Other stories were about sexuality, as when a student told Thomas her cousin would always put the dolls in sexual positions. According to the book Forever Barbie by M.G. Lord, Barbie's creator, Ruth Handler, based Barbie's body on the shape of a different doll, a German doll named Lilli. The real problems most anti-Barbie people have are with her messages about body image. Thomas does not stand alone in her criticism of Barbie's figure and messages of beauty and vanity. Thomas said she is concerned about young girls who actually expect to develop similar figures, and says Barbie's long-time boyfriend, Ken, has a more realistic body type than Barbie.
Some people try to defy the odds, however.
Thomas said she has heard reports of a woman in England whose goal is to look exactly like Barbie. Through plastic surgery, she is reaching that goal. Thomas shakes her head and widens her eyes as she tells of the real-life British Barbie. The attractive Ph.D. with a happy husband, two small children and a fashionable wardrobe that includes turquoise boots cannot believe a modern woman would have such a strange goal. My concern about body image is that is sends the wrong message to girls, and boys, too.