Barbie and the Antithesis of Feminism w/ Katie Pickles: August 8, 2022

Barbie has released a series of dolls which honours historical and contemporary heroines, such as conservation activist and animal behaviour expert Jane Goodall, aviator Amelia Earhart, NASA mathematician and physicist Katherine Johnson and artist and political activist Frida Kahlo. However, can this be seen as the appropriation of heroic women of substance as plastic Barbies? A brand synonymous with the objectification of women. 

Joe spoke to Katie Pickles, a Professor of History from the Univeristy of Canterbury, about Barbie’s ‘inspiring women’ series and how this could be an Antithesis of Feminism given the company’s controversial representation of women.