Barbie gives girls a false sense of reality.I made a more realistic situation for Barbie For my diorama, entitled “Barbie at theFree Clinic.” I had mommy Barbie, with her five small children running amuck,at the free clinic for various methodsOf birth control. There was the ParanoidVirgin, who wanted to be dipped in latex.Of course I had prostitute Barbie withHer various STD’s and backpack/sleeping roll. And finally Barbie finding out about her STD’s for the very first time. STD’s lay a predominating role in our world, and yet the world of Barbie is somehow immune to all b ad things. STD’s is still a taboo topic in America. I wanted to bring attention to our own views of the world by introducing the evils of our world onto Barbie’s perfect world.

The film Media Impact describes how film and television affect thoughts and attitudes. Mass communication is not limited to these forms of media. Toys can influence perceptions of self and others. The video Barbie Nation tells viewers that Barbie has impacted both children’s and adults’ views on body image, sexual relationships, gender roles, and family life.

INTRODUCTIONMETHOD

Students in the course, Reality, Fantasy, and the Media, saw both videos mentioned above and then created dioramas using Barbie and Ken to depict a media image of women or couples. They discussed their dioramas in a journal entry: Why did you choose this scene? How does it relate to representing women or couples in the media? The professor displayed the dioramas for the university community.

RESULTS

The diorama I created was a covered in pictures of skinny girls who are society’s stereotype

of the “perfect” body and what is beautiful. The inside of the box is supposed to be like Barbie’s room, with these pictures covering the walls to remind her how she needs to strive to look everyday. Barbie knows that anything less

than this considered ugly. Barbie, like any normal human being, and any woman, had a sugar craving. She gave into this craving and started to eat some Twinkies. Her rationalization of this act was that she was weak and this would inevitably set her back from being the ideal woman, hence the strip across the box saying “After binging, Barbie knew the damage from the second Twinkie would b e irreparable.” There is a mirror inside the box on the wall showing Barbie’s perception of herself after she indulged in the Twinkies. It is a picture of a woman much heavier than she obviously is. Because of this perception, Barbie did not feel like her life was worth anything. So, she took it by hanging herself. Twinkie cream still covered her lips to show how quickly she came to the conclusion that she was ugly. This box was not meant to be disturbing, but to merely show the images young girls and young women feel they need to fit in order to be considered beautiful and having any worth.

I created a club scene that originally formed around the feminine Ken and the masculine Barbie. It then evolved into a gay club with drag queen performers and lesbian club goers. This is rarely represented in media except in talk shows where the homosexual guests often must defend themselves from an onslaught of heterosexual criticism. I had originally wanted to play on the myth that women always look like Barbie and men always look like Ken. But that message seemed lost on most people who still believe that if you’re not like Barbie then you are gay. So, I guess I represented a false stereotype. The project evolved on a grand scale as more dolls were added and more members of my family helped and added impact.

The scene I created in my diorama was of the glass ceiling that many women find on their way up the corporate ladder. The corporate world sees families as a setback for women. So, I put pictures of her family to demonstrate their importance to her. I gave Barbie a nicely decorated office, however it is small. I chose this scene because it is a very important topic for women. They are going to college to get high paying jobs. But if they have a family, this will hold them back. It seems that television is trying to step away from this image. For example, Ally McBeal has a high level job, though she has no family. Judging Amy is a show about a judge who is trying to raise a family on her own. She would have to have dedicated a great deal of time to her profession to reach this position. The movies still depict women as fighters and b itchy if they make their way up the corporate ladder. Julie Roberts in Erin Brockovich had to prove herself time and time again, even to other women. At the end of the movie, it seemed like a great triumph since she received a higher level position.

I created adventure Barbie and turned her into a rock climber. I included all sorts of action photographs that helped describe Barbie’s lifestyle. I work at Outdoors, Inc., and I see how very little women participate in extreme Sports. I do myself, but I will say it is very difficult. I have found only one other woman rock climber in Memphis to train and climb with. My only other choice is males, but they give me a hard time whether they know it or not. When I climb, most routes are structured for taller people, which tend to be men. Representing Women discusses women doing what

men usually do, and men try to put them back where they were. Men don’t like seeing women stepping on their toes.

DISCUSSION

The Barbie diorama can be created by both male and female students in a variety of courses to depict the individual’s understanding of topics such as stereotypes, discrimination, fantasy, violence, propaganda, psychopathology, drug abuse, and dreams.

• “It was a fun project that allowed for creativity.”

•“While this might be exaggeration, I did feel the environment was a little male hostile, and at times I felt downright uncomfortable. But that is ok, I understand the course would have to be altered greatly to change that, which would affect the effectiveness of the class itself. I enjoyed this class thoroughly.”