Barbie Dolls

I'm reverting back to my old way of writing, but only for this post.

One interesting topic has caught my eye, which of course relates to the title, Barbie dolls.
This post is in referral to the article 'Barbie: to love or to loathe' on page 16 of StarTwo; under lifestyle. Two journalist / writers have written about their views about Barbie; Moira Redmond on the Government while Julie Bindel on the Opposition. A debate, it is.

Barbie dolls...I have several of them. Yes, several.
I was a girl, once; but that was a long, long time ago.
I used to love dressing her up and going on 'vacation' with her, telling her my dreams and ambitions...Sounds pathetic, huh? Well, I was only seven.
I also used to nag my parents to get me the house set. They didn't, until my younger sister came along. Then, I used her to get them. Whenever I needed something, she'd be my tool.
At the age of ten, I was able to manipulate a kid; she was wrapped all around my finger.
See, I told you I was evil and devious but nobody believed me.

I did continue to play with Barbie up until the age of twelve, or maybe eleven. As to why the lost of interest? I don't know. Perhaps I just outgrew it.
My thirteen-year-old would be an age my parents would call as the 'emo' age; I was miserable and only wore black. I hated everyone and everything and loathed the thought of wearing a skirt.
So, what does this exactly have to do with Barbie?
Even though I hated wearing a skirt, I made her wear them. And instead of wearing the clothes in that were apiece, I jumbled them up.
My point- She taught me my sense of dressing.
And even though I'll probably never wear a skirt again, at least I could offer my suggestions to my mom whenever she asks.

Perhaps Julie never experienced this point.
She was hell bent on hating Barbie just because it was a sex symbol for perverted guys; that it symbolized that women were objects to play with; the development of the 'Barbie Syndrome' and the jealousy of girls turned to the destruction of their dolls, making their personality warped- my interpretation of her words.
Even though I'm not so happy with my body, I never did take it out on Barbie.
Geez, she's a doll and she's made in a factory. Besides, it would be a waste of money to destroy a doll; Barbie dolls ain't exactly really cheap where I come from.

The points she presented were good points, but foundations were shaky nonetheless. It is the people themselves are striving for perfection, even though they know that perfection is unachievable.
As a female, I know that I'm not an object to be played with and am not any weaker to the male counterpart. Heck, I can even beat some of my guy friends in games that they deem 'only fit for guys'. Through decades, we've made a point to men that we're just as good as they are; and on occasions, even better.
As for those perverted freaks; you could get a really sick response from them even if you put a picture of a fully clothed person in front of them.
The bottom line is, it's all in the state of mind.

I don't love Barbie, nor do I hate her. I'm Switzerland in this topic.
And I have two of them on display on my keyboard note stand. I change their clothes whever I feel like it.