The Simpsons are Cool but Barbie's a Minger - Professor Agnes Nairn
The Simpsons are Cool but Barbie's a Minger - Professor Agnes Nairn
The Simpsons are Cool but Barbie's a Minger - Professor Agnes Nairn
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Although this same rite of passage is articulated through attitudes to Action Man (“it just<br />
kind of wears out”) it is interesting that Action Man inspires feelings of affection (“things<br />
you used to love playing with”) and nostalgia (“it was a great toy”) which were totally<br />
absent from the discussions of Barbie. Indeed, the negative symbolism with which Barbie is<br />
imbued is altogether more complex than that surrounding Action Man. Thus, although<br />
Action Man was seen by many children as Barbie’s male counterpart (“It’s Barbie’s lover”<br />
Boy, Year 3, Mixed Group, State School; “Put it near Barbie (on the sorting task) they play<br />
together” Year 3, Girls, Private School; “He’s made out of Barbie dolls, he’s a little baby.”<br />
Boy, Year 3, Mixed, State School) - rejecting Barbie was an act much deeper than a simple<br />
repudiation of a previous life stage.<br />
Unfashionable Barbie<br />
Indeed, discarding Barbie was also expressed as a rebuff of the unfashionable. This was<br />
particularly salient amongst the Year 6 children.<br />
Girl 1 See Barbies were the fashion and I got them, and they went out of fashion<br />
and they’re coming back into fashion.<br />
Girl 1 Um people in year 6 and people like that, I thought they don’t actually like<br />
Barbies anymore these days coz Barbie went out of fashion like 2,<br />
3 years ago.<br />
Girl 2 Yeah <strong>but</strong> it’s come back in fashion.<br />
Girl 3 It’s coming back in fashion now.<br />
Interviewer So if they <strong>are</strong> coming back in fashion, do you think people your age would<br />
still play with them?<br />
Girl 1 No.<br />
Girl 2 No. <strong>The</strong> younger ones really now.<br />
Year 6, State School, Girls Group<br />
Here we can see two concepts competing for prominence in the girls’ interpretation of what<br />
Barbie means. On the one hand she is seen as symbolic of what is or isn’t in fashion (“Barbie<br />
went out of fashion like 2,3 years ago”) and on the other she is seen as linked with a specific<br />
age group of children (“<strong>The</strong> younger ones really.”) In the end the group did not resolve<br />
whether Barbie’s coolness was a function of her fashion status or her age appropriateness.<br />
<strong>The</strong> symbolism remained dual.
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