Don’t Take “Black Barbie” for granted!
--
A Netflix Documentary on the intersectional feminist history of #BlackLivesMatter
Released on June 19, 2024, “Black Barbie” is a new Netflix documentary produced by the legendary Shondaland, the powerhouse behind “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bridgerton.” As we’ve come to expect from their previous work dismantling white supremacy and patriarchy, the documentary doesn’t present a nostalgic trip down the toy aisle but a deep dive into the intersectional feminist history of #BlackLivesMatter. Inspired by a conversation between two Black American women from different generations, the story of the creation of the first #BlackBarbie presents broader cultural implications related to gender identities.
After the recent wave of feminist themes in the “Barbie” movie, it’s about time we give this topic the attention it deserves, and here’s why you shouldn’t take #BlackBarbie for granted.
The film provides first-person looks and insider stories from the perspectives of three Black women who worked at Mattel in 1980. Through their testimonials as well as informative scholars speaking to academic studies on self-image, the documentary examines the importance of representation and how these dolls have become crucial to the construction of identity and imagination.
Barbie and Self-Representation
Barbie has always been controversial from a feminist viewpoint, as she has been representative of the body, beauty, and ability standards imposed on girls: Shiny skin, fit body, and fashionista.
Hearing the personal stories of suffering from the lack of representation of Black women in the doll collection, Barbie’s impact on young people in the process of self-identification becomes clear. “Who do I look like? How should I dress? Sneakers or high heels? Make-up or no make-up make-up?” In this manner, Barbie has provided various images that one can relate to, but primarily only for white kids.
According to the official timeline, Barbie, created by Ruth Handler at Mattel, debuted at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. It was followed by the “First Dreamhouse” in 1962, “Astronaut Barbie” in 1965, “First Celebrity Doll” in 1967, “Introduction of Christie” in 1968, and “First Diverse Dolls Named Barbie” in 1980. These milestones highlight an evolving feminist perspective over the years.
Ruth Handler saw her daughter’s toy choices were limited. She could only play out being a mom or caregiver, whereas her son had toys that allowed him to imagine himself as a firefighter, astronaut, doctor, and more. This inspired Ruth to create a doll that showed girls they had choices — that they could be anything.
Cultural Impact and Critique
However, despite these strides, the lack of diversity in the doll collection meant Barbie primarily inspired only white girls to dream beyond the patriarchy. By introducing “Christie” in 1968, Mattel aimed to fill this gap. This Black doll was marketed as a friend of Barbie. To be more precise: A Black girl can only be friends with superior girls, but she can never be the cheerleader. Moreover, Christie was actually a replica of Barbie in her physical appearance, just with a darker skin tone.
Still, the well-received “Christie” motivated Mattel to financially support a new factory producing only Black dolls, representing Black culture with relatable bodies, faces, and dresses. Nevertheless, it wasn’t just about adding diversity to the toy line; it was about representation and the empowerment of young Black girls who could finally see a doll that looked like them on the shelves.
It is unclear whether the significant change in Barbie timeline was due to increased market demand or a genuine understanding of inclusivity by Mattel employees, but in 1980, women of color were finally acknowledged as Barbie: “Over the years, many diverse dolls were available, but they were always friends of Barbie. In 1980, Mattel released the first black and Hispanic dolls named Barbie.”
Furthermore, the official Barbie timeline tells us that girl-powering had already started at Mattel in the 1980s: “The commercial featured a song that had girls singing, ‘We girls can do anything, right Barbie?’ and ‘Anything is possible as long as I try.’” While empowering young girls for their future choices is invaluable, I can’t stop wondering: Who were these empowered young girls in the 1980s? The majority of the interview partners saw the first photo of the first #BlackBarbie for the first time during the filming. Moreover, we learned from the documentary that the #BlackBarbie commercials were requested from Mattel but have not been found (yet) in the archives. In other words, the #BlackBarbie was unseen and unspoken for some generations. So what happened when Barbie introduced “New Body Types” in 2016 and “#MoreRoleModels” in 2018? Let me explain it to you in two words: Neoliberal capitalism.
Neoliberal Capitalism and Commodity Feminism
Neoliberal capitalism thrives on a market strategy where identity and social justice become commodities. It highlights the double-edged sword of a consumer society’s impact on marginalized communities, including feminists, queers, migrants, and refugees. Following #BlackLivesMatter in 2013, #NoDAPL in 2016, and #MeToo in 2017, Barbie has met with “woke culture” and moved deeply into “commodity feminism” along with their diversified media outlets in addition to the dolls.
Commodity feminist companies use feminist slogans, symbols, and imagery in their advertising campaigns to appeal to consumers who identify with or support feminist ideals. This can range from T-shirts with feminist slogans to Netflix shows featuring empowered women. The focus is often on a superficial sense of empowerment that can be achieved through purchasing a product. For instance, Barbie’s “Dream Gap” project, which promotes empowerment and the right to self-determination, can be critiqued for selling products under the guise of fostering feminist values.
To conclude, the documentary “Black Barbie” delves into the cultural and social impact of the doll’s release. The story isn’t just about celebrating achievement but also criticizes the lack of an intersectional perspective in society, along with a solid note on the commercialization of diversity for profit in the market. Its message is clear: While it’s important to celebrate milestones like #BlackBarbie as a symbol of progress and a step towards inclusivity, it’s equally important to remain critical of how gender, race, and social class are acknowledged in society. Through the interviews with the people behind the scenes at Mattel, including the creator of the first #BlackBarbie, former Mattel employees, historians, doll collectors, human rights advocates, and public figures, we see how #BlackBarbie was more than a toy. This productive discussion emphasizes how intersectional feminism should be elaborated in the media for young generations burdened to seeking their identity.
So, next time you see a Barbie on the shelf, take a moment to dive deeper, question the motives, and engage critically with how the identity is portrayed. Don’t take #BlackBarbie for granted — let it inspire you to look beyond the surface.
“#BlackBarbie was more than a toy,” echoing Barbie as an art piece.
