Nayeli Lomeli/Staff Writer
A new Barbie doll has hit the shelves. She has a skull painted on her face and her long black dress is embroidered with flowers and butterflies.
The new doll honors the Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, which is a two-day festival that takes place every year on Nov. 1 and 2.
The Barbie is a limited-edition doll going on retail for $75. It was released on Sept. 12.
Mattel, the toy company, has been criticized of cultural appropriation because of the new Barbie design.
Mattel, the toy company that sells Barbies, has been criticized of cultural appropriation because of the new Barbie design. Photo courtesy of Mattel.
Día de los Muertos has its origins in Aztec traditions and Catholic observances to honor the dead. Even though it is celebrated throughout Latin America, it is highly marked as a Mexican celebration.
Sarah Mahler, an anthropologist professor, said that some people may criticize the Barbie’s manufacture and sale because it represents Mexicans but it is not labeled as a Mexican Barbie.
“President Trump has excoriated Mexicans and Mexican culture, so it’s dangerous to have a Mexican Barbie,” she said.
When Mahler was a child, her mother subscribed her to a doll collection. Every few months, she would receive a doll that would represent a different culture every time. She remembers that she could not change or remove the outfits they came with.
“At the time, I did not think about this except that I didn’t like those dolls. Now, however, I see them as stereotypes of groups of people. The dolls in my world cultures collection were idealized as representative of a people, no matter how internally diverse those people were,” she said.
Mahler said dolls are not just playthings and believes they convey cultural ideas.
Danielle Alcocer, a junior majoring in public relations, said it is great that there is a doll that celebrates Día de los Muertos and that there is a light being shed on the different cultures around the world.
“It is beautiful to see how a little kid somewhere is now proud of their culture as they see they’re being represented in something so simple as a doll,” said Alcocer.
But Mahler said that Barbie has never really been oriented toward representing normality.
“She’s always represented a stereotype that is not attainable: the gorgeous blonde whose body is not a real female body, but a male fantasy body,” said Mahler.
Mahler said research indicates that it is important for children to find role models in the social circumstances around them in order to feel good about themselves.
“A Barbie who looks more like the children who play with it might help affirm their social esteem, particularly at a time when their group is being attacked in popular culture,” she said.
Amy Neuman, a Mexican freshman at FIU, felt extreme joy when she heard that the new Barbie would be sold around the world.
“I personally am so happy and even cried of joy that Mattel is releasing a doll inspired by el Día de los Muertos,” Neuman said.
Neuman said that seeing Mexican culture being celebrated through this doll will bring joy to other young girls, especially Mexicans who have felt ostracized or made fun of for their nationality, like she was in school.
“This is a big step of progression towards celebrating diversity, specifically Mexicans who are one of the biggest minority groups being attacked,” she said.
Karen Garcia, a senior majoring in broadcast media, said that in recent years the Day of the Dead holiday has gotten a lot more exposure in books, songs and movies, but believes a doll does not educate an audience about the meaning behind it.
“I think Mattel is just looking for profit, because it sees the attention that ‘Coco’ has gotten. I think it has become a trend that is based on sells and not a tradition,” said Garcia.
Mahler said she thinks parents who purchase the doll do it because they think it’s more representative of whatever they want represented for their children than a classic Barbie.
She also said that collectors will purchase the doll, but are not the people who would give the doll to their children.
Mahler said that the Day of the Dead has been commercialized enough and doubts the new Barbie will impact it much.
“Cinco de Mayo was a minor battle and not even a holiday in Mexico. Now it’s nearly as obligatory to celebrate it in the U.S. as St. Patrick’s Day.” said Mahler.
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