I was one of those girls who grew up playing Barbie, watching princess movies, and all manner of other girlieness. Nowadays, people seem to feel like that this is a recipe for anti-feminism and teaching a girl that they need a man to save them. I, however, never saw it that way. Cinderella, which I watched everyday, did not tell me that I needed a Prince Charming anymore than it taught me that it was k to make friends with mice. I did learn about not being afraid to face your haters with a smile and that hardwork never goes without reward. I learned that it ok to dream about and want a palace and about being wiling to let unbelievably good things happen to me. Perhaps most importantly, I learned that no ridiculously good offer comes without a catch and to make the most of opportunities before they turn into pumpkins.
Barbie had more jobs than any of my male cousins toys. She was a pediatrician, vet, rock star, travel agent, model, beauty pageant winner, and an astronaut. Barbie "worked hard for the money. Hard for it, Honey." Ken really was an afterthought. He was a cool accessory, but like the shoes; you did not need Ken to play or have a good time. Barbie could just as easily meet up with one of the GI Joes found lying around or go out on the town with her girls. She did not need him to get a Ferrari, a townhouse, or a mansion. That sister was doing it for herself. (I am clearly in a singing mood.😗). I must admit that it made me feel like I could do all those things and more and look good while doing them.
The point is that none of these so called bad influences were really that bad. I get what Disney and others are doing by making the new princesses more independent and I like it, but princesses are not the problem. Mattel should have sued Nicki Minaj for calling herself a Barbie girl and being such a one dimensional version of a complex character. The problem these days is the real life reality television women whose whole personas are built upon their identity as someone's ex wife or exgirlfriend. That is a bad example. To make matters worse is the way they fight and act like terrible people at the expense of anything that remotely resembles an idea of a moral compass. They aren't like Jigga, whose compass sometimes needs recalibration. These chicks don't have one at all and we let their nonsense play out in front of our baby girls and reward them by picking favorites, taking sides and lining their pockets with cash for ignorant behavior.
As a mother to a baby girl, I have to honest. I would much rather raise a Snow White than a Hollywood Ex. I'm just saying.
Minnie!
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