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Parents outraged over tattooed Barbie
Barbie's got a new look thanks to Japanese-inspired brand Tokidoki, complete with pink hair, glittery heels and tattoos across her neck, arms and chest. The $50 limited-edition Barbie is marketed to adult collectors, but some parents are pissed at Barbie-maker Mattel, saying that Tokidoki Barbie has a negative influence on kids.
"Encouraging children that tattoos are cool is wrong, wrong, wrong. Mattel why not put a cigarette and a beer bottle in her hand while you're at it!" an online commenter on the Ms Twixt website wrote.
Critics of the Barbie say that the doll is supposed to be a role model for girls, and her tattooed look sends the wrong message.
However some parents say that with her unrealistic body proportions, Barbie was already a bad influence, and think that perhaps this Barbie provides some much-needed diversity.
"Good for you Mattel for making a doll a little more like the rest of us. I consider it a tiny step in the right direction," another Ms Twixt online commenter said.
This isn't the first time Barbie has had tattoos - a 1999 Butterfly Art Barbie was pulled from shelves after thousands of parents protested.
Mattel is standing by Tokidoki Barbie, saying in a statement that the company has "no intentions to discontinue the doll. The doll gives girls a chance to express themselves and be creative."
What do you think of Tokidoki Barbie: bad influence or a-ok? Would you buy one for your child?
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Comment
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Comment by Kenzismommy86 on December 10, 2011 at 10:56am -
Yes I wuld...she has to know that there r different appearances that r beautiful versus wat the media tells us is beautiful. The traditional barbie is no better about setting beauty standards..they show our children wat society expects of them to b considered beautiful
I love the new doll!!!!
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Comment by aleksmommy on November 9, 2011 at 10:41am
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i think this barbie is awesome and my daughter is excited to get her for christmas.
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Comment by Samantha Hedger on November 7, 2011 at 5:07pm -
Its a collector's edition, not a child's toy. End of story!
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Comment by Cinnamon on November 4, 2011 at 8:11pm -
I don't think this is an issue for kids at all. Did anyone else note the $50 price tag on this doll? There's no way I'd buy a $50 Barbie for my kids. Besides, just about everyone I know, from my 61-year-old father-in-law, my husband & myself all have tattoos. We are all from different walks of life and got our tattoos for very different reasons. I've had no trouble explaining my tattoos to my very curious 6-year-old and I doubt she would even care if Barbie had a few. I don't rely on Mattel (or any other corporation, school, religious organization, etc.) to teach my kids about values and virtues, I'm a parent - that's MY job.
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Comment by GravityEyelids on November 4, 2011 at 1:21am
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I like tattoos and see no problem with Barbie having some. Tattoos don't make a bad influence. I don't like Barbie, but I might buy this one.
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Comment by Harley'sMommy on November 3, 2011 at 12:46pm -
I have 16 tattoos and my boyfriend has to many to count(he alreay has our sons named tattooed on his neck n our son was only a month old when he got it done.).Also almost every1 in my family has tattoos as well. I don't think there is anything wrong with barbie being tattooed. Just because you have one tattoo or are covered in tattoos doesn't mean your a bad person. My advice to parents who don't agree with tattoos are don't buy tattoo barbie it's tgat simple. I think tattoo barbie is the coolest barbie ever!
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Comment by chelsea johnson on November 3, 2011 at 9:11am -
whether you buy a tatted up Barbie or not your child will see tattoos when they get older anyway. im in the medical field and i have four tattoos and plan to get more. i am also in nursing school. my coworkers and boss have no problem with them. they actually like them! my point is no matter how much you try to shelter a child, theres a whole world out there! and being different from the crowd or the "norm" does not make you good or bad/ successful or unsuccessful etc...
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Comment by Amy Michelle on November 2, 2011 at 11:36pm
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As a tattooed parent, I think it's great that they are showing another side of barbie. They have many types of Barbie's....what if you dont like vampires? They made a Twilight Barbie collection. That could be "wrong" to some individuals. If you do not like it no one is making you buy it. Everyone is different and will definitely have their own opinions but no one is forcing this on you. Just take it as what it is....Barbie and Mattel coming into the times and following a trend that alot of people have and like tattoos. It's a personal choice so let's agree to disagree.
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Comment by coastiegrl on November 2, 2011 at 9:43pm
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@wiredwombat
If you carefully read my post I didn't say tattoo's were pushing an agenda. As I also mentioned in my post, I have tattoos and I'm also responsible and successful (not sure what point you were trying to make there). Neither did I say having a tattoo on a doll is a loss of innocence... I sure hope you aren't a doctor because as someone with a PhD, you seem to have a problem with reading comprehension. I'm not even going to bother responding to the rest of your post because none of it accurately addresses what I wrote in mine.
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Comment by Quicosmom on November 2, 2011 at 3:33pm -
Oh get over it. If I had a daughter I wouldn't want her to be inspired by Barbie anyway, but it wouldn't stop me from letting her play with it. I used to cut my Barbie's hair, and punk her out. I even drew on her. Kids are gonna do it themselves anyway. Oh and shouldn't we be more worried about the unrealistic body image Barbie projects? Bah, Dumb.
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