You may have heard last weeks news: Barbie has had a make over– indeed, 33 new Barbie dolls are now available in a combination of three new body types (petite, tall and curvy), seven skin tones, 22 eye colors and 14 “face sculpts”.
One of the great things about this change is an opportunity to highlight- and discuss- Australia’s serious body image epidemic. Body Image is consistently rated as one of the biggest issues of concern for young Australians and Mattel have finally listened, showcasing diversity on a range of factors rather than continuing with the homogenized beauty ideal that Barbie is quintessentially famous for.
BodyMatters Psychologist Sarah McMahon shares her thoughts on this issue on ABC’s Overnights. You can listen to her here.
