Black Barbie Dolls with Different Hair Textures...

Hmm very interesting. I like both of their hair, to be honest. I'm just confused as to why the little girl doesn't have an afro texture. (I guess it's my brain just wanting to connect the two, but it seems like a Mommy and Daughter kind of doll).
 
I think the author of that post hit the nail right on the head: the only representation they really have of an actual Black Barbie is one with afropuffs. Are you kidding me? That's far from how most Blacks wear their hair.Then the one with curly hair is light as all get out. Plus the article says that the "darkest" barbie isn't even dark at all.

I believe that a light skinned Black Barbie with curly hair is not an accurate representation of Black people. I know that I probably should be like, "Hey at least their trying." But I'm sorry, I'm subscribe to a lot of theories on white supremacy and white critical thoughts and I know they will NEVER make a Barbie that is truly in line with Black features. Barbie is the ultimate standard of white beauty and being Black is far from that. My kids will never own a Barbie.
 
Oh dangg, sorry! The article didn't load for me at first. I thought this was just a picture. :ohwell:. **goes back to read and be more informed**
 
Hold up.. a black Barbie with interchangable hair weaves? horrible idea. i hope that was just the author and not an actual idea from Mattel...
 
I'm sure part of the reason for the skin color and hair texture choices were not just "what white America likes to see African-Americans looking like: as white as possible." They probably did market research on AAs, adults and children, and found those were the looks they prefer and would be most likely to buy. :ohwell:

btw, for the collectors (i.e. at a higher price), there are more traditionally black featured dolls:
http://kattisdolls.net/faces/bethnic.htm
 
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I don't see the problem. My mom collects dolls and I purchase a lot of dolls for her. Barbie has a wide range of skin tones, hair textures & there are some AA Barbies with flatter noses and wider lips. They may not be part of the particular series that the author is discussing, but they exist. And they do have a doll that looks like Alex Wek. She is part of the different nationalities series and she is from an African country.

I know that as a little girl, I wanted dolls with long, flowing hair because I wanted to play with the hair.
 
Love the feedback as I've discussed this with my female family and friends as well. You can hate me, but I’ll say it anyway. I just think if Mattel made a Barbie that was of a darker skin tone, bigger/curvier with more ethnic features people would be calling the NAACP and "The Rev" protesting that Mattel is racist. Y'all know how our people can be!! While I LOVE all of the fore mentioned features, too many African American people don't. That’s our reality, and I hate it. If Mattel did the market research on the doll (as a previous poster pointed out), then one thing they'd find is that most African American women either have or want to have the straight, wavy long hair, hence the million dollar perm and weave industry. (**And there’s nothing wrong with having a perm or weave**). They’re only going off of what they see, and are trying to deliver a product based on that without being offensive to anyone. I think it's great that they have a doll with kinky hair; all of the dolls are adorable to me personally.

And it is unfortunate that Mattel can't make Barbies that look like every single African American woman and girl in the world, but I don't see them making Barbies looking like some of the more curlier haired, curvier Caucasian, Latino, Indian women either. As for Barbie’s measurements it’s so old that it should be common knowledge that her proportions are so off, it’s not humanly possible for her to truly imitate/represent any woman. For God’s sake, it’s a doll!! Just like Elmo, he’s not real, he’s a fictional character provided for the entertainment of small children. Children do grow up knowing that Elmo doesn’t exist!

I just think that a lot of African American people will never be satisfied by what is being portrayed as “African American” and it’s terrible. Light or dark, straight hair or kinky, curvy or skinny, BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL, regardless of the combination. I think any product representing an African American female in a positive light should be applauded and supported. My nieces will probably never have an African American Barbie representing them, as they’re lighter skinned and would probably have to get a Caucasian and/or Latino Barbie. One niece has hazel eyes and the other has dark brown eyes, both with locks and they’re both 100% African American. Thank God they know (from family) that regardless of what the look like they’re still very, very, very beautiful even if there NEVER have a doll representing them. (*Not that it would validate them anyway, because they are confident in who they are and know that Barbie's are fictional characters and are not real).

For additional pics/information here's a few links of more African American Barbies and dolls. You're going to LOVE these!!

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...=/images?q=black+barbie+dolls&hl=en&sa=X&um=1
http://images.google.com/imgres?img.../images?q=ethnic+barbie+dolls&hl=en&sa=G&um=1
http://www.ethidolls.com/index.htm This is awesome!!
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...barbie+dolls&ndsp=18&hl=en&sa=N&start=54&um=1 :lachen: Look at Grandma, and they got the whole family!!
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...arbie+dolls&ndsp=18&hl=en&sa=N&start=126&um=1 The official LHCF Doll (not really but I think the title fits).
http://www.dollslikeme.com/store/c/674-Black.html soooo cute!!

Ok, I think I just found my new hobby....doll collecting!! I love them all!!!
 
LovinLea said:
Hold up.. a black Barbie with interchangable hair weaves? horrible idea. i hope that was just the author and not an actual idea from Mattel...
Click to expand...

LOL, oh but the So In Style Stylin Hair Barbie does have clip on hair pieces. Also she has hair that curls up when wet and then goes back straight when you straighten it. That's so HOT!!!!!!! :bouncy:

Check the description out below. I'm really going to have to get one or two!!

http://www.target.com/S-I-S-Style-S...x&frombrowse=0&rh=k:so in style barbie&page=1
 
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