One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Mom Demands More Diversity In All-White Barbie Party Supplies
Karen Greene Braithwaite's daughter Georgia wanted to have a Barbie-themed party for her fifth birthday. But when the Harlem mother went shopping to buy Barbie plates, Barbie cups and Barbie invitations, she was disappointed to find out that all the Barbies on the supplies were white, blonde-haired and blue-eyed.
Braithwaite wrote, "Even though it seems like a small thing, featuring the white Barbie so prominently on the banners, cups, napkins, plates, party favors, and invitations, while relegating the 'ethnic' Barbies to near-invisible cameos sends a clear--and troubling--message to young girls."
Braithwaite found that other mothers were also troubled—and one mother managed to create her own DIY black Barbie labels so that her daughter could have a Barbie-themed party. So Braithwaite started a Change.org petition demanding that the El Segundo-based Mattel include Barbies of other ethnicities on its party supplies. So far over 5,200 people have signed the petition.
She writes, "Mattel already offers a wide selection of dolls of different races and ethnicities--which simply begs the question: Why not give young girls of color the option of seeing and celebrating that same diversity when it comes to celebrating themselves?"
A Mattel spokesman told the Daily Breeze that the company was considering Braithwaite's petition and had "reached out" to talk to her. The company said, "We work closely with various partners to develop and distribute Barbie-themed products, such as party supplies, and we will be sharing this valuable feedback with them to start conversations and evaluate the business. We listen carefully to our consumers and take all feedback seriously."
Recently, Barbie came out with a bald Barbie for children who have cancer or alopecia.
Here's the video Braithwaite, her children and others created:
Sponsored message
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
