Barbie may not be the cause of eating disorders and body hatred , but her universally recognizable profile makes her a flashpoint, an image of female perfection, a symbol of the drawbacks of any such images, and a convenient scapegoat for our cultural troubles with them. Regardless of Mattel's stated motivation for the new body, the new doll won't be any more positive for women than the old. But it barely matters whether those measurements will be attainable by average girls. Clothing fashion is dictating Barbie's shape. Which makes the point once more that in our market-driven world, women's very flesh, not just their clothes, is subject to cultural whim.
Women still try to reshape their bodies for clothing.
A special MoJo Wire forum. When it comes to consumer fads, the late 1990s have nothing on the 17th century. All letters to the editor are for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.