Toys & Self-Image

On the surface, this post may seem a departure from the usual fare, though it is a direct result of my work in maths & sciences with my students.

Just in case there was any question of the importance of positive self image...



I arrived in my classroom one morning this week to have one of my fourth grade math students come bursting into the room, barely able to contain herself. Before I could even ask, "What's up?" She exclaimed, "You won't believe this. This is so amazing! You'll never guess what I found!" She proceeded to tell me a story about her shopping trip with her younger sister the night before. They has gone to the local big box toy store in search of a particular Barbie doll that her sister wanted. As my student helped her sister look for the object of their quest, she found an Astronaut Barbie.



"I was so excited, but Michael, she was the blonde Barbie, I couldn't get that!"
"I was curious and started looking through the racks. There had to be a black one!"

"And I found one, hidden amongst the others! The last one!"

"Look!"



I've been teaching for nearly 30 years now, and I've NEVER had a student tell me a story about buying a Barbie doll, let alone bring it to school to show me. What's more I don't think that I've ever been remotely excited to see a Barbie doll. But clearly, this was an entirely different situation. After enjoying her excitement and pride for a couple days, I asked her if she'd be interested in telling this story. She was, and after checking with her mother, we sat down to chat about why this was so important to her.



Why are you so excited about finding this doll?


"She looks like ME, want something looks like ME!"



So what was your reaction when you found the doll?


"I was jumping up and down! I could finally get astro Barbie! It was awesome, it's so beautiful!"



Why was it so special about this doll?


"It's not a blonde Barbie. She's black, like me. AND this one is an ASTRONAUT!"



What's the big deal?


"This job stood out from all the others - baker, babysitter, mermaid... This one goes to a different place, I don't have to stay on earth, I can dream bigger! I can be a Mars explorer!"



So what would you say to Mattel about what you want?


"We want dolls that actually look like us that do cool things. Pink baker, ok, but what about a green baker, why not different colored outfits. Mermaids are cool when your like five, but when you're ten... And why can't they not have gone through puberty... All of them have breasts, big breasts... Unrealistic!"

I wanted to share this story. I think it speaks volumes about what girls want and need. My student just wanted to be represented, to recognize herself in her toys. She wants the freedom to dream and imagine that anything is possible, to do great things. Clearly, this young lady is well on her way of doing just that!



In case you're wondering, she named her new doll Mae.