Gwen C.
I'd love to see what an accurate life-size representation would actually look like.
Slim C.
This sculpture is a complete fabrication and it is very disturbing that news outlets continue to spread this myth of Barbie’s “wildly unrealistic” proportions without checking the facts, you can see proof of the real numbers at http://www.toyboxbitch.com/files/PA...
Katie P.
lol totally inaccurate! if barbie was say, 5'9 she'd be 36-18-33. it's simple math!
Keshonta B.
Ignorance is bliss. Not every girl with an eating disorder wants to look like BARBIE!, in her mind she think she is creating awareness. I have befriended people with an eating disorder and dealt with one,and the root of the problem begins with self not a doll.
Jenn H.
Read the article more carefully. The author is not claiming that her eat disorder is due to Barbie, nor is she claiming it's even a cause of eating disorders for others. As stated in the article, she's trying to start a conversation.
Keshonta B.
Maybe you should read her words more carefully sweetheart. She states and I do quote "because BARBIE is blonde hair had blue eyes that is what she felt she was supposed to look like".1.BARBIE is not a HUMAN so the fact that she is comparing herself to a doll is a bigger issue and it begins with SELF .2.I read the article and she contradicts herself through out the whole article. if she didn't blame barbie for her eating disorder or felt like barbie was partially to blame then she wouldnt have included her in this article.3.and as I stated the issues begains with self before you can blame anybody. so next time you try to read me or anybody else make sure you read both comments before and putting your 2 cents in an just like you said she's trying to start a conversation I'm ending this 1 thank you have a nice life and bye bye .
Ning C.
Scary!!!