An image of a triple chin-having plus-size Barbie has been causing quite an uproar.
Posted on Plus-Size-Modeling.com’s Facebook page, the image originates from a contest on Worth1000.com , a daily creative competition site.
Though criticism is being aimed at Mattel, the Barbie was actually created by artist
bakalia
, who won a 2011 contest called “Feeding Time 9.”
While over 36,000 people Liked bakalia’s Plus-Size creation on Facebook, now that the image has reached networks like Twitter, many have taken issue with the doll’s extreme size.
@Cosmopolitan plus size but triple chins is inappropriate. Seems they're being more rude than realistic. #plussizebarbie
— Madison (@musicallymaddi) December 23, 2013
#plussizebarbie looks bad: triple chins on a young face,plump but still disproportionate (photos) http://t.co/QO5mSDBtzG #bodyimage
— Donnalee D-M (@laughingdakini) December 23, 2013
With all the beautiful curvy models (e.g. Ashley Graham ) a doll could be inspired by, some wonder why Barbie can’t be “thick” without the chins, and others would rather see an “average” sized doll.
“Nothing wrong with a curvy Barbie….real women have curves, show girls it’s ok to have meat on their bones, but the double chins are a little much!! ” said one commenter Facebook .
Another comment reads , “How about a doll that is average sized? Not unachievable thin, or over weight?”
But an average Barbie was already created by artist Nickolay Lamm , based on CDC measurements of an average 19-year-old woman.
Both Normal and Plus-Size Barbie re-ignite a longer debate over what’s considered a healthy body image for women and girls, what qualifies as “beautiful,” and what young girls should be looking up to — if anything at all. Thoughts?