The Barbie toy has been in households and viewed as a cultural phenomenon since its release in 1959, but with the new movie set to release this week, some are noticing that not every generation feels the same about the iconic doll.
While the doll’s current brand is built around the idea that anybody can do or be anything they want, some have pointed to the unrealistic expectations for women’s bodies and misogynistic undertones that come with the toy.
For a closer look at how newer generations feel about Barbie and all her evolutions, KCBS Radio’s Holly Quan spoke with Jennifer Tracy, a spokesperson with Harmony Healthcare IT, which recently researched Gen Z’s relationship with the Barbie world.
The research from Harmony Healthcare IT found that 53% of Gen Z thought Barbie was the ideal body type, and Tracy shared that some of the findings were very surprising while others in the study were “no duh.”
Tracy shared that among 1,000 women surveyed nationwide, 88% reported having a Barbie doll growing up. She also shared that among Gen Z, 39% considered her to be a role model.
When it comes to the design of the doll, Tracy shared that one common point was made evident.
“One thing was very clear from the women we surveyed, Barbie’s body is unrealistic for the everyday woman,” Tracy said.
On top of this, the study found that 69% of the women surveyed thought Barbie could lead to body image issues.
However, there has been some positive change. Tracy shared that 3 in 5 women feel that the new Barbie does a better job of “reflecting all different types of women and body types and careers.”
Tracy attributes this change in Barbie as a reason why more than one-third of Gen Z views Barbie as a role model.
“Gen Z grew up with that type of Barbie, whereas older generations may have seen Barbie as something different, something that they just worried about her hair and her clothes and not exactly what she does,” Tracy said. “It’s clear there is a bit of a different view of Barbie with this younger generation.”
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