There's been more than one mistake in the long history of Barbie. Some of them were the result of Mattel's ignorance of subcultures in our society. I'm concerned they may have done it again!
Earring Magic Ken dressed like the rest of Barbie's Earring Magic crew. Leather and mesh tops in vibrant colors, hoops dangling everywhere so they could be switched out with the doll's earrings. The look gave the females in the line a vaguely disco-biker look, but since Ken was male... One report said he "would be at home on Christopher Street". Christopher Street at the time was well known for homosexual promiscuity. Since Ken is canonically in a committed heterosexual relationship with Barbie, such was clearly not Mattel's intent.
Given the time of the doll's release, Mattel had probably planned for some controversy about his earring. Male earrings were a new thing and the guys were very careful to get the correct one pierced. Ken's piercing indicates his heterosexuality, but this doll was quickly pulled from production because of the implications of the rest of his wardrobe.
Oreo Barbie was a case of damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't. Mattel worked with Nabisco to make a doll hawking the classic cookie. Mattel has a history of at least attempting inclusive doll lines (some better than others) and so the Oreo doll was offered in two skin tones - the classic blonde and the one pictured. Can you guess what the problem was?
In slang, an Oreo is someone white on the inside and black on the outside. (My Sioux friend tells me her people have a similar use of "apple".) So this doll was laughed off the shelf. Instead of "these cookies are yummy" she sent a message of "I betray my people". Not exactly what Mattel had in mind.
For context, I will remind my readers that a few years before this line, Midge got married. The Midge bride doll was dropped off by Santa one year, under my sister's tree, and her daughter was a Midge girl from that moment on. I remember eyeing the wedding set - six dolls - and forcing myself to pass it by for reasons that have no bearing here.
The Happy Family line created chaos, in part because silly Mattel forgot at first to give Midge a wedding ring, but mostly because people still thought of these dolls as teenagers. There were also those who knew Midge was married, they knew Midge was of age, they just didn't care. That doll is teaching children about sex. As if children haven't been rubbing Barbie and Ken together since 1961, without Mattel giving them the idea.
So a happily married, adult doll was removed from production because it was scandalous.
Side Note: Midge's baby bump was magnetic and without it she looked no different from any other Midge. The hollow-bodied horror many articles show is not even a Mattel product.
And now we reach the latest possible scandal. Cutie Reveal dolls come wearing animal costumes. My first thought was cheerleading mascot. Some others are reminded of The Masked Singer TV show. The costume, sans the head and paws, could be fuzzy pajamas. The top doubles as a jacket over a molded on swimsuit. There's a variety of skin tones and nine points of articulation.
But way too many of us are calling them "Furry Barbie".
Furries are, put simply, people who cosplay as animals. There is a sexual component, which gets all the press, but I suspect it's likely comparable to Trekkies role-playing in (and out of) their Starfleet uniforms. The public opinion of Furries seems to be that they are all raging perverts.
I think this line is really cute. I've managed to get Panda and didn't find her in my usual store. I'm worried that these gals might go the way of the others mentioned in this blog. Poor Ken, outed because he wanted to match his friends. Poor Oreo, betraying her heritage by liking a cookie. Poor Midge, reproducing in the most socially acceptable way there is.
I hope Mattel holds their ground on this one.
