I'm intrigued by the ferocity of this debate.
A member of the list asks for help and receives, instead, some fairly
vociferous criticism. It seems somewhat out of keeping with the usual
tone of this most excellent source of discussion and information.
For what it's worth, I think the idea has some merit. My immediate
response to the suggestion of an ecofem barbie was that it drew on a
long and successful history of co-opting a dominant paradigm to serve
one's own purposes.
I agree that there would need to be a consideration of such issues as
physical appearance (to reduce the anorexia and bulimia tendencies of
this icon), but given some adherence to such fairly obvious parameters,
the scope for easing in an alternative view is definitely there.
Since the dolls are purchased in huge quantities, perhaps there's real
value in finding a way to turn their popularity to positive use by
altering their mien and their message, rather than endlessly - and quite
likely fruitlessly - berating them.
Hope you find some encouragement in this, Vera.
Regards from South Australia,
Nicola
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Vera M. Britto wrote:
>
> On Thu, 3 Apr 1997, Karen A. Barnhardt wrote:
>
> > Thank You!!! I was beginning to think that I was the only one having
> > these thoughts!! I appreciate that Vera's project is probably
> > well-intended, but Sandi's salient comments need to be seriously
> > considered. An EcoFem Barbie? What a perfect way to recuperate what
> > could be radical discourse/practice back into patriarchial project. There
> > are so many other toys, books, and projects that would be so much more
> > appropriate for informing emerging ecofeminist attitudes in young people.
> >
> > Karen B.
> >
>
> and i thought i was speaking with people who were capable of
> thinking about the barbie project with a much more complex
> and broad minded approach, so that if one didn't write a whole
> thesis on all that it would entail, other people may even
> have a suggestion to make that would not be based on sheer
> prejudice, paternalism (no pun intended), and lack of
> knowledge of what i think or not about the body shape, color
> etc of the doll. just a reminder, the word prejudice comes
> from putting together pre+judge, that is, before you know
> something or someone, you make a judgement.
>
> from my experience, most "feminists" would jump to talk
> about body shape and be totally clueless on ethical/sustainable production
> and distribution processes. not too many "feminists" that
> i know have much understanding about sustainable materials
> either and how they could be applied to making toys.
>
> i thought i could get more information on a variety of topics
> regarding the project but thank you for showing me how wrong i was.
>
> Vera
>
> > On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, Sandra Krajewski wrote:
> >
> > > I am aghast--healthy sustainable barbie is an oxymoron--start with her
> > > proportions and make her look like women really look in all our diversity
> > > (not just color) and I'll be she doesn't sell. Barbie is about keeping the
> > > exercise and diet industry in addition to the cosmetics industry and
> > > counselors busy--and keeping us busy looking like her. Just changing her
> > > clothing won't change her impact and then would it be barbie?---Sandi K
> > > >
> > > >i am researching for an article that proposes what
> > > >a feminist Barbie doll would be like. by feminist i
> > > >mean a broad feminism (a la bell hooks), that challenges
> > > >all forms of oppression (which BTW includes questioning
> > > >imperialism). so ideas for the new "barbie" would be:
> > > >made of sustainable materials, would be produced
> > > >in decent conditions with a fair trade mechanism of
> > > >distribution, would send positive messages about womanhood
> > > >for children (example: outfit for union organizer, peace activist, etc,
> > > >etc).
> > > >
> > > >would anyone like to give a suggestion for their
> > > >vision of a healthy sustainable barbie?
> > > >i would be particularly interested in ideas for
> > > >sustainable materials, production processes that related
> > > >to community development, and positive roles for the doll.
> > > >
> > > >(i'll be happy to give credit where it's due, if
> > > >article gets published).
> > > >
> > > >thanks,
> > > >
> > > >Vera Britto
> > > >([EMAIL PROTECTED] - http://www.umich.edu/~fiatlux)
> > >
>............................................................................
> > > >Le Bret: Si tu laissais un peu ton ame mousquetaire, la fortune et la
> > > >gloire... Cyrano: Et que faudrait-il faire? Chercher un protecteur
> > > >puissant, prendre un patron, et, comme un lierre obscur que circonvient
> > > >un tronc et s'en fait un tuteur en lui lechant l'ecorce, grimper par
> > > >ruse au lieu de s'elever par force? Non, merci! Non, merci! Non, merci!
> > > >Mais... chanter, rever, rire, passer, etre seul, etre libre... oui.
> > > > "Cyrano de Bergerac" - Edmond Rostand
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fri Apr 4 07:09:09 1997
Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 09:10:51 -0800
From: "Leslie A. Wetzel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: EcoFem Barbie
Dear Vera,
There are many materials that could be used for the sustainable
production of an EcoFem Barbie. Agricultural byproducts can be a great
source of input for other products. For example, in banana plantations
(which, of course, are the predominant crop in the humid tropics and
very environmentally destructive) plastic bags lined with insecticides
are used to cover the fruit during the maturation practice. In some
regions, these bags are being collected, treated and recycled to make
all sorts of plastic products. Twine used to secure growing plants
against the wind can also be recycled. Even stalks of banana trees,
hearts of palm, papaya, etc. can be ground into a pulp and made into
paper suitable for packaging your product. There are many natural dyes
such as annatto that are indigenously grown.
The production of competitively priced product would, of course be quite
a challenge. Mattel is notorious for its use of child labor in the
production of Barbie and fair trade labor practices would most likely
double or triple the cost of producing the doll. With lower sales
margins, however, there is a chance for a competitively priced product.
I don't know much about distribution systems, but I will keep my ears
open and share anything I can think of.
Good Luck,
Leslie Wetzel
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Apr 5 17:24:59 1997
for <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Sat, 5 Apr 1997 19:24:53 -0500 (EST)
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 1997 19:24:52 -0500 (EST)
From: "Karen A. Barnhardt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: STUDIES IN WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Ecofem Barbie discussion
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Would you really call this discussion ferocious or vociferous? Really?
I certainly wouldn't consider asking a question or agreeing with someone's
point as being ferocious or loudmouthed. I certainly didn't mean my
comments to be taken as some huge threat to civility to the content and
tone of this list. Or can we not pose any critical questions to any one's
projects? When I put out my ideas to my colleagues, I expect (hope for) a
diversity of feedback--some of which I will accept and some of which I
will reject. Some of the most valuable feedback comes in the form of
questions that I had not considered. I affirm the fact that we all are
engaging in important and critical work, but wisdom sometimes tells us
that we need to take ourselves a little less seriously at times. Laugh
a little my friends, laugh.
Karen B.
On Fri, 4 Apr 1997, Nicola wrote:
> I'm intrigued by the ferocity of this debate.
>
> A member of the list asks for help and receives, instead, some fairly
> vociferous criticism. It seems somewhat out of keeping with the usual
> tone of this most excellent source of discussion and information.
>
> For what it's worth, I think the idea has some merit. My immediate
> response to the suggestion of an ecofem barbie was that it drew on a
> long and successful history of co-opting a dominant paradigm to serve
> one's own purposes.
>
> I agree that there would need to be a consideration of such issues as
> physical appearance (to reduce the anorexia and bulimia tendencies of
> this icon), but given some adherence to such fairly obvious parameters,
> the scope for easing in an alternative view is definitely there.
>
> Since the dolls are purchased in huge quantities, perhaps there's real
> value in finding a way to turn their popularity to positive use by
> altering their mien and their message, rather than endlessly - and quite
> likely fruitlessly - berating them.
>
> Hope you find some encouragement in this, Vera.
> Regards from South Australia,
> Nicola
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Vera M. Britto wrote:
> >
> > On Thu, 3 Apr 1997, Karen A. Barnhardt wrote:
> >
> > > Thank You!!! I was beginning to think that I was the only one having
> > > these thoughts!! I appreciate that Vera's project is probably
> > > well-intended, but Sandi's salient comments need to be seriously
> > > considered. An EcoFem Barbie? What a perfect way to recuperate what
> > > could be radical discourse/practice back into patriarchial project. There
> > > are so many other toys, books, and projects that would be so much more
> > > appropriate for informing emerging ecofeminist attitudes in young people.
> > >
> > > Karen B.
> > >
> >
> > and i thought i was speaking with people who were capable of
> > thinking about the barbie project with a much more complex
> > and broad minded approach, so that if one didn't write a whole
> > thesis on all that it would entail, other people may even
> > have a suggestion to make that would not be based on sheer
> > prejudice, paternalism (no pun intended), and lack of
> > knowledge of what i think or not about the body shape, color
> > etc of the doll. just a reminder, the word prejudice comes
> > from putting together pre+judge, that is, before you know
> > something or someone, you make a judgement.
> >
> > from my experience, most "feminists" would jump to talk
> > about body shape and be totally clueless on ethical/sustainable production
> > and distribution processes. not too many "feminists" that
> > i know have much understanding about sustainable materials
> > either and how they could be applied to making toys.
> >
> > i thought i could get more information on a variety of topics
> > regarding the project but thank you for showing me how wrong i was.
> >
> > Vera
> >
> > > On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, Sandra Krajewski wrote:
> > >
> > > > I am aghast--healthy sustainable barbie is an oxymoron--start with her
> > > > proportions and make her look like women really look in all our diversity
> > > > (not just color) and I'll be she doesn't sell. Barbie is about keeping the
> > > > exercise and diet industry in addition to the cosmetics industry and
> > > > counselors busy--and keeping us busy looking like her. Just changing her
> > > > clothing won't change her impact and then would it be barbie?---Sandi K
> > > > >
> > > > >i am researching for an article that proposes what
> > > > >a feminist Barbie doll would be like. by feminist i
> > > > >mean a broad feminism (a la bell hooks), that challenges
> > > > >all forms of oppression (which BTW includes questioning
> > > > >imperialism). so ideas for the new "barbie" would be:
> > > > >made of sustainable materials, would be produced
> > > > >in decent conditions with a fair trade mechanism of
> > > > >distribution, would send positive messages about womanhood
> > > > >for children (example: outfit for union organizer, peace activist, etc,
> > > > >etc).
> > > > >
> > > > >would anyone like to give a suggestion for their
> > > > >vision of a healthy sustainable barbie?
> > > > >i would be particularly interested in ideas for
> > > > >sustainable materials, production processes that related
> > > > >to community development, and positive roles for the doll.
> > > > >
> > > > >(i'll be happy to give credit where it's due, if
> > > > >article gets published).
> > > > >
> > > > >thanks,
> > > > >
> > > > >Vera Britto
> > > > >([EMAIL PROTECTED] - http://www.umich.edu/~fiatlux)
> > > >
> >............................................................................
> > > > >Le Bret: Si tu laissais un peu ton ame mousquetaire, la fortune et la
> > > > >gloire... Cyrano: Et que faudrait-il faire? Chercher un protecteur
> > > > >puissant, prendre un patron, et, comme un lierre obscur que circonvient
> > > > >un tronc et s'en fait un tuteur en lui lechant l'ecorce, grimper par
> > > > >ruse au lieu de s'elever par force? Non, merci! Non, merci! Non, merci!
> > > > >Mais... chanter, rever, rire, passer, etre seul, etre libre... oui.
> > > > > "Cyrano de Bergerac" - Edmond Rostand
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
>
