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T O P I C R E V I E W
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Xanthine
Member # 736
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 posted February 12, 2010 14:35
Computer engineer Barbie
On one hand, when I was a kid, a talking Barbie came out that whined about math being hard. So in that sense, this is a positive. On the other, WTF is up with all that terrible Barbie pink?? And that play to stereotypes with the glasses, because, of course, all geeks are myopic and wear glasses. None of us ever have 20/20, wear contacts or get lasered (I actually wear contacts so I can wear the goggles that prevent me from getting lasered ![[Razz]](tongue.gif) ). ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
But, the pink aside, I'm inclined to take this as a positive step. It's not so much that girls are going to grow up with Barbie as a role model, but they do play with dolls as kids and those dolls act out both their realities and their imaginations. So, by giving a girl a female engineer as a doll, you're basically giving her a chance to imagine herself as an engineer and maybe plant a seed for that particular career path.
Anyway, what do you all think?
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SpazGirl
Member # 4915
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posted February 12, 2010 14:48
I think now they need to come out with microbiology Barbie, complete with petri dishes, a mini microscope and a lab coat, chemistry Barbie, with a tiny flask set and a mini Bunsen burner, and a physics Barbie, with chalk, magnets and a blackboard that is full of incomprehensible equations.
On a serious note, I am glad they're trying to give Barbie more career paths, Dr. Barbie was odd, but a good first step, and I enjoyed her much more than what I still think of as "pregnant housewife Barbie" (the one that came with the removable pregnancy belly and twins).
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Metasquares
Member # 4441
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posted February 12, 2010 20:45
Why not? If it gives kids more role models in science and engineering, I'm all for it.
(Then again, this will continue to perpetuate the ethic of studying only to land a job and not for the love of the subject itself, but we'll take it in small steps...)
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Xanthine
Member # 736
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posted February 12, 2010 21:46
quote:
Originally posted by Metasquares:
(Then again, this will continue to perpetuate the ethic of studying only to land a job and not for the love of the subject itself, but we'll take it in small steps...)
I think that attitude's gone the way of the do-do. Knowledge for its own sake, learning for its own sake, sheer unbridled intellectual curiousity has been relegated to the back hallways of academia. The only place to find people in it for the love is in PhD programs...because anyone not in it for the love isn't going to make it to the end. And even then, if you're a grad student in a science or engineering programming and your advisor pays your tuition, you have to get permission from him or her to take any courses. Good luck with that...especially if it's not a degree requirement or immediately pertaining to your subject area. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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fs
Member # 1181
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posted February 13, 2010 05:03
Well, there was Astronaut Barbie when I was a kid. (Pink stiletto-heel boots and all.)
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Tech Angel
Member # 908
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posted February 13, 2010 19:32
quote:
Originally posted by Xanthine:
So, by giving a girl a female engineer as a doll, you're basically giving her a chance to imagine herself as an engineer and maybe plant a seed for that particular career path.
I think your assessment is spot on. Stereotypes aside (pink = girl, glasses = geeky or booksmart), what's most important is what goes on in the little girl's head and heart as she plays with the doll. Speaking as an engineer myself, I would love to have had such a Barbie growing up rather than feeling as if I were constantly "bucking the system" by liking science, math, and technology. (Fortunately, though, I had an engineer dad who encouraged me.)
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dragonman97
Member # 780
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posted February 14, 2010 00:22
Well...I think geek girls with glasses are awesome†, so...what's the problem?
(Sorry, I couldn't help it, and I'm unqualified (wrong chromosomes, dontcha know...) to actually address the matter at hand. :/)
† Besides, I even know some very smart folks who eschew glasses for contacts, but do have glasses, and look awesome in them, even if they don't want to admit it. *cough*
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Tech Angel
Member # 908
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posted February 14, 2010 21:30
quote:
Originally posted by fs:
Well, there was Astronaut Barbie when I was a kid. (Pink stiletto-heel boots and all.)
Sure you're not confusing her with that other similarly-named astronaut, Barbarella? ![[Wink]](wink.gif) I see she also has stiletto-heel boots (though little else).
[Perhaps NSFW -- also not suitable for breaking girls free from awful stereotypes ]
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Anovadea
Member # 15588
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posted February 24, 2010 16:53
If she talks, I just want her to say "£*%&ing null pointers!", "Compile! Just. ****ing. Compile!" and the classic "Don't ask me! I'm just a VB programmer! *giggle*"
Aoife
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