Barbie on the Web

Here are some Barbie web pages that I found while putting together The Distorted Barbie. Some of these sites really go for the jugular, others are thoughtful debates on the effects of Barbie, and then there's FAO Schwarz, the toy store that sells everything but Mother Theresa Barbie. I tried to include the whole spectrum of responses.

Dean Brown's The Barbie Chronicles includes the lushly photographed "Barbie's History of Art" in which Barbie improves upon the world's great masterpieces.

Found this excerpt from Forever Barbie, an informative and intruiguing "biography" of Barbie by M.G. Lord: "she sank her jungle-red talons into our inner-lives". And check out this article Understanding Barbie-Phobia by Tracy Quan: "Barbie has been blessed with a modern body, built for speed and movement, self-sufficient and capable of fleeing".

For a good laugh, check out Barbies for the Nineties, or New Barbie Dolls including DIVORCED BARBIE (comes with all of Ken's accessories).

The Vicarious Barbie has a section on Barbie art, as well as a page on Cindy Jackson, a woman who has had more than a dozen operations to make herself look more like Barbie than Barbie.

For a brief history, read the Origin of Barbie. Or for fascinating Barbie trivia and quotes from recovering Barbie junkies, try All Things Barbie.

Though bashed by the feminist movement, Barbie was a bold image for women in the sixties. Not a wife, and not a mother, Barbie could play many roles. In Barbie and Me Crystal Kile explores Barbie as a feminist teaching toy.

G.I. Joe is the closest thing to a male Barbie counterpart. Ken just can't compete with the gun-toting, grenade launching, beach storming hard guy. Get the whole G.I. Joe story, plus a critique of Ken, at G.I. Joe - Action Soldier.

Here are two sites for Barbie lovers, collectors, or wackos like me who chase down social symbols. The Plastic Princess Page is packed with details on the Barbie collectible scene. Eileen's Barbie Page has a section on how to determine the exact age of your Barbie. Sort of like carbon-14 dating. My scans feature an early Twist-N-Turn Barbie created circa 1969.

Where do Barbies come from? Try BARBIE AT FAO SCHWARZ a truly glossy site dedicated to ramming the vinyl bitch right down our throats.


Barbie(tm), Ken, Skipper, Midge, etc are registered trademarks of Mattel, Inc. 



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