So how about that Barbie? No, not THAT Barbie… we did a show on the movie last year. No, what we want to talk about is enduring legacy of the concept of Barbie. Starting with the doll and going through to the movie, Barbie is just… always there. Or at least she has been for the last 65 years, ever since entrepreneur Ruth Handler saw a novelty sex doll on a shelf in Germany and said “that’s the perfect toy for little girls!” On this week’s episode we want to talk about WHY Barbie has had such an enduring legacy. So, Monica, Hannah and Mav invited returning guests and doll and toy historians Jehnie Burns and Jonathan Alexandratos to talk all things Barbie from her evolution, to her impact on gender perceptions, collector nostalgia, and queer representation. We also talk about… The X-men and Happy Meals… and more sex toys… it’s a wide ranging conversation. Listen and let us know your thoughts.
Citations and Links:
- This episode’s Call for Comments
- Mattel’s official Barbie timeline
- Jehnie’s blog, Barbies All the Way Down
- Jonathan’s book, Articulating the Action Figure: Essays on the Toys and Their Messages
- also check out Jehnie’s book Mixtape Nostalgia
- Thank you to Maximilian’s thoughtForm Music for our theme
- Follow Jonathan on TikTok: @DanceWithToys
- Follow Jehnie on Instagram: @mixtapehistory
- Follow Hannah on Twitter: @hannahleerogers
- Follow Mav on Twitter: @chrismaverick
- Follow Monica on Instagram: @monicamarvelous
- Follow us on Twitter: @voxpopcast
- Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/voxpopcast
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