I recently received a surprise package from Mattel as part of a campaign called “Dads Who Play Barbie.” As the father of two daughters—one nearly 8 and the other almost 3—I have to admit, I’ve never been a big fan of Barbie. It’s not just the unrealistic body image she promotes; it’s also the shallow narratives often tied to her character. Yet, as a dad of young girls, I’ve come to realize there’s no escaping the influence of Disney Princesses and Barbie dolls.
When my eldest daughter, Mia, saw me unwrap a big pink box labeled Barbie, she nearly snatched it from my hands! I called her younger sister, Lily, into the room, and together they tore into the packaging. Inside were three dolls. One was the classic Barbie I remembered: blonde, white, and absurdly thin. The other two, however, were a refreshing change. One was a petite woman of color dressed in a doctor’s coat, while the other had blue hair, a curvy silhouette, and a label reading “curvy.”
This was part of Mattel’s new initiative to create dolls that reflect a variety of races, body types, and backgrounds. Honestly, I was pleased to see this progress. But what struck me most was how my girls reacted to the dolls.
Mia immediately grabbed the traditional Barbie with long blonde locks, showing no interest in the others. This gave me pause. I like to think I’ve instilled in her the value of diversity and acceptance. Yet, the societal pressures around her are relentless, pushing an image of beauty that is tall, blonde, and impossibly perfect—an image that doesn’t reflect our life in our cozy little house in rural Oregon, where she looks a lot like her mother, who is just slightly over 5 feet and doesn’t resemble Barbie at all.
Meanwhile, Lily didn’t hesitate at all. She eagerly snatched up the other two dolls, ripping through their packaging as if they were just toys, not symbols of a more inclusive narrative. In that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope for one daughter, but a nagging worry for the other.
I fully expect some readers to think I’m overreacting—parenting tends to amplify our worries—but I genuinely want the best for my daughters. The last thing I want is for them to feel burdened by arbitrary standards of success and beauty. I want them to grow up to be whoever they want to be—whether that’s an astronaut, a physician, or a stay-at-home mom—and to appreciate the beauty of diversity, understanding that no one race, gender, or belief is superior to another.
Just when I was beginning to feel anxious about Mia’s attachment to the classic Barbie, something wonderful happened. As they played, Mia with her blonde Barbie and Lily with her diverse dolls, they gradually began to merge their playtime. Before I knew it, both girls were happily engaging with all three dolls. It was a delightful sight.
I don’t think this one moment will magically change how my daughters perceive beauty or body image. These concepts are far too complex for that. But seeing them joyfully interact with dolls of different shapes and colors filled me with hope that perhaps, just perhaps, we’re moving in the right direction. It may seem small, but any shift toward embracing diversity is a step forward.
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Summary
As a dad, I’m glad to see Barbie evolving into a more inclusive figure. While my daughters reacted differently to the new dolls, their eventual play together offered hope that we can challenge outdated beauty standards and celebrate diversity.