Tattoo'd Barbie
 

I was reading about this new Barbie. She sports a pink bob, leopard print leggings and tattoos.

There seems to be some controversy about her. Well here's the article.
Barbie has Tattoos?



Personally, I think she's awesome. She's not a childs toy, but a collectors item. Finally someone is using Barbie to push away the negative social stereotypes of those with tattoos. It's not like she has any 'dark' tats. They're all pink and black and white, flowers, and birds and hearts. If anything they're a stereotype of 'girl' tattoos.
This would be a Barbie that I, a 20 yr old girl that hasn't owned a Barbie (by choice) since she was 8 yrs old, would buy in a heart beat. She's a visual of a norm you'll find today, she's not perfect, she's flawed, just like normal girls.

I wanted to know, Menewsha, whats your opinion of this limited edition Barbie?

The fuck is wrong with tattoos? :x

People need to calm the hell down.

I think it's pretty cool. Parents these days don't seem to want to teach their kids about responsibility.
I'd buy it for my kids, but I'd also tell them that owning piercings and tattoos are a big responsibility. They have to be careful with their decisions, because tattoos don't ever go away. It's a grown up thing. Tattoos aren't just for punks and outlaws. A lot of good citizens have tattoos. My teachers even have tattoos. So, I don't know what the big deal is.

I like the design idea and think we should move to release more edgy dolls!

Goth Barbie
Emo Barbie
Stripper Barbie
Hooker Barbie
Fetish Barbie
Serial Killer Barbie
Mormon Barbie

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with the doll. Tattoos are a part of daily life and are something that are/should be just tolerated if it isn't one's particular cup of tea. My dad for example, would never in a million years want me to have this doll. My mom on the other hand would say it's okay. I think the doll is pretty cool, but I think their argument that the doll as a collector's item is invalid in the way that all younger girls who are in the "Barbie stage" would walk into a store and see the bright colored hair and crazy-cool leggings and say, "Mommy, I want that." When I was younger, I personally would see a "Collector's Barbie" and throw a fit until I got it which usually worked with my dad cause he didn't know what to do. If I had a daughter, yeah, I'd get her the doll. It's a neat little doll and that's it. There's no master plot or anything behind it. They aren't telling girls to get tattoos. If anything they'll do the opposite of what they're told. Bottom-line, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Tattoo Barbie.

Ooh!! And Jailbird Barbie~!

Oh boo fucking hoo. It's a tattoo. Unless she has a tramp stamp, or some naked chick tattoo somewhere, why is it a big deal? From the glance I got of the tattoos, they looked pretty tasteful. A little classic pinup style (with the birds and such), but tasteful.
It's not like they say 'hottie' or 'slut' or 'cum dumpster.'
Tattoos are becoming more and more mainstream, and aren't anything to be afraid of. Just remind kids that tattoos are permanent and they will never go away, so that if they're going to make one they should make it count and
'put it where a judge can't see it' as I've always been told.

I think those tattoos are cute. When I heard that barbie was getting a tat, I thought something like the Tapio Defender (Islander Barbie?), which also would have been cool, but these tattoos aren't dirty, they aren't nasty, and hell... It's not a toy. It's a collectors item. Even if it was a toy, it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe if tattoos were mainstreamed, less teenager girls would go out and get them just to spite daddy.

Tattooed Barbie isn't really any different to custom Barbies people have customized, she's made for display and not to be played with. Just because people see Barbie as a toy doesn't mean there's not going to be people who collect them so limited edition ones are aimed more at collectors than to be played with.

Bratz dolls come with skimpy clothes and yet a tattooed Barbie is suddenly an outrage.

Bratz horrified me. I mean, what kind of doll has legs that snap off?!

It certainly saves you from standing on a Barbie shoe that's been left in the carpet

I have Bratz dolls from when they very first came out and the outfits you can get for them now have gone very extreem espeically with the sexy Mrs Clause outfit. I'm supprised parents haven't complained about that.

My mom called them "the Little Prostitutes." I agree. So much.

They're cashing in on a trend. I have a full sleeve, tattoos on my legs, chest, head, and stomach...and I'm not really into this doll. I'm not going to say I find it offensive, but I do hate how all of these industries are trying to cash in on the tattoo craze. Shows like LA Ink, Tattoo School, and others are a joke and seem to be glamorizing the industry in all the wrong ways. (I've worked in a shop for about 4 years) That being said, I bought my 3 year old daughter a Kuromi tattoo kit for her birthday this year. My daughter is obsessed with tattoos and has already been to her first convention. I plan to educate her on tattoos properly and she will not get her first until she is 18. There are too many parents who aren't properly educated themselves, so they allow their children to make bad decisions with tattoos. Having tattooed Barbies is just another thing making tattoos seem like the "cool" thing to do. Tattoos are not supposed to be about looking cool, it's about a personal decision you've made and a lifestyle you're choosing to live. (in my opinion) Too many people these days view tattoos as temporary. (oh, I can have it removed! oh, tattoo artists can cover these things now!) No, it's not that easy. Removal is painful and doesn't completely disappear, cover ups must typically be large and dark/busy.

Whoa...I lost myself in a rant. Sorry. lol

On the topic, I don't necessarily see the doll as harmful for children...but I do think it's yet another thing giving off the wrong impression about tattooed people in general.

Oh wow, that Barbie looks cool! It'd be one thing if they were marketing her to kids, but she's a collector's item. Many Barbie fans are adults, I am sure. I never was a big Barbie fan and I'm not really a tattoo fan but I know an awesome piece of art when I see one. ;)

It's funny what parents will fixate on when it comes to protecting children. They don't complain about the objectification of women in shows or in dolls. They don't bat an eye when it comes to the clothing they buy for these dolls or even for their own kids. But when it's something that comes with a history of belonging to a group of people often who filter out to the edges of society; ie, bikers, musicians, artists, then suddenly this becomes a "NO GO" for their kids.

Most of the clothing I see marketed for children in the malls, as well as what I see on most of the children in the malls, is borderline vulgar. Tubetops, plunging V-necks, micro-skirts and make up that would make a hooker envious. Barbie, as far as I've seen, doesn't promote these fashions, but more tasteful and elegant looks. This Barbie has tasteful and elegant tattoos, as monstahh`: said, they're reminiscent of classic pin-up girls.

Along the same thread, these tattoos on the Barbie are permanent, unlike the previous attempts of tattoos on Barbies which were temperature activated, much like the Trollz tummies. I had a Theresa doll that when dipped in cold water she would sport little flower tattoos, if I remember correctly.

And this doll is a collectable item, not a toy. Looking at some of the other collectable dolls, can you see a child playing with this? Bob Mackie® Countess Dracula Barbie® Doll | Barbie Collector

The question should be would you want a child to play with them.

Looking at the collectors ones the work that's gone into making that Barbie giving it to a child to play with would destory it.

See and I see it as doing just the opposite. I see Barbie with tats and think, wow finally we're removing a stigma.
These tats don't come off the doll.
I as well have tats as well as my parents and both older siblings. I understand the value of thought behind getting a tattoo, and if anything this doll could be the starting point for kids to ask their parents questions about tattoos, and for the parents to perhaps reevaluate what they themselves have been led to believe about stereotyping those with tattoos.

There was a Barbie out a few years ago that had airbrush tattoos. It's not a big deal in my opinion. It's a collectors item anyway and parents shouldn't worry about their kids playing with it since it's not available in stores. Plus look at how other dolls are dressed. Isn't that what parents should go after more rather than targeting a doll just because she has ink? Children can't even legally get tattoos so I really do not see what the big deal is. It's not like they can go into a parlor and ask for ink and get it.

When parents see something that is normally geared towards children, they automatically assume it's a toy. A collectors item is not a toy. It is not for children to play with.
Parents see anime, they automatically assume it's a child-friendly cartoon. Most anime is not for children.
Parents see a superhero movie, they automatically assume that it's child-friendly. Not every superhero is child-friendly.

Parents need to learn how to research. I'm tired of these stupid Christian/Family-Friendly groups whining about how something should be banned because they were too stupid to do research.
Yes, stupid parent. Watchmen is a superhero movie. But it's rated R for a reason! Maybe you should've learned why before you took your precious snowflake to go see it.
Geez...

And that Countess doll is lovely. They even have a Moulin Rouge doll!!

Personally, I think it's absolutely fantastic that a mainstream company with such influence has begun to show tattoos and body art in a positive light. People have seen body art as a sign of rebellion/what have you for far too long. I think it's about time we break out of the dark ages and show it for what it is; art.

Cora wants this barbie o.0