Plus Size Barbie On Modeling Site Sparks Debate Over Body Image (PHOTOS) (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YfsqT2xwAsY_1Qen8tCD3JrVxF76NGYiR1okU53J72i6_bsi4hx8RBc5-pmKYhX4GVGeduWMaQyGGJxc_iGNT912jnAk5CsdK3xBMp8gtubvh8oBtQ-Y3QIpWTTMEpktuM_bye7JJ6M/s1600/n-BARBIE-PLUS-SIZE-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YfsqT2xwAsY_1Qen8tCD3JrVxF76NGYiR1okU53J72i6_bsi4hx8RBc5-pmKYhX4GVGeduWMaQyGGJxc_iGNT912jnAk5CsdK3xBMp8gtubvh8oBtQ-Y3QIpWTTMEpktuM_bye7JJ6M/s320/n-BARBIE-PLUS-SIZE-large570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">"Plus-size" models (or any models above the super-skinny norm, for that matter) serve a dual purpose: They showcase plus-size clothing for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/21/plus-size-clothing-online_n_3479724.html" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">a growing market</a>... and they also provide women with a more diverse range of bodies to look up to.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">So if we have plus-size women modeling clothes, why not have plus-size Barbies? That's the question posed recently by Plus-Size-Modeling.com on Facebook, when the group posted <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">an illustration of a plus-size Barbie-like doll</a>:</div><div id="fb-root" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div><div class="fb-post fb_iframe_widget" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1" data-width="466" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=46744042133&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D617083104995407%26set%3Da.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434%26type%3D1&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&width=466" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 600px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify; vertical-align: bottom; width: 466px;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="" frameborder="0" height="1000px" name="f1f387cb6" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?app_id=46744042133&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D28%23cb%3Df217d88e6%26domain%3Dwww.huffingtonpost.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%252Ff2412c41fc%26relation%3Dparent.parent&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D617083104995407%26set%3Da.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434%26type%3D1&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&width=466" style="border-style: none; height: 600px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 466px;" title="fb:post Facebook Social Plugin" width="466px"></iframe></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; display: block; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" />The image actually comes from an illustration contest on <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Worth1000.com</a>, a site where artists compete in daily creative competitions. The Barbie image, created by artist <a href="http://all.worth1000.com/artists/bakalia" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">bakalia</a>, won a 2011 contest called <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/contests/27380/feeding-time-9" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">"Feeding Time 9."</a></div><div id="fb-root" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div><div class="fb-post fb_iframe_widget" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150237454997190&set=a.446206832189.247981.7285072189&type=1" data-width="466" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=46744042133&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10150237454997190%26set%3Da.446206832189.247981.7285072189%26type%3D1&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&width=466" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 602px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify; vertical-align: bottom; width: 466px;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" class="" frameborder="0" height="1000px" name="fcf73955" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?app_id=46744042133&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D28%23cb%3Df2766dbab%26domain%3Dwww.huffingtonpost.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%252Ff2412c41fc%26relation%3Dparent.parent&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10150237454997190%26set%3Da.446206832189.247981.7285072189%26type%3D1&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&width=466" style="border-style: none; height: 602px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 466px;" title="fb:post Facebook Social Plugin" width="466px"></iframe></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; display: block; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" />But when posted last week by Plus-Size-Modeling.com, the depiction of a Barbie with a double-chin and curvier limbs sparked debate. Over 35,000 people have "liked" it, but many have taken issue with the doll's so-called extreme size. "No one is naturally fat for gods sake, that's sending the message to girls that it's ok to look like this and be unhealthy..." <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1&comment_id=1929920&offset=0&total_comments=3168" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">said one commenter</a>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Another noted</a>, "Imo this is horrible. Maybe make her a little fuller,but in no way promote obesity. Triple chins?? Really?? Im a curvy girl,but come on this is ridiculous."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The debate mirrors one currently being waged in the fashion world. When lingerie store Curvy Girl kicked off <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/regular-women-lingerie-photos_n_4308760.html" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">a campaign to share images of "regular" women in lingerie</a>, several of whom are overweight, the campaign was criticized for supposedly<a href="http://www.styleite.com/media/curvy-girl-regular-women-facebook-campaign/" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">encouraging unhealthy habits and promoting obesity</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">There were also those who wondered aloud where the "average" size bodies were -- meaning, bodies that are neither "plus-size" nor a size zero. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1&comment_id=1930489&offset=0&total_comments=3168" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">As one commenter noted under the Barbie image on Plus-Size-Modeling.com</a>, "Wish there was an 'average' Barbie. Not skinny, not obese. Normal proportions."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Actually, someone has already made one. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/normal-barbie-nickolay-lamm_n_3529460.html#slide=2642663" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Artist Nickolay Lamm of MyDeals.com recently created a 3-D model of an "average" Barbie-like doll</a>, based on CDC measurements of an average 19-year-old woman. The result stood in marked contrast to what Barbies are currently made to look like.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">"If we criticize skinny models, we should at least be open to the possibility that Barbie may negatively influence young girls as well," Lamm said in an email to the Huffington Post.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">It's a point well taken -- but exactly what size (or sizes) that Barbie should come in is clearly still up for debate.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Get in on the conversation <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617083104995407&set=a.414201318616921.84306.306972866006434&type=1" style="border: 0px; color: #c72175; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">on Plus Size Modeling's Facebook page</a>.</div></div>

Plus Size Barbie On Modeling Site Sparks Debate Over Body Image (PHOTOS) (BLOG)

"Plus-size" models (or any models above the super-skinny norm, for that matter) serve a dual purpose: They showcase plus-size clot...

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