49. Barbie

Big Reputations

In this episode, we discuss the plastic woman with a heart of gold, Barbie. We talk about why she was created and the changes she’s been through over the years. Then we look at her many many careers and consider what the media had to say about her and her body. Then we will breakdown some of the missteps made by her creator Mattel, and how Barbie was able to rise above it all. Lastly we consider how Barbie is working to reflect the ever changing world around her.

Trigger Warnings: unrealistic expectations of women’s bodies, brief mentions of anorexia and eating disorders

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Hosts: Kimberly Kunkle and Rebecca L. Salois

Logo Design: Samantha Marmolejo

Music: Shawn P. Russell

Sound Consultant and Mixing: Shawn P. Russell

Recording and Editing: Rebecca L. Salois

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Sources:

• Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie, a documentary on Hulu
• “Barbie’s Got a New Body,” by Eliana Dockterman
  
• “Barbie and Her Playmates,” by Don Richard Cox, in the Journal for Popular Culture
• Barbie’s media website: barbiemedia.com
• If you’re interested in learning more about the Barbie conventions, you can check out barbieconvention.com