I’ve thought about this post for a while. How to even put down into words that Barbie’s (three of them) live in my house now? But here goes the admission.
Yes, they are here but they aren’t central figures, just bystanders that were given to Autumn because they happen to be in the same box as the large and movable dogs that she begged grandma for. But they are here nonetheless. After Autumn opened the boxes and discarded the Barbie’s to just play with the dogs, I hid the Barbie’s in a drawer. Then one day, I happen to open the drawer with her standing next to me and she asked me “why her girls where in the drawer” and she wanted them back. I handed them over sheepishly.
When my youngest sister was little, I was in college and was anti-Barbie all the way (actually still am). I’m sure she heard me ranting against them. And now, when my little (twenty-two-year-old) sister sees these Barbie’s at MY house, she now rallies against them herself. Telling Autumn how disgusting they are. Autumn didn’t even know they were called Barbie’s until my little sister told her.
I let it go. I’ve felt like I didn’t want to say these same things to Autumn because I don’t want her to start having these thoughts. She could care less about clothes or bodies or weight and I just don’t want to put those ideas in her head. So I haven’t. I’ve just tried to work around it. But I swear, the moment my sister ranted against them, they became much more intriguing to Autumn. When she plays “dogs” in her doll house, which is all she has ever used her doll house for, she now props the “girls” up in the background (plus one GI Joe that her daddy gave her from his childhood). They are the “owners” of the dogs and are really only there to serve that one purpose.
After a recent visit with my family that entailed my sister posting notes in the Barbie’s hands and talking about their boobs, their butts, their clothes, their hair etc., Autumn decided to take a stand. When we got home, far from the earshot of her beloved Auntie, she said, “Mom, Brittaney doesn’t like Barbie’s and Isabel at school doesn’t like Barbie’s but I DO!” And out of my mouth came, “You can like whatever you want, no matter what anyone else says.” Ouch, that hurt. But I was proud. I was actually happy to hear her stand up for Barbie. How totally insane is that?
It is now two weeks after our visit and I have yet to see the Barbies make a reappearance (and it’s not because I’ve hidden them). But I did go out and get her a used non-Barbie girl that actually looks like a girl (with red hair of course). You know, if these dang Barbie’s didn’t have dogs to own, they would serve no purpose to her whatsoever. Of course, it’s the dogs fault, always is!
p.s. I can’t stand Barbie and when I went to post a picture, I couldn’t actually do it. I’m going to find a new hiding spot.
