3 ms·

This gives Mattel way more credit than they deserve. They're making these dolls because society has figured out that we need to value women's contributions, an

This gives Mattel way more credit than they deserve. They're making these dolls because society has figured out that we need to value women's contributions, and everyone agrees. Mattel is lagging, not leading on this issue. Go back a bit in time and when society had different values, Barbie had different professions.

HorizonXP 5y ago
Fair, but they still have a large cultural impact and this is still a net positive impact. When kids run into the toy section at Walmart, they still see a lot of Barbie. So having this happen is still an overall good thing, even if it's late.
- gsich 5y ago
  Will children care or even know?
  - krapp 5y ago
    The goal is (or should be) that they will learn, and be inspired. Nothing wrong with that.
  - obmelvin 5y ago
    From one perspective, they won't know or care either way, so that's why it's important to showcase diverse careers and individuals, so that it can just become "normal".
    - ekianjo 5y ago
      > why it's important to showcase diverse careers and individuals You see people of all genders of every profession on TV and everywhere else already, a few dolls parading aside won't make much impact.
      - madeofpalk 5y ago
        “Dolls not making an impact” is exactly the point.
minitoar 5y ago
What part of the article is giving Mattel undo credit? It seems mainly to be a reporting of facts.
- lordnacho 5y ago
  This is an obvious submarine article. http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html
  - majewsky 5y ago
    I have seen this story make the rounds in my local (non-English) reporting as well. Did Mattel really pay each any every one of these media? The much easier theory is that news outlets crave feel-good stories that no one will object to, like this one, to balance out all the grim world events.
    - lordnacho 5y ago
      It's not that they get paid explicitly. Their PR knows journalists and just casually suggest that if they have some space, how about this {article}? We'll even do most of the writing for you. That frees up your time to investigate real things.
      - minitoar 5y ago
        Is it wrong for Mattel to do this? Wouldn’t most companies do a press push when they release a new product? I don’t see how this is any different than an article about the latest Apple product.
pram 5y ago
There is already Doctor Barbie though. Since the 80s!
- watwut 5y ago
  These are not generic occupation Barbies, but modeled on some real world women: > Kirby White is an Australian doctor based in Victoria who pioneered Gowns for Doctors, an initiative behind surgical gowns that can be washed and reused by frontline workers during the pandemic. Dr White was inspired to create the gowns after her clinic experienced a shortage just three weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic last year. I don't see how it changes much of anything. The novelty is not to propagate being doctor to girls (quite normal occupation for women these days), but that this particular woman was made into barbie.
racl101 5y ago
This is typical company not wanting to be on the wrong side and pandering. Only thing they care about is the bottom line. Nevertheless, it would be good to see different types of Barbies if not only for the fact that if they get discontinued they'll make good collectibles.
MikeUt 5y ago
Such as surgeon in 1973, astronaut in 1965, and business executive in 1960? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers
- lordnacho 5y ago
  Cherry picked. News Anchor: 2010 President: 2000 Basketball player: 2019 Dentist: 1997
  - MikeUt 5y ago
    > Cherry picked. The dolls were available to buy. Would you prefer they stopped selling their other models, to focus on these?
    - lordnacho 5y ago
      Point is you can support any thesis by selecting supportive evidence. I could as well say they are a backward firm for not showing Barbie doing the things on my list until way too late.
      - MikeUt 5y ago
        Are they also a backward firm for not making a hairdresser Barbie until 2008, and a make-up artist Barbie until 2007? I had typical boy's toys - lego and some action figures. None of them were news anchors, presidents, basketball players, dentists, or famed male scientists. Nor were any surgeons or business executives. Only a few astronauts. Is that also evidence of... something?

HorizonXP 5y ago

Fair, but they still have a large cultural impact and this is still a net positive impact. When kids run into the toy section at Walmart, they still see a lot of Barbie. So having this happen is still an overall good thing, even if it's late.

gsich 5y ago
Will children care or even know?
- krapp 5y ago
  The goal is (or should be) that they will learn, and be inspired. Nothing wrong with that.
- obmelvin 5y ago
  From one perspective, they won't know or care either way, so that's why it's important to showcase diverse careers and individuals, so that it can just become "normal".
  - ekianjo 5y ago
    > why it's important to showcase diverse careers and individuals You see people of all genders of every profession on TV and everywhere else already, a few dolls parading aside won't make much impact.
    - madeofpalk 5y ago
      “Dolls not making an impact” is exactly the point.

minitoar 5y ago

What part of the article is giving Mattel undo credit? It seems mainly to be a reporting of facts.

lordnacho 5y ago
This is an obvious submarine article. http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html
- majewsky 5y ago
  I have seen this story make the rounds in my local (non-English) reporting as well. Did Mattel really pay each any every one of these media? The much easier theory is that news outlets crave feel-good stories that no one will object to, like this one, to balance out all the grim world events.
  - lordnacho 5y ago
    It's not that they get paid explicitly. Their PR knows journalists and just casually suggest that if they have some space, how about this {article}? We'll even do most of the writing for you. That frees up your time to investigate real things.
    - minitoar 5y ago
      Is it wrong for Mattel to do this? Wouldn’t most companies do a press push when they release a new product? I don’t see how this is any different than an article about the latest Apple product.

pram 5y ago

There is already Doctor Barbie though. Since the 80s!

watwut 5y ago
These are not generic occupation Barbies, but modeled on some real world women: > Kirby White is an Australian doctor based in Victoria who pioneered Gowns for Doctors, an initiative behind surgical gowns that can be washed and reused by frontline workers during the pandemic. Dr White was inspired to create the gowns after her clinic experienced a shortage just three weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic last year. I don't see how it changes much of anything. The novelty is not to propagate being doctor to girls (quite normal occupation for women these days), but that this particular woman was made into barbie.

racl101 5y ago

This is typical company not wanting to be on the wrong side and pandering. Only thing they care about is the bottom line. Nevertheless, it would be good to see different types of Barbies if not only for the fact that if they get discontinued they'll make good collectibles.

MikeUt 5y ago

Such as surgeon in 1973, astronaut in 1965, and business executive in 1960? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers

lordnacho 5y ago
Cherry picked. News Anchor: 2010 President: 2000 Basketball player: 2019 Dentist: 1997
- MikeUt 5y ago
  > Cherry picked. The dolls were available to buy. Would you prefer they stopped selling their other models, to focus on these?
  - lordnacho 5y ago
    Point is you can support any thesis by selecting supportive evidence. I could as well say they are a backward firm for not showing Barbie doing the things on my list until way too late.
    - MikeUt 5y ago
      Are they also a backward firm for not making a hairdresser Barbie until 2008, and a make-up artist Barbie until 2007? I had typical boy's toys - lego and some action figures. None of them were news anchors, presidents, basketball players, dentists, or famed male scientists. Nor were any surgeons or business executives. Only a few astronauts. Is that also evidence of... something?