Barbie’s gay Ken Easter egg, explaed - Polygon

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Simply put, Ken isn’t ol — and Mattel isn’t havg . The children’s answers, likely rmed by media (some would later ce Madonna’s background dancers) and club-culture trends, spire Ken’s new look and what would bee an famo nightmare for Mattel. The doll was lled Earrg Magic Ken, which is the absolute bt name for an accintally gay doll.

Contents:

THE TE STORY OF MATTEL ACCINTALLY RELEASG A SUPER GAY KEN DOLL

* gay ken doll meme *

” — only a whole lot Cyle Suz for In The KnowThe doll was lled Earrg Magic Ken, which is the absolute bt name for an accintally gay doll.

Te to his name, his ear is pierced on the left si, which was largely nsired to be “the gay ear” to pierce at the time and a vert way of ditg queerns.

And that’s not all to mentn, his necklace was almost cidly moled after a sexual accsory trend of leathers and club-kids the doll’s 1993 release, activist and wrer Dan Savage, who at the time was workg for queer-foced newspaper The Stranger, wrote a piece about the doll’s cidly “gay” look.

THE LTLE-KNOWN, REAL-LIFE BACKSTORY BEHD THE BARBIE MOVIE’S VERY FUNNY GAY KEN JOKE

“New Ken, ” as he was termed, was officially “Gay Ken.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

Even before Earrg Magic Ken, gay jok surround fashn-lovg Ken for his sat sus and affiliatn wh the hyper-feme world of unlike the jok about Ken’s sexualy, Earrg Magic Ken was the first time queer people weren’t the butt of the “gay Ken” joke. In fact, that year, 44 percent of the natn believed “gay relatnships” — not marriage, simply datg someone of the oppose genr — should be 1993, Mattel (or any other brand, for that matter) would have never knowgly released a product for queer people bee would alienate the brand’s re nsumer: nservative married moms middle Ameri who are buyg Barbie for their Katie Dupere for In The KnowEarrg Magic Ken likely stck such a chord wh gay men and queer people bee was reprentatn when no one wanted to reprent .

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY KEN DOLL MEME

Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span></span></span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="dib poter" data-qa="gift-share"><div aria-label="Gift this story" aria-ntrols="gift-share" aria-owns="gift-share" id="gift-share-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-PJLV" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 0 0-1.48-.35 1.76 1.76 0 0 0-1.2.94L8 3.93l-.68-1.4A1.76 1.76 0 0 0 4 3.59 1.74 1.74 0 0 0 5.13 5H2v4h1v5h10V9h1V5ZM9.58 3a.77.77 0 0 1 .51-.4h.17a.73.73 0 0 1 .47.17.72.72 0 0 1 .27.71.72.72 0 0 1-.48.58l-1.77.66ZM5 3.43a.72.72 0 0 1 .27-.71.73.73 0 0 1 .47-.17h.17a.77.77 0 0 1 .51.4l.83 1.7L5.48 4A.74.74 0 0 1 5 3.43ZM3 6h4.5v2H3Zm1 3h3.5v4H4Zm4.5 4V9H12v4ZM13 8H8.5V6H13Z" data-name="Path 10"></path></svg></div></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Gift<!-- --> <span class="PJLV PJLV-ikqOWxF-css">Article</span></span></div></div><div class="dib poter" data-qa="wpds-tooltip-ntrol"><div aria-ntrols="actns-tooltip" aria-owns="actns-tooltip" id="actns-tooltip-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div tabx="0" aria-label="Share" class="PJLV PJLV-ietWzJw-css"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-dJBvpf-iPJLV-css "><path d="M14 14H2V7h1v6h10V7h1Zm-5.5-2h-1V3h1Z"></path><path d="M10.29 5.71 11 5 8 2l-.71.71L5 5l.71.71L8 3.42l2.29 2.29z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">For someone only 11½ ch tall, Barbara Millicent Roberts tak up a disproportnate amount of space our culture. Barbie, as you know her, entered Amerin society 1959 and has been a symbol of morn femy — for better or worse, all of s plexy — ever sce. We love her. We loathe her. We n’t stop thkg about her. We n’t wa to see the Greta Gerwig-directed film about her.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Barbie is wholome, Barbie is sex. Barbie is queer, Barbie is the most hetero of heterosexuals, a zero on the Ksey sle. She’s print, paleontologist and pet groomer, simultaneoly. Barbie is betiful, but her bety n reprent <a href=" target=_blank>somethg ugly about </a>. Arched feet, curved hips, hollow head. A vsel for our aspiratns and securi and yearngs. Barbie n be anythg, but Barbie will always be Barbie. And here, the stori about her impact, ’s clear: Barbie is an in. <i>— Mra Judkis</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="5NOPIRFKHZBIHGF5G473FVYVVQ"><div>O.G. Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Barbie has an embarrassg European anctor (how Amerin!): <a href=" target=_blank>Bild Lilli, who began as a lewd postwar ic character a German newspaper</a> and was veloped to an 11.5-ch full-figured female doll as a gag gift for men.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">This doll also enraptured Ruth Handler, the -founr of the toy pany Mattel, when she saw 1956, durg a fay vatn Swzerland. She had been eager to manufacture an adult doll for children, but her lleagu said producg a plastic doll wh as much tail as Handler wanted would not be profable. Handler believed the male signers jt didn’t want to make a doll wh breasts, M.G. Lord wrote her book about Barbie.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Brgg several Lilli dolls back to California, Handler showed the signers that such a doll uld be manufactured, if not the Uned Stat, then overseas — Barbie was first prototyped Japan, her fashn-forward outfs hand-stched by homeworkers.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Mattel ma chang to the doll, relaxg the lips, softeng the eyebrows, upgradg the plastic and wheng the sk, pl at one pot filg nippl off the breasts of an early prototype. That, mixed wh a marketg mpaign, all helped to transform her personaly om a vaguely pornographic male fantasy to a girl-next-door fashnista. <i>— Maham Javaid</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Barbie’s ‘pornographic’ orig story, as told by historians</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image-group"><div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="BMZU54ZW2VEBRNK6M2CXBKB6ZU"><div>Mutilated Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Let rist the urge to psychoanalyze the children who hacked off their Barbie dolls’ perfectly ifed hair, or popped her head off like a grape, or cut off her feet, or tattooed her body wh permanent marker, or scratched her ey out wh a paper clip. They did not bee serial killers.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Not to victim-blame, but there’s somethg about Barbie that mak you want to do . She’s perfect. A ltle<i> too</i> perfect. How do feel to make the doll wh the Dreamhoe and the impossible waist suffer a b? Children are sadists.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Acrdg to acunts shared wh The Washgton Post, ltle girls and boys have melted their Barbi on the stove, n them over wh bik, chopped off their limbs and buried them shallow grav the woods. They have performed “surgery.” They have chewed off the hands. They have hung Barbi om ceilg fans. In 2004, Brish rearchers terviewed children who<a href=" target=_blank> scribed patg their dolls</a> and puttg them the microwave. The doll “aroed plex and vlent emotns,” they wrote.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“We ed to burn their hair,” says Jamie Grayson, 44, now a child-passenger safety technician Denver. His sister had the ia. “It really jt kd of melted up,” he says, “like a hard, csty Q-tip.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Barbi looked an awful lot like Kate McKnon’s character the film. She has choppy hair and marker scribbl on her face. She is also the Barbie who the trailer appears to unrstand the real world, while Margot Robbie’s Barbie has her existential crisis.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">So why did Grayson and his sister mutilate their Barbi? “I don’t know,” he says, lghg. “I need to ll my therapist.” <i>— Mra Judkis</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Sign up for Unboxed, a pop-up newsletter on the bt mem, verage and buzz around the "Barbie" movie.</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="JH2GUFMSA5GCXG7NR3RR7WFPGI"><div>Black Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">“Repeat after me. I am strong. I am loved. I am unique. I n be anythg.” Broadst through the heart-shaped speaker of a Black Barbie — my dghter’s Barbie Breathe wh Me Medatn Doll — those words are pecially radil. And the gag is: My 6-year-old don’t even get . To her, ’s a given — and how credible is that?</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">All her Barbi have been Black. Unlike the Toys R Us aisle treasure hunts my own mother had to do the ’80s, I’ve never had to search too far or wi to give my children the kds of dolls that look like them.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Barbie has long been a universally unattaable bety standard, but triple that for girls of lor who didn’t get their own Black Barbie (not a sikick doll to the ma character) until 1980 (the year I was born). “She’s black! She’s betiful! She’s dyname!” read the pk box wh the Ao-sportg Barbie si. It was a different time, y’all. “Today one five dolls veloped by the brand is Black,” acrdg to Mattel’s official webse.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Now my girls have a squad of Brown-skned dolls wh braids, pk hair, curls and curv led by Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts — Malibu’s BFF, and the ma character her own story. <i>— Helena Andrews-Dyer</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="DFJA43CXO5H57KQFSSGRQ3V6RA"><div>Unwedd Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Barbie never married Ken, and I thk that’s important. The helmet-head himbo was troduced 1961 — two years after Barbie — and om ceptn, he was tend to be a boyiend, not a hband, her pann but not a legally bdg one. In the Mattel universe, they broke up, they got back together. You know how is.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In the real universe, here’s why that relatnship stat matters: Well to the 1960s, profsns like teachg and nursg permted women to be fired if they got married. Women uldn’t penntly hold cred rds whout their hbands -signg until 1974. Until 1978, was still legal to fire a woman the Uned Stat for gettg pregnant; until 1981, a man uld take out a send mortgage on the fay home whout rmg his wife.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Barbie, ever wise to the world and well before her time, sistepped the patriarchy by refg to put a rg on her fger. Ken was the boyiend. Meanwhile, she beme a bs executive, astront, nurse, edor, fashn signer and ballera her first alone.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">I like to picture the drawer Ken might have kept Barbie’s hot-pk Dreamhoe. A well-stocked drawer, wh a toothbsh, hair products, ntact solutn. But jt a drawer. The hoe, the r, the mortgage, the ownership — all of that was Barbie’s, earned and paid for, and she had ma sure nobody was ever gog to take away. <i>— Moni Hse</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="6QVTO2NGP5ECVDC3JXXRPIL7YU"><div>Duvet ver Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Barbie is on backpacks, statnery, pool floats, scnchi, gs, duvet vers, le skat, cleansg sems and hair straighteners. Gap, Bloomgdale’s, Forever 21 and Unique Vtage have exclive clothg l.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">While Mattel don’t disclose how much money brgs om licensg agreements, toy expert and nsultant Chris Byrne noted that the pany receiv an upont payment and subsequent royalti.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The movie is another extensn of this — and is <a href=" target=_blank>one of about 15 film projects the works across Mattel brands</a>, which will beget more merchandise. In the lead-up to the premiere, Barbie has teamed up wh Xbox for a nsole that looks like a playhoe, NYX for a smetics le and Dragon Glassware for pk marti glass.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Some may view the churn as perpetuatg overnsumptn. But as Byrne put : “People still love nnectg to that feelg themselv … that wonrful sense of open imagatn and play.” <i>— Jaclyn Peiser</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Can nostalgia make the Barbie movie a w for Mattel?</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="SEGRIIJ3GRAINE3XVH4RWSPCYQ"><div>Sex-cur Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Do not Google “Barbie and sex.” The rults, so many rults, will whatever childlike fantasy you had about the nocently platonic and yet somehow romantic relatnship between Barbie and Ken, the perfect uple who never actually upled. Or will ? Bee if there’s one thg most children do wh their Barbie dolls, ’s take a peek unr her cloth, explorg the smooth mannequ anatomy unrneath.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Is normal for kids to do sex play? Y! That’s easy,” says San Engel, a senr lecturer psychology at Williams College. “Exploratn is the foundatn of tellectual velopment. One of the ways kids exprs their cursy is by replitg thgs their play.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Surprise! The children are watchg , nstantly observg them about body image, romance, genr rol, reer choic and — gasp! — sex. Zara Rafferty, an expert on play and child velopment, shocked her own mother when as a prchooler she pretend that Barbie and Ken had “cracked apart” their marriage. “She was not aware I knew anythg about divorce,” Rafferty wrote via email.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">So, what do you do when your 6-year-old be low-key obssed wh Barbie’s “nippl”? Rafferty suggts askg about where qutns are g om and rpondg like a grown-up, creatg a teachg moment about privacy, safety and bodily tonomy. Oh, and “try not to giggle.” <i>— Helena Andrews-Dyer</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="YQ4WYG2VNFBVTHOLT7M2JUMLAQ"><div>Aspiratnal home signer Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">If your parents n’t afford a shell-shaped bed wh a gltery sparkle verlet, no problem. Your doll n have one.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A child’s play versn of home life at Barbie’s Dreamhoe n ignore the sad secrets of real life, which may mean a fay of four livg a crammed one-bedroom apartment wh cloth stuffed shoppg bags.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">There is no clutterg necsary Barbie’s neat and clean plastic rooms.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Barbie’s sense of style is unencumbered by the wear and tear of life. She don’t have a futon sofa she schleps around om hoe share to hoe share,” says terr signer Jonathan Adler, who was missned by Mattel to rate a Malibu mansn for the doll’s 50th anniversary 2009.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The movie will probably help adults image themselv a doll’s world. Sarah Greenwood, the productn signer of the Barbie movie, says she sled Barbieland to be 23 percent smaller than human-size. “We had to keep md the toyns of the hoe,” she says.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“The great thg about the doll is that the child actually projects onto the doll whatever attribut they want her to have,” says Kim Culmone, Mattel’s global head of sign for Barbie and fashn dolls. The same is te for her ho: If the bed brgs joy the livg room and the pk toaster lands the bathroom, no parent is gog to tell you no.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The whole pot of Barbie, after all, is for you to tell your own story. <i>— Jura Konci</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">How 6 top signers would make Barbie’s hoe even dreamier</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="N25MCHPWSNH4NNZ2LSQFX3PBLQ"><div>Collector’s em Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">“I stopped untg after 4,000,” says Jian Yang, a 43-year-old Sgaporean man, his shelv full of Barbi displayed proudly behd him on a recent Zoom ll. This imprsive army of plastic dolls began wh Great Shape Barbie, who wears a bright blue aerobics outf. She was supposed to be a prent for his younger sister before he spotted unr the Christmas tree 1984. It was love at first steal.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He went through ebbs his llectn, like when he disvered the joy of girls and gog out. But now his Barbi jo him on his adventur, which he documents on Instagram — he often simply puts them his briefse. Recently, he took his 1999 Dancg Fire Barbie to a preview of the Pixar film “Elemental.” On a 2016 bs trip to New York Cy, Yang vised the Tim Square Toys R Us and walked away wh around 20 Barbi that had to be taken out of their box so that he uld transport them.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But Yang didn’t want to bee nsumed by Barbie the way so many zealots are. “I sort of built my own personaly around the whe-llar advertisg agency guy,” he says. “I did not want the personaly of an animate object to take over who I am.” <i>— Olivia McCormack</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="X355UWAZMZHWVLNGCYWXSCII7A"><div>Career Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Barbie’s résumé — hundreds of pag long, verg s of reer chang — tells the story of our evolvg aspiratns for ltle girls. Though her earlit reers tend to be female-d entertament or regivg posns — fashn mol, ballera, nurse, stunt teacher — Barbie’s reer trajectory is a triumph of femist ambn. She went to space before any woman ever did and has n for print multiple tim. And the days, she’s pursug several reers STEM. Here’s an excerpt om her CV:</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Barbara Millicent Roberts | 33505 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. | Malibu, CA 90265 | <a href="" target=_blank></a></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><b>Profsnal history:</b></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><ul class="font--article-body font-py gray-darkt mt-0 mr-lg ml-lg mb-md list"><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Chief staabily officer, renewable energy engeer, nservatn scientist</a> (2022-prent)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Workg to save the pla om climate change ( recycled-fabric outfs)</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Matag solar panels the Dreamhoe</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Tooth fairy</a> (2022)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Managed procurement of juvenile human teeth</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Distributed petty sh</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Noodle bar worker</a> (2020)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Managed kchen by ramen shop</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Perfected chopstick skills spe lack of movable fgers</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Yoga teacher</a> (2012)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Tght yoga and medatn to other Barbi</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Double-joted for posabily</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>U.S. Air Force pilot</a> (2001)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Top graduate of ary flight school</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Navigated cril overseas missns</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Rapper</a>, <a href=" target=_blank>U.S. printial ndidate</a> (1992, simultaneo)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Droppg sick etyle rhym</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Workg boombox</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>First female major-party nomee Uned Stat</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>UNICEF ambassador</a> (1989)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Advoted for adoptn of the Conventn on the Rights of the Child</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Doctor</a> (1973)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Performed surgery novative skirt scbs and ma hospal rounds</span></li><li class="pb-xs"><span>Thrived a fast-paced, male-domated environment</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Astront</a> (1965)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Went to space!</span></li></ul></li><li class="pb-xs"><span><a href=" target=_blank>Mol </a>(1959)</span><ul><li class="pb-xs"><span>Pretty</span></li></ul></li></ul></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><i>— Mra Judkis</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="QOGKGQ5J3VFUFOQ3I7XB76O3DI"><div>Lawsu Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">“I’m a Barbie girl, a Barbie world / Life plastic, ’s fantastic,” go the lyrics of the annoygly tchy 1997 song “Barbie Girl,” which brought Danish-Norwegian band Aqua stant fame and sparked a <a href=" target=_blank>quirky hot pk mic vio</a> that has racked up more than 1.2 billn views.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But <a href=" target=_blank>Mattel actually sued Aqua’s label, MCA Rerds</a>, over the song, claimg that lyrics such as “kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky” damaged Barbie’s reputatn. The legal dispute raged for years and famed Judge Alex Kozski eventually led agast Mattel, notg that the song was protected as parody unr the First Amendment and famoly ncludg his opn, “The parti are advised to chill.” Chill they did, as the toy giant went on to embrace the tune, g a<a href=" target=_blank> 2009 advertisement,</a> though wh modified fay-iendly lyrics. A new versn of the song featurg Aqua, Nicki Maj and Ice Spice is also featured on the soundtrack of the upg movie.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Mattel had a history of sug parodists, cludg an artist who turned Barbie to a bondage doll, but appears the toymaker now realiz Barbie belongs to all. “We love seeg the brand celebrated pop culture,” a Mattel spokperson says.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Come on, Barbie, let’s go party! Ah, ah, ah, yeah.” <i>— Jennifer Hassan</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Remember the ‘Barbie Girl’ song? Mattel actually sued, but was told ‘to chill.’</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-oembed-type="youtube" data-ttid="youtube" class="" style="m-height:0"><iame width="200" height="113" src=" ameborr="0" allow="accelerometer; toplay; clipboard-wre; encrypted-media; gyrospe; picture--picture; web-share" allowfullscreen tle="Aqua - Barbie Girl (Official Mic Vio)"></iame></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="QOGKGQ5J3VFUFOQ3I7XB76O3DI"><div>LGBarbieTQ+</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">My childhood afternoons were spent sippg apple juice, makg the historil knockoff Barbi (purchased by my third-wave femist mom) kiss my Mermaid Barbi (the on I joled my dad to buy) and checkg to make sure no one was eavdroppg. There was nary a Ken doll sight.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">This exploratn of sexual inty turned out to be a mon thread for many queer women. Yami Nambimadom, 25, had immigrant parents who did not get the appeal of Barbi, so her llectn was small and often full of DIY’d “Butch Barbi” for the femme Barbi to kiss. She views the same-sex kissg as a “cherished” part of the queer experience. “It was a part of my childhood that was about exploratn and fun,” Nambimadom says.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The hidn moments of childhood queerns once ma me feel shame, like I was dog somethg wrong that need to be ncealed. Now they make me feel nnected. As signer and Barbi-kissg aficnado Daniela Btista, 27, puts : “Beg onle is jt realizg that you’ve never had a unique experience your life.”<i> — Olivia McCormack</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="7VTYN55QJZBQ5P4QTDWSMDP7W4"><div>Vio game Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">As I started playg “Barbie Fashn Digner,” a Mattel drs-up puter game released 1996, I was flood wh nostalgia. I shuffled through dozens of cloth pairgs, patterns and lors, harkg back to the hours I spent exprsg myself through style as a child: first on my dolls, and then my own fashn.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The ancient puter I was g wheezed as I prepared Barbie to walk down the nway a pk halter top, yellow polka-dotted circle skirt and ballet slippers. Then, fally, she sttted down the twalk and stck a pose.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">I worked on another outf, then another, seekg the right ras for what I pictured Barbie dog for the day: tanng at the beach, attendg a weddg.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When “Barbie Fashn Digner” first me out, was revolutnary, one of the few vio gam marketed to young girls. It sold 500,000 pi the first two months, outsellg top gam such as “Doom” and “Quake” durg the same perd. Now ’s the World Vio Game Hall of Fame. In tl such as the “Secret Agent Barbie” seri and 1998’s “Barbie Ridg Club,” which raised a generatn of horse girls, Barbie’s puter gam helped prove that girls n be gamers — and whatever else they want to be.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As a girl, I pated and rated the day away “Barbie as Rapunzel: A Creative Adventure,” where players help Barbie rehabilate a stle and save the prce. Barbie gam ve an element of imagatn, lettg players know that the bt way to play is however they please. “Barbie Fashn Digner” remd me how fun is to let my ner artist n ee. <i>— Samantha Chery</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-vio" data-ttid="article-vio" class=""><div><figure class="mb-md mr-to-ns ml-to-ns hi-for-prt ml-neg-gutter mr-neg-gutter"><div class="w-100 aspect-ctom" style="background-posn:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-lor:rgb(245, 245, 245);background-image:url();background-size:nta;--aspect-height:0.5625;--aspect-width:1"></div><figptn><div class="mt-xs mr-to-ns ml-to-ns left font--subhead font-xxxs gray-dark ml-gutter mr-gutter" data-qa="vio-ptn">Pk, and lor general, is an unnamed character Barbie's world. Color expert Amy Wax and antiqu appraiser Lori Verrame expla. (Vio: Allie Caren/The Washgton Post)</div></figptn></figure></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="BV7IQ7DIHNBSDOJIGAVNELZXVI"><div>Pantone 219 C Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Pk heels. Pk wheels. Pk highlights. Barbie leads a radiant<b> </b>life.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And though pk might be thought of as stereotypilly girlish, the lor’s nnotatns have changed alongsi the generatns that have grown up wh Barbie.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Pk monstrat strength, nfince and pennce, lor expert Amy Wax says. “And then you take all those ias and you make youthful and more playful and more appealg — and there you are. You end up wh a perfect choice for Barbie’s lor.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Pantone regniz <a href=" target=_blank>“Barbie Pk”</a> wh s own slot on the lor chart. (Unsurprisgly, Mattel owns the rights.)</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And looks like lor will play a major part fg Barbie the new film, Wax says. “If we take away the lor palette, you’re takg away the whole inty of the character.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Barbie’s world ooz vibrancy — but also giv off a certa faiary.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It’s an artificial place,” says Lori Verrame, an antiqu appraiser who specializ Amerin toys, “but ’s an artificial place that we feel fortable .” <i>— Allie Caren</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="JDDPRRVSG5DQVM6H5YC36RNZSI"><div>Glow-up Ken</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Growg up, I owned about a dozen Barbie dolls, but jt one Ken — and he was the ultimate prize, the fixture of every boy-crazed story that unfold on my bedroom floor. It always end the same: wh jt one lucky Barbie ridg off wh him her pk Corvette.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Lookg back, he wasn’t much to fs over — a buff, bland and blue-eyed embodiment of Amerin masculy. But over the years, Ken did tch our attentn some peculiar ways. There was the suggtive-soundg Sugar Daddy Ken, which Mattel explaed was a reference to Ken’s dog — a whe Wt Highland Terrier puppy named Sugar. In “Toy Story 3,” he strays to the dark si as a nflicted henchman to the ma villa.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Provg most ntroversial was 1993’s Earrg Magic Ken. Wh his mh lavenr shirt, matchg pleather vt, silver hoop earrg and charm necklace, he was marketed to young girls like me. Instead, the doll igned a toy craze among gay men who viewed the but as Ken’s g out, acrdg to Matt Haig, thor of <a href=" target="_blank">“Brand Failur.”</a> In rponse, Mattel quickly relled the doll om shelv. As <a href=" target="_blank">In The Know</a> put , “He was that gay.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Lately, his image has seen a glow-up. In 2017, Ken was <a href=" target="_blank">reimaged</a> wh 15 new looks — dolls that take var shas and shap; dolls that are vegan, wear rnrows or have 20/40 visn. And trailers for the film, <a href=" target="_blank">Ryan Goslg’s Ken</a> embodi that absurdly nfint and bro-like spir, but also appears earnt, jovial and helplsly loyal to Barbie. Maybe was this fect Ken-ergy my Barbi found so irristible all along. <i>— Janay Kgsberry</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Which ‘Ken’ is Ryan Goslg supposed to be ‘Barbie’?</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body grid-full-bleed" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="2EOLHNUARBHPTDPCBIDPYI3QDI"><div>Drag queen Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Growg up a “very relig” hoehold the South, Jonathan Hat uld only play wh Barbi if was wh his younger sister. The pair took their dolls on safari adventur their ont yard, nstcted a townhoe out of bookshelv, transformed Capri Sun box to furnure and applianc.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Barbie was always a great place to do world buildg and create your own realy,” says Hat, 35, an executive director of Drag Story Hour and a drag artist who performs unr the name Ona Louise.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It’s no wonr Barbie has wield such a powerful fluence over the world of drag, spirg a roster of queens such as “RuPl’s Drag Race” alum Trixie Mattel and Native Amerin drag artist <a href=" target=_blank>VIZIN</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">There are athetic siari: the lorful cut crease eye makp; the cleanly arched eyebrows and lc lash; the flowg locks and perfectly pated lips; the unblkg mment to sparkl and glamour.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But more importantly, Barbie is a master of multiplicy. She is amb and kschy, larger than life but also faiar. Barbie is a master of head-to-toe drsg, takg a great outf and a few well-placed accsori and embodyg not jt a character, but a liftyle. Drag rendns of the doll, expertly re-sculpted, pated, adorned and <a href=" target=_blank>posted</a> on Instagram, n seem like <a href=" target=_blank>Barbie’s fal form</a>: the platonic ial of a woman born to be the spotlight.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When down to , Hat says, “I n’t thk of a draggier drag queen than Barbie.” — <i>Anne Branig</i></p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-md" id="2EOLHNUARBHPTDPCBIDPYI3QDI"><div>Real-life Barbie</div></h3></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py drop-p" dir="null">Barbie was reverg om a hip replacement; she wasn’t lookg to date. But Kent, a widower, showed up to the Walgreens where she worked Wchter, Va., lookg for a phone charger.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Kent Turner, 62, left the store wh a charger that day, and he was back a few days later. He hadn’t been able to fet how betiful she was, he says. That day, Kent began to troduce himself as “Ken,” he says. “Bee Barbie and Ken jt go together.”</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When they told their fai about each other, their adult children playfully teased them, but their six granddghters (ag 1 to 11) uld hardly nta their excement.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“They ll me Barbie, not grandma,” says Barbie Kay Shaw, 57. They sg the song “Barbie Girl” on repeat. To play her part, she only wears pk around them and lets down her long blond hair. They’ve been married almost seven years, but for the children, this b of role-playg never gets old. And for Barbie, fdg Ken ma her believe fate.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The uple almost always gets a reactn om strangers. “Are you kiddg me? For real?” Some give them hugs. For the movie, they’re gettg a Barbie ke.</p></div><div class="article-body grid-center grid-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As a teenager, there was a phase when Barbie thought her name was childish. But today, she “wouldn’t change my name for a ln dollars,” bee adds joy to the world, pecially wh Ken by her si. She’s bee proud of her inty: “No one ever fets me — or my name.”<b> </b><i>— Maham Javaid</i></p></div><div class="flex mt-md grid-center grid-body"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span> Comments</button></div><div class="wpds-c-dXjReQ"><button id="gift-share-shortcut" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left hi-for-prt ml-sm"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf "><path 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