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Good lord, Barbie is really letting herself go
"Keep obesity away from your child" is the tagline of a new campaign by Texas-based Hispanic shop LatinWorks for an organization called Active Life Movement. Instead of fat kids, the ads show fat toys: a superhero, pirates and a Barbie-like doll. See the full ads here, here and here over at Ads of the World. Details like the Cake Crusader's dripping ice-cream cone and Big-Butt Barbie's empty takeout carton are fantastic. Still, if the toys are comfortable with themselves, isn't that the most important thing? The stout swashbucklers sure look happy -- or sated, at any rate. And the superhero, like Batman's Adam West bursting out of his tights in the '60s, would probably say the mass around his middle is muscle. (What a joker.) You know, maybe that doll's supposed to be Jessica Simpson. |
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February 17, 2009 in Active Life Movement, Gianatasio, LatinWorks, Obesity, PSAs | Permalink |
Comments
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so, wait... this is an ad campaign targeting latino/hispanic communities, telling them how they shouldn look, and they use a white skined, blond haired, blue eyed doll... and everyone is ok with this? i mean, BS stero typing asside (and there's more than enough of that thanks), this isa really solid example of white as the ultimate beauty ideal. this just makes me sick, and sad, and angry.
Posted by: firefey | Feb 17, 2009 1:11:30 PM
"You know, maybe that doll's supposed to be Jessica Simpson. "
Right, because a healthy size 8 is obese.
Charming.
Posted by: Tiffany | Feb 17, 2009 2:10:52 PM
Wow, this group is seriously spending money to draw attention to the fact that Barbie isn't fat? What is this, an outreach program for individuals with no perceptive abilities? NORMAL Barbie does a good enough job constantly reminding girls that being fat is socially unacceptable - I fail to see how rendering Barbie obese brings the message home any better.
Posted by: Coco | Feb 17, 2009 4:12:24 PM
self-hatred and poor body image ahoy!
it will definately inspire girls to get out there .. don't want to look like fat barbie, do you?
in fact, you don't even want to look like thin barbie!
why is some plastic doll being used anyway?
maybe some common sense instead of bs scare tactics, because that is what this is.
Posted by: moonlightkisu | Feb 17, 2009 6:35:07 PM
Watch for the femanist blogs to have a field day with this. Likewise the blogs that support being fat is genetic rather than lifestyle. Just visit Disney and compare the europeans to americans.
The people I know who make excuses that being fat is their 'genetics' are the same people who are watching movies all weekend, sharing high-fat food recipes, chowing donuts, and not getting any exercise......
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 8:09:40 PM
Watch for the femanist blogs to have a field day with this. Likewise the blogs that support being fat is genetic rather than lifestyle. Just visit Disney and compare the europeans to americans.
The people I know who make excuses that being fat is their 'genetics' are the same people who are watching movies all weekend, sharing high-fat food recipes, chowing donuts, and not getting any exercise......
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 8:09:41 PM
SteveN - Clearly, you have the wrong friends. I don't know why you spend time with people like that! You should hang out with more strong military types - including those who work out regularly, pass all their duty physicals, and are still plump.
Sitting on your ass snorting crushed doughnuts all day will probably make you fat, but being active won't always make you thin.
Posted by: BarbieGirl | Feb 17, 2009 9:00:24 PM
SteveN - Clearly, you have the wrong friends. I don't know why you spend time with people like that! You should hang out with more strong military types - including those who work out regularly, pass all their duty physicals, and are still plump.
Sitting on your ass snorting crushed doughnuts all day will probably make you fat, but being active won't always make you thin.
Posted by: BarbieGirl | Feb 17, 2009 9:00:25 PM
Yes, many fat people work out regularly. Most of them don't control their portions and consumption, them blame their genes.
If they kept a log of everything they eat during the day, they would be suprised.
Too bad typing isn't exercise, as there is also correlation to being addicted to the internet and being a chub.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 9:35:33 PM
hence the reason Barbie is online blogging.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 9:36:58 PM
I am a social scientist who has researched the stigma of obesity for years. A campaign like this disgusts me beyond words. We have had scare tactics for years and they are counterproductive. Anyone with even half a brain should realize that by now. The people behind this campaign should be ashamed of themselves for not only being emotionally abusive, but being non creative and asinine. If I were them, I would be embarrassed to look at myself in the mirror in the morning. Surely they could come up with something more than this mediocre garbage!
p.s. I will be that the above barbie is still more attractive than those behind this campaign!
Posted by: FatNySassy | Feb 17, 2009 9:45:57 PM
p.s. And to the above posters, I also happen to be an attractive, healthy fat woman who doesn't need an "excuse" for my natural body! (I happen to think I look great for 50 and fat keeps me youthful!) There is not a single person on this planet I would trade packages with. I wonder if all the bigots above could honestly say the same thing about their intellects!
Posted by: FatNSassy | Feb 17, 2009 9:49:53 PM
Since when are getting exercise, controlling portions, not eating between meals, scare tactics?
USA is getting fatter every year. It's documented. Stop the denial, increase your activity, and cut the garbage they are stuffing in their mouth (then blaming their genes).
If you doubt that, then travel to Europe where you will be amazed at the obesity vs. USA. Genetics don't change that fast in 200 years, but eating habits do.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 9:54:24 PM
Healthy and Fat are mutually exclusive. Now you are going to try to prove this medical correlation wrong?!
Standard playbook you are using. Denail, victimization, claim those who don't agree with you are bigots, claim happiness, degrade the person who doesn't agree.
yawn....
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 10:11:33 PM
Oh SteveN, you're awesome and have totally convinced me of the error of my ways.
Since you seem so well informed - I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing exactly what qualifies as 'obese'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/1459239412/in/set-72157602199008819/
Posted by: Witchylana | Feb 17, 2009 10:46:16 PM
"Healthy and Fat are mutually exclusive. Now you are going to try to prove this medical correlation wrong?!"
Um, Yup.
Last time I went to the doctor the ONLY thing wrong was that my iron levels were low and I was told to "eat some red meat".
I exercise (walking, Yoga, weight training, cardio), eat sensibly, don't smoke or drink, have excellent blood pressure, 20/20 vision, and all my own teeth - I'm VERY healthy. I'm also "morbidly Obese" with a BMI of 45.
Posted by: Witchylana | Feb 17, 2009 10:53:09 PM
I see the 'fat acceptance' calvary is here with the same old tired arguements. So a few overweight people get told by their doctor they are healthy. Sure...it's going to happen. You need to look at trends rather than a single data point.
I can assure you, sweetie, that you are not as healthy as you would be with a BMI of 35.
Insurance actuarial tables are rarely wrong......
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 11:36:28 PM
Good night, this is my last post of the evening (and I want to get some activity in as opposed to simply typing).
I knew it wouldn't be long before the fat acceptance crew would arrive.
I agree that BMI tables are calibrated too stringently, but this doesn't change the arguements i make at all.
If you think being fat is healthy, then good luck. I personally don't believe using samples of one and statistical outliers as evidence that a trend of 'fat being unhealthy' is not correct.
Keep fooling yourself.....
goodnight.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 17, 2009 11:45:45 PM
I apologize for intruding as such, but SteveN, if you believe fat is so unhealthy and that fat and health are mutually exclusive, what do you propose? You want to go with science, and the body of scientific evidence indicates that one can do everything "right", and still be fat (we call this Health at Every Size, which has been shown to be more beneficial long-term than dieting or WW-style "lifestyle changes"), and that not only do diets not work for between 95 and 98% of the human species, but causes more health problems than it seeks to cure, as well as the fact that the majority of people gain all the weight back even while maintaining heightened levels of activity and restricting calories. Gastric bypass is frequently associated with nutrient malabsorption, anemia, and even in the case of the "best" surgeries, death.
Look, I'm all for healthy eating, and exercise. But don't pretend that many people- even very large people- will ever see a pound of change on the scale.
Also, casting blame upon "the obese" doesn't help anybody. Thin people can still shovel junk food down their mouths, remain thin, and be praised by society for being thin. I eat a piece of pizza with a cup of soup and the food police jump down my throat to give me a ticket for "eating while fat".
I know you'll try to discredit me by saying "but you're a fat fat fatty". True, I'm a size 14, although some people don't consider a 14 fat (but some people consider a 4 fat, so who am I to judge someone else's opinion of who's fat?) I'm also preparing for med school, so I don't claim to be an expert on the human body (yet), but I don't see your credentials for saying "it's a fact!".
Also, does this mean that the discrimination against fat people is right? You can't tell by looking at an individual whether or not he or she is healthy. You can't tell a fat person practicing Healthy Living at Every Size from a fat person who lays around the house all day. You can't tell the fatty who's fat because of genetics from the fatty who's fat for another reason. You cannot tell WHY a person is fat by looking at him or her. Would you (general you) accept consumption of high-fat recipes, and doughnuts from a thin person? Would you accept a thin person who didn't get any exercise? If you would, why would you not accept a fat one?
And I know anecdotes mean nothing, but my cousin is an American who lived in Paris, France for a year. She marveled at how many thin women there seemed to be. She was a student teacher at a posh private school and saw two of her co-workers sharing one chicken leg for lunch. This is not a healthy attitude towards food.
Maybe we should be encouraging healthy relationships with food and exercise instead of condemning those fatty fat fatties.
Posted by: Angie | Feb 18, 2009 9:07:34 AM
His harshness aside, I'm with Steve N on this issue - and for those who are being defensive about their own weight issues, this ad is not talking about being a rail thin model OR about being a size 14 - we're talking OBESITY, and it's killing people, ESPECIALLY blacks and Latinos. Maybe shock tactics are necessary considering how endemic it's become (no one seems to have a problem with Partnership for a Drug Free America)- There's no if ands or buts about the fact that people need to take personal responsibility for this - there also ought to be some CORPORATE responsibility as well - it's a crime there are neighborhoods in this country that don't have decent grocery stores with produce sections yet have a McDonald's or some kind of Fried Chicken shack on every corner. A CRIME.
As for the race issue with the toys - point me towards the black Superman action figures and you'll have made your point. Having grown up in an all black neighborhood as a child you were hard press to see a little girl playing with anything other than a white Barbie doll...but alas that's a whole other topic...
Posted by: Broad Bandy | Feb 18, 2009 10:31:16 AM
Has the A.C.L.U. gotten wind of this campaign?
Posted by: Unconcerned Citizen | Feb 18, 2009 10:32:21 AM
Broad Bandy - You're right, there are a lot of people with unhealthy lifestyles, and our current culture doesn't make 'good' behavior as easy as it should. American towns *should* be more walking-friendly. Decent food *should* be more available to the poor. A good city ought to think about its citizens and where the people in the lowest income brackets (who are often minorities) are supposed to get their food and their exercise if they have no cars.
There's also safety to be considered. How many of these minorities live in places where it's SAFE to go out and walk around?
Unfortunately, most obesity councils are more interested in either shaming people or preaching vaguely about how you should eat more vegetables than in actually doing anything to change the situation. Makes them more money if they can just print out pamphlets in exchange for government funding.
Posted by: BarbieGirl | Feb 18, 2009 11:46:16 AM
(That said, fad diets and weight-loss surgery kill more people than obesity does, oddly enough. If people would stop fixating on 'fat' instead of 'health', and eat healthy food and get exercise instead of killing themselves to get thin, we'd all be better off.)
Posted by: BarbieGirl | Feb 18, 2009 11:47:52 AM
Wow. I played with clicks as a child and I think the pirates in those ads are the cutest thing.
Posted by: Nia | Feb 18, 2009 3:26:52 PM
Remember folks, there is a flip side to every story and to the "obesity epidemic" research you are throwing out there.
As a 5'3 woman who is 154 pounds (yep! Morbidly obese considering jessica now...), I do not view it as just watch your calories and work out. After cutting calories to lower than 1200, working out 2+ hours a day, and keeping a log of it as one commenter noted would help just OH so much for over two years 140 was the LOWEST I ever got. And you know what? that 1200 calorie restrictive, throwing up, making my self-worth on my jeans, caring only about the calories in and calories out was the most UNHEALTHY THING I have ever done in my life.
Diets don't work. Not even diets that pretend not to be diets but really are diets. And research has found that diets are precursors for eating disorders and cause even more weight gain. And don't tell me I did it the unhealthy way, because I was following a few of those different popular diets at the time. All of which you would label "healthy". And don't you dare tell me I didn't "try" hard enough.
I've looked this way since I was in 5th grade. And I FINALLY accept myself. So why don't you all start accepting me and yourselves as well.
I'm 154 pounds. I'm considered overweight by the BMI bullshit meter. I run a 5k 4 times a week, I lift weights, I eat mainly vegetarian meals, I can't name the last time I had fast food, I buy organic, local, and grass-fed as much as I can. So is that your definition of fat? Of "obese? And don't say I'm not fat, because I am.
And I don't mean lazy, stupid, smelly, or a drain on our society. I am working on my masters and want to pursue my PHD not only because I love my research, but because I love teaching students. Is that lazy, stupid or a drain on our society? And I bathe. You have to after all that running.
Let's change the conversation and stop the fat hate. Let's embrace our diversity and deconstruct the stereotypes around the term fat. Let's end the disconnect with our food and our bodies.
Posted by: Ginbee | Feb 18, 2009 7:14:17 PM
BarbieGirl makes an excellent point. The agency should have worked harder to show that fat toys - and, by analogy, fat children - are shocking. Better ad execution would be able to communicate what is shocking and how to fix it.
Unfortunately, these ads are only an inch deep since they don't get past the shame. The visuals have to do a LOT a lot more work. Let the visuals communucate the IDEAL to the parents, not easy anti-ideal/shame game that crappy ads play.
No, what I'm suggesting is not the easy way out. Communication isn't easy. Tackling the obesity epidemic isn't easy either. These ads are too easy.
And for the record, my BMI (hey! the ads could have talked about BMI!) is 61.
Posted by: d4kc | Feb 18, 2009 10:18:49 PM
Broad Bandy, I was not getting defensive. I apologize if that was unclear. And I am all in favor of making a society where there is more access to low-cost, nutritious food.
My concern is that it should not be addressing fat or "obesity", because the state or non-state of being obese does not necessarily make one unhealthy. I brought up my weight because I'm often accused of not knowing what I'm talking about because I'm fat myself, and I wanted to head this off at the pass, so to speak.
I also agree that it's not good to have access to convenience food, but not fresh fruits and veggies. Nobody is arguing against that. It's a strawman to say that if you're ok with fat, you're against health.
Posted by: Angie | Feb 19, 2009 7:24:50 PM
So I was at Disney today. With the lunch meals, you can get carrots instead of potato chips. After this dialog, i took interest in watching the choices.
Most the europeans took carrots. Most the overweight americans took chips......
It isn't genetic. Genetics don't change in 200 years. To argue there isnt an obesity epidemic is absurd.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 20, 2009 8:44:06 PM
The other ads are awful as per above comments, but the pirates one doesn't even make sense. I seriously fail to see how an image of fat, hedonistic pirates, enjoying some plastic rum and meat, is meant to convince anyone that obesity is bad. Isn't the typical image of a pirate pretty much the same, except skinnier? The only other difference I see is that brown-beard has a metal (or metal-toned plastic, I guess) pegleg. Which, really, would be a pretty badass pirate accessory.
Posted by: Meg | Feb 20, 2009 10:56:02 PM
Steven N - Did you get up and ask the people at Disney where they were from to verify your scientific study? They must've loved that. Not too weird! Or did you just note down every person taking a helping of carrots down as "European" and everyone taking chips "Fat Lazy Americans." And what a busy day I might add! Off at Disney during the day and time to post online about fatties at night. You're awesome, sweetie!
ANYWAY. I actually think the really offensive thing about these ads is, geared to African-American and Latino children as they are, why the hell have they chosen blonde-haired, blue-eyed BARBIE as their role model "gone wrong"?!? Talk about reinforce the beauty ideal as stick thin, white and blonde.
Posted by: MJ | Feb 21, 2009 2:50:55 PM
Also I think the pirates look adorable.
Posted by: MJ | Feb 21, 2009 2:53:45 PM
Nope. My baby was napping and we found a nice spot to sit in the shade next to a food area. It was quite easy to identify the europeans by accent!
That said, it is true the obesity epidemic is out of control in USA.
If you really doubt obesity is related to health then just do a quick search on New England Journal of Medicine on the term obesity.
Obesity also adds to healthcare costs, although the costs are ultimately lower since the life span is shorter.
I see Kate Harding linked to this post, so i understand why the Fat Acceptance crowd is here defending their helplessness, victimization, and inactivity.
It's about effort....put the time into making healthy meals. Don't give me this explaination about expensive food. Plenty of healthy food is inexpensive. It's about effort. Effort to cook, effort to exercise, effort to not hit the McDonalds drive thru. Effort to control portion size.
Average weight has grown in USA, and it's about laziness not genetics.
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 22, 2009 8:43:56 PM
SteveN, you neglected to answer my question: What about the people who do everything "right", according to you, and are still fat? Or the people who do everything "wrong" and are still thin? How can you tell 100% which are the "bad fatties" or which are the "good fatties", or by extension, who are the "good skinnies" or the "bad skinnies"? Because you saw them eat carrot sticks or chips at Disney World on one day?
I'm not going to "defend" anything. My lifestyle is not for you to judge. Even if I detailed my daily activity and food consumption to you, what would that accomplish? You'd say something like "well, you should be adding X hours of W,Y, and Z activity" or call me the exception (funny how there seem to be so many exceptions... could it be because correlation does not equal causation?). This accomplishes nothing.
Don't you understand that we are on the same freaking side! Yay for nutritious food! Yay for veggies! Yay for exercise! Yay for better access to healthcare! Yay to clean water! I just don't think that weight should enter into the equation.
Also, think of it this way: most people who diet plateau while still restricting calories and keeping a high level of activity. Then, in spite of all their best efforts, they gain the weight back, and then some. According to a survey of students at my university, 9/10 women and 7/10 men have been on diets by age 18, with 60% being on more than one extended diet. By this logic, assuming that 90% of diets fail, and of that 90%, 80% gain weight, that's 4 overweight women and 3 overweight men caused JUST by dieting, not even accounting for who among them was genetically predisposed to be fat to begin with.
So, following this logic, wouldn't encouraging healthful living, without dieting for weight loss or stigmatizing fat, cause less of the population to be fat?
Posted by: Angie | Feb 23, 2009 10:24:55 PM
Angie, typical answer from the fat acceptance playbook.
Diets fail...so it's not about effort, it's about being a victim to poor genes.
Wrong.
Nearly eveyone will admit being on a diet. Focusing on eating heatlhy and exercise would cause you to answer 'yes' that question. That said, the effort expended is questionable at most. Sure your 'data' will show most diets fail.
I disagree. When peopel FOCUS and put strong effort and commitment, many do achieve success.
This is standard playbook response from Kate Harding's team. Diets fail...they don't work...it's all about our genes...we are victims!....this is all hogwash.
We weren't fat 100 years ago. The average person outside North America is not fat as we are (or not until Mcdonalds takes over).
Forget the focus on the word 'diet'. How about you and Kate's team stop acting like victims and failures, and start putting more focused effort into it?
I know a few neighbors who are fat, and treat Kate like an idol. They are the same group who focus on food, eat huge portions, don't exercise - yet defend Kate and the fat acceptance cause to the death. Fat can be healthy!! Are you kidding me?! Cmon.
Unfortunately, they don't realize the reality.....
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 24, 2009 2:37:10 PM
Angie, typical answer from the fat acceptance playbook.
Diets fail...so it's not about effort, it's about being a victim to poor genes.
Wrong.
Nearly eveyone will admit being on a diet. Focusing on eating heatlhy and exercise would cause you to answer 'yes' that question. That said, the effort expended is questionable at most. Sure your 'data' will show most diets fail.
I disagree. When peopel FOCUS and put strong effort and commitment, many do achieve success.
This is standard playbook response from Kate Harding's team. Diets fail...they don't work...it's all about our genes...we are victims!....this is all hogwash.
We weren't fat 100 years ago. The average person outside North America is not fat as we are (or not until Mcdonalds takes over).
Forget the focus on the word 'diet'. How about you and Kate's team stop acting like victims and failures, and start putting more focused effort into it?
I know a few neighbors who are fat, and treat Kate like an idol. They are the same group who focus on food, eat huge portions, don't exercise - yet defend Kate and the fat acceptance cause to the death. Fat can be healthy!! Are you kidding me?! Cmon.
Unfortunately, they don't realize the reality.....
Posted by: SteveN | Feb 24, 2009 2:37:11 PM
SteveN, I'm sorry that you feel the way you do. I work with a social psychologist, and while society has made most prejudices somewhat taboo, the prejudice against "fat" people is the last remaining "acceptable" prejudice.
I'm sure that many fat people have bad habits: don't work out, eat large portions. I'm equally sure that many people I know also don't work out and can (and usually do) eat a whole pizza in one sitting, and don't have an ounce of body fat to show for it. Fat people simply have a different hormonal response to foods like carbohydrates and refined products. It's exasperated by bad habits, but the bad habits only reveal an underlying condition.
I heartily recommend that everyone here read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes to get a full picture of the hormonal quirks at work.
Posted by: Gabriel | Feb 25, 2009 7:46:24 PM
By the way SteveN, it's true that we weren't fat 100 years ago. That's because products like soda, refined sugars, and other carbohydrate non-food weren't common. For years now, fat people have been told to embrace these "low fat" foods to gain health. It turns out that it makes them fatter and sicker.
To other heavy people out there - my parents and I have embraced a healthy weight and lifestyle by giving these things up. You wouldn't believe the health you enjoy by relying on eggs and meat for protein and veggies to fill in the corners. Good luck to you!
Posted by: Gabriel | Feb 25, 2009 7:58:01 PM
Totally agree with SteveN. People have forgotten what the average American looked like just a few decades ago.
Posted by: Laura | Mar 10, 2009 10:41:38 PM
Hahaha... Read between the lines of the comments folks, SteveN is a clear-case self-hating fatty. Not only has he written what I'll guess to be over 1000 words (not counting double posts) on an ad about an overweight Barbie, he spends all day at Disneyland staring at the people buying food and determining whether they sound European or not! And isn't it lucky that the day after he announced his theory about fatties eating fries at Disneyland, he just HAPPENED to go there with his wife and baby (gives the game away right there!) and just HAPPENS to sit down at the food court and stare at people confirming his theory! Awesome coincidence!
Nice try SteveN, but everybody knows that people who comment all day on blogs are just greasy fatties anyway (it's because they don't get exercise), so it's no use crafting elaborate tales to justify your self-fatty-fat-based hate. When are you going to learn to love yourself?
Posted by: disneyemployee | May 1, 2009 9:09:37 PM
Fat activists are in complete denial because it's easier to pretend a problem doesn't exist (or shoot the messenger) than to try to solve it. Hence parents of morbidly obese children are told that the main thing is that their kids feel good about themselves, and 200 pound teenage girls are assured that they are not fat just "curvy" and "healthy." Does anyone think that chain smokers who are setting themselves up for lung cancer should just accept themselves for what they are? Self esteem is not desirable when it leads to unhealthy complacency and to get the message across you sometimes have to be blunt--scare tactics involving the dangers of smoking seem to have worked well.
Posted by: Lorina | Jun 29, 2009 10:55:02 AM
