Has anyone seen this makeup free Barbie? A graphic artist did a rendition of a Barbie that has no makeup. While in theory this sounds alright, in actual practice I'm kind of annoyed.
I'm not a makeup girl. Not even close. If you know me then you know full well that I occasionally wear makeup, but for the most part just don't feel I need it. Not that I won't change my mind, but for the moment I'm good in general. That doesn't mean I have a problem with makeup, I certainly don't, I just take the stance that I don't want my husband to wake up in the morning with a different woman than he went to bed with at night if you know what I mean.
The point of the explanation is to show a history to some extent that I am not a huge proponent of makeup. So in theory I should love this makeup free Barbie: A chance for us to raise our daughters with an image of what "real" women look like not some unattainable beauty queen. Awesome. Well, not so much...
When I was a kid my mom didn't want me to have Barbies. At my birthday as a matter of fact she would take any Barbie I received and confiscate it. Her thought process was that as a woman she wanted me to be proud of who I was naturally and not want to be something fake that I wasn't really capable of being; Cover up my true self by focusing on clothes and makeup, etc. In some ways I appreciate my mothers approach. I understand where she was coming from. My mother is an incredibly strong woman who is self aware and capable and she thought that came from imagination in other ways, not necessarily Barbie doll ways...literally and figuratively. As an adult I'm not convinced I agree with her thought process. Sometimes it's ok to explore all the possibilities of the person you can be, not just the person society thinks you should be...and thus, my ultimate problem.
So, if you haven't seen a picture of "makeup free Barbie" then you might think she simply looks the same, minus the coloration's on her eyes, lips, and cheeks. Well you would be dead wrong. This particular makeup free Barbie (created by a man BTW) has sunken eyes, wrinkles, frizzy hair, and even yellowing brownish teeth. WOW!!!! I had NO idea that if you took away the makeup, you would uncover a hideously old looking woman who doesn't brush her teeth, hair, or wash her face and hasn't looked in the mirror maybe in weeks.
So let me get this straight. Makeup free Barbie is supposed to liberate our daughters from thinking they need to hide behind makeup to pretend to be beautiful, but you've made makeup free Barbie so hideous that now you have done the opposite. You have terrified my pre-teenage daughter into believing that if she doesn't wear makeup she will turn into a hideously ugly crack head witch of a human being! Wow, great plan stupid man. Have you lost your mind?!?
There must be a middle ground...no I don't want to raise self absorbed, delusional, entitled daughters who think makeup, clothes, and money will bring them happiness. I do however want to raise daughters who are confident about who they are and what they have to offer. I'm not certain that makeup means that my goals are impossible. Makeup isn't the enemy. Truthfully, society is what steers our children wrong in many ways...the makeup isn't the problem. Maybe the son you've raised to see beauty only in the exterior is what's wrong? Just a thought...
My point I guess is that we seem to focus on the wrong things. The makeup isn't what's wrong with Barbie...what's wrong with Barbie is the way we teach our daughters to play with her. I think we can have it both ways. We don't just have to be the pretty Barbie (and there is nothing wrong with being beautiful FYI). We can be the strong, confident, capable, takes care of herself Barbie who kicks ass and takes names, WHILE wearing makeup and a cute outfit. The idea that we as women have to choose between beauty and brains is what's wrong with us...not the makeup.
If I saw that graphic designer on the street I might slap him...do you teach your daughters to see beauty as a negative? Shame on you...we CAN have it all, and I WILL teach my daughters they can be EVERYTHING they want to be, including beautiful!
