“True death equals a generation living by rules and attitudes they never questioned and producing more children who do the same.”
Growing up, I had a somewhat estranged relationship with figures like Barbie, Cinderella, and other Disney Princesses. Although I was enamored with the concept and idea of being a Princess who would one day be whisked away by her Prince Charming, I did not see myself represented in the toys, books, and media available at the time. It was not until The Princess and the Frog (2009) was released that others like me were represented, and even then, the representation was minimal and fleeting, as Tiana spent the vast majority of the film as an amphibian. When it came to dolls, Barbie did not pique my interest. Yes, Black Barbies were available in the early 2000s, but in many ways, they were whitewashed in terms of hair texture, complexion, and features.
In Christiansen’s article, “Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us: Critiquing fairy tales and cartoons,” Christiansen discusses the secret education of indoctrination prevalent in our society. She argues that this secret education is present in media such as cartoons and perpetuates harmful stereotypes and ideas rooted in inequalities. This view from Christiansen validates my opinions on most media, especially as someone who stands on the fringes of society as a plus-sized Black woman, and has historically been underrepresented and/or painted in a negative light when represented.
Hi Destiny,
ReplyDeleteI remember what the shelves looked like when my mom used to take me and my 3 sisters to get Barbies. Even the Disney princesses back in the days were all light skinned. I am glad Disney started to make changes, slowly but surely.
I appreciate that you included that even when companies start to introduce diversity to their product line, it's often minimal and subversively still seeks to reinforce other aspects of our cultural assumptions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this heartfelt perspective, Destiny. I love the image! Quick story: I briefly worked at KB Toy Stores, and one day a giant bin of only Black Barbie's appeared on the floor... and they were all on sale, while the white Barbie's were full price. I could only guess they weren't selling elsewhere and got moved to the Providence store. The message felt so appalling. While I saw two young Black sisters go home happy, their mom wasn't smiling while she paid.
ReplyDelete