Beware of the Barbie Syndrome

Posted on by Parul Thakur
Shared by LP over Watsapp
Shared by LP over Watsapp

These days at work, we have been talking a lot about how the universe out there listens to all that you want out of everyday life and how positivity begets positivity. Surprisingly, I was reading an article this morning where some stats suggested that the most common resolution of all times is to “lose weight”. A couple of days back, VT mentioned that his gym is packed these days as this is January and people are trying to follow what they promised themselves on a New Years’ eve. This evening I read an article by Rutuja Diwekar and I was determined to why I don’t want to fall prey to “The Barbie Syndrome”. This was Universe’s way of telling me that a fit mind resides in a fit body and a fit body does not mean a thin body.

What is Barbie Syndrome? The desire to have the physical stats and appearance like that of a Barbie Doll leads to the Barbie Syndrome. Though there is no specific age group that is influenced by the looks of a Barbie, usually teenage females and those under the age of 25 are associated with this syndrome. Young females who as a little girl child may or may not have idolized a Barbie doll, believe that the physical appearances like hers are perfect to have. This leads to strict diet checks which further turns into Anorexia and we all know what havoc eating disorders can play on human body.

Physical stats are just numbers: Having a waist size of 18 inches does sound attractive but research has revealed that if Barbie was an actual person, having such stats would mean she would have trouble holding her own head straight, she may have to walk on all fours to support her body weight and she may not have enough fat to be able to menstruate.

When Barbie was launched in 1959, her creator Ruth Handler believed that little girls like role playing as adults and that’s how the idea of having an adult bodied doll was born. Since 1959, Barbie has been remodeled umpteen times and in around 150 countries, little girls play with a Barbie doll. They come in various dresses and shoes, their packaging is perfect and the entire Barbie doll set for your little doll could cost you a bomb!

Girls love dolls: It’s very common for a lot of people to gift girls a doll for their birthdays or any such celebration. I am sure even I must have thought of this. What should be an ideal gift is a game or a DIY kit that would help them explore their creative sides. When children are young, they are the most creative and such gifts are the best to help them get to know the left side of their brain. I fail to see what would a Saree clad Indian Barbie teach my god child when she grows up? If she would want to play with a doll, I would help her with a doll that’s not as perfect as Barbie but as real as she herself is.

Time to say Bye to Barbie: As a little girl, I was not very fond of dolls though I remember asking my parents for a Barbie once and that was almost 2 decades back. That time, Barbies used to be exorbitantly priced and my parents helped me understand why I can play with others dolls and not just get fixated on a Barbie. Today, I am glad they changed my mind else every birthday of mine, I would have asked for one and who knows I would have been one going through the Barbie Syndrome. Jokes apart – These days we are teaching our daughters to break stereotypes and telling our sons that it is okay and normal to cry. While we prepare children for a better tomorrow, let’s also try to teach children that their games should have a variety. As elders, let’s not impose things that have been done in the past. It’s time we say bye to Barbie and Barbie Syndrome and embrace what’s natural and a gift of God.

 

New Year, New Possibilities! Thank you Readers for making 2014 such a great year and encouraging me to blog. Your comments, likes, shares and tweets keep me going. I promise to write better! 

 

25 thoughts on “Beware of the Barbie Syndrome”

  1. Not everyone in the gym is there to lose weight because they want to look like Barbie or Ken.

    Some are there because they do need to lose weight AND get fit because it’s kling them slowly. They have high cholesterol or diabetes etc. Let’s not stereotype gym members.

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  2. In India, Tuberculosis (commonly thought to be a poverty disease) is now afflicting rich young women wanting to have Barbie vital stats. All because they follow unnatural diets to lose weight- and end up losing immunity. Sad – and scary!

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  3. oh yes BEWARE.. things were so simpler and good in the good old days when all this competition was not there ..

    all the modern technology is also a reason for all this

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  4. Losing weight is one of the most common resolutions anyone would have come across ;). Some do it because they actually wanna lose weight but for quite a few others your point about looking like Barbie is quite true.

    I have come across a lot of individuals who want to get so thin to the point that they appear malnourished to others around.

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  5. Hi Parul,

    Remember school days when many boys used to make fun of me by calling me “Moti”. Today when I look back & go through old pics I find myself perfectly alright. Healthy but fit. That’s my body structure!!! I didn’t wore certain dresses because people made me believe that I am fat & those dresses will look indecent.

    Today I am actually not slim specially after having cesarean baby but I feel great about myself because my husband and baby loves the way I am. I try all dresses and gets compliments as well. Sometimes people don’t want to look beyond their perceptions and the losers form groups find pleasure in ridiculing others. Same holds true for people fighting over religion or people defining size zero as standard for being sexy.

    Its actually the time to break barbie syndrome & find beauty in sparkling eyes, heart warming smile & not waists 🙂

    Love Shilpi

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    1. Shilpi – So happy that you could find time to read this post. Yes, I remember the days when we were judged by how we look Vs. what kind of person we were. You are so right! Time to find beauty in smiles and sparking eyes! Thank you!

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  6. I quite agree with your viewpoint… Losing weight to attain the barbie is on many minds… being fit is important but one must not over tease the body..

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  10. It’s true, most common resolution is – lose weight. You said it so beautifully – being fit is more important and it has nothing to do with weight. Some of my friends don’t eat to lose weight and they can’t do a single household chore. I saw girls fainting in the gym. That holding head thing was funny.

    Here to fit bodies and beautiful soul. 🙂

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  13. The ‘barbie syndrome’ as you’ve mentioned takes a toll on health and also brings in a mental depression if one gets too obsessed with it and not able to achieve it. One just needs to eat healthy (of course junk food is bad for anyone, but maybe just once in a while 😉 ) to live well. And there’re some guys too affected with ‘six-pack/eight-pack syndrome’ 😀

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