Flame — HabitableZone

Flame » in reply to Um, it's a plastic doll. Do they really expect it to wince in pain?

Nooooo...
Mary Anne — (archived)

Barbie represents more than just the fashion doll she is because she has become connected intimately with girls' body image and gender identity and the distortion thereof. She's sort-of like a tiny little Stepford Wife.

The critic's point is that, as a plastic doll, she will continue to be the same no matter what. As a plastic doll that has been used as a symbol of female beauty to tens of millions of little American girls, she will continue to smile her little plastic smile no matter what degrading thing is done to her.

It's symbolism. You know: like the flag isn't really the United States, but it's a symbol of the United States.

It's not especially subtle symbolism, more like smack-you-in-the-face symbolism. Though I have doubts about the artist's appeal to interior designers, there's nothing wrong with the ability to reason displayed by the critic, since the piece is recognized as symbolism. You should be the last one to remark about anyone's state of mind, or for that matter, at what point the yuck factor overpowers satire in cultural commentary.

You can, of course, refuse to purchase it, leaving that task to Barbie Rescue.

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