UPDATE: Black Youth React To “Ghetto” Barbie

By Deborah Bennett, Senior Editor October 2, 2009 10:45 am

trichelle-1-1

As we reported on Tuesday, Mattel’s new and improved black Barbie line was released this week, but it is already being criticized by some African-American girls who claim the company went too far with the dolls associated “hip hop” accessories.

The New York Daily News showed the new “So In Style” trio of dolls – Grace, Kara and Trichelle – to several girls in New York to get feedback.

“Not all black people like hip hop,” said Barbara Mootoo, 15, of Manhattan, looking at Kara’s silver rope chain necklace. “They gave her a chain like a 50 Cent video.”

Tyaine Danclaire, 15, of the Bronx, liked Trichelle’s straight, long hair because it looked like “a weave,” but she thought the idea “was sorta racist.” She continued, “They say black girls are ghetto with the gold earrings, with the big bling; I don’t agree with that.”

Veteran Barbie designer Stacey McBride-Irby, an African-American mother of two, created the dolls so her kids could have toys that look like their neighborhood friends.

Meet the designer here:

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“Barbie Finally Goes Ethnic”

Mattel announced today their introduction of new Black Barbie dolls. The new dolls have fuller lips, a wider nose, more distinct cheekbones and curlier hair. Deemed the “So In Style” line, or S.I.S, the line features Kara, Trichelle and Grace who are three best friends in tune with fashion, fun and music.

Take a look at the dolls below:

And don’t worry ladies, the dolls come with “Aqua Curl” technology that allows you to curl, straighten and style their doll’s hair with a spray of water and hair styling tools.

Italian Vogue strikes black again with Barbie Doll

Check out Rocawear Barbie

TAGS: Aqua Curl, Barbie, Ethnic

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D-Jolla

D-Jolla

10-9-2009 1:11 pm

Single Baby Mama Barbie! Cause where the fck is baby daddy Ken?!
kcs_sexy_gemini

kcs_sexy_gemini

10-9-2009 1:03 pm

I don’t see anything wrong with them.. They are pretty to me. Everything that comes out that involves us we tend to turn it into a racial issue.
Incometoinfinity

Incometoinfinity

10-9-2009 8:13 am

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ultramagnetic74

ultramagnetic74

10-9-2009 5:46 am

The Barbie doesn’t look all that different from the Black female celeb pics in the gallery on this site. We really do have bigger fish to fry and more important fight to fight.
100percent_wett87

100percent_wett87

10-9-2009 3:28 am

MAN YALL P3TTY I LOV3 Dh3M BARBI3S!!!! Dh3Y HOTT!!!
ThatGirlNitra02

ThatGirlNitra02

10-9-2009 2:25 am

THIS IS NOT A RACIST DOLL OMG THERE ARE SO MANY IGNORANT PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD! WE ALL KNOW THAT SOME OF THE SAME OUTFITS THE DOLL IS WEARING,WE HAVE SEEN FEMALES THAT ARE BLACK, NOT ALL BUT SOME, WEAR THE SAME THING! GO TO THE CLUBS, OR PARKS ON THE WEEKEND OR THOSE BARBECUE COOKOUTS OR BEACH PARTIES AND IN SOME MUSIC VIDEOS…….SAME OUTFITS, AND D*MN IT’S A DOLL! I GUESS IT’S RACIST TOO AT CHRISTMAS WHEN MOST BLACK PEOPLE PREFER THEIR CHILD GET A BLACK DOLL INSTEAD OF THE WHITE ONE, ESPECIALLY IF THE DOLL COMES IN ONLY WHITE ALOT OF BLACK PARENTS GET UPSET IF THEY CANT FIND A BLACK ONE! THATS CRAZY TOO BECAUSE A DOLL IS A DOLL IT’S ALL PLASTIC, AND SHOULDNT MATTER WHAT RACE/COLOR IT IS OR THE CLOTHES IT HAS ON………GROW UP PEOPLE BECAUSE WE HAVE ACTUAL RACIST ISSUES STILL EXISTING TODAY THAT ARE MORE SERIOUSLY EFFECTING BLACK PEOPLE; WATCH THE NEWS AND YOU WILL SEE.
itzmissbrown

itzmissbrown

10-9-2009 12:23 am

What makes this racist is that it is ONLY THE BLACK BARBIE that is dressed like this, if all races had the same outfits it would be O.K. because if not they are stereotyping (and that is sooooo not cool!) Plus you can buy clothes separately anyway so why not just sell them as accessories? Actually I am not sure why she just can’t wear what the White, Latina, and Asian Barbies wear…….
DEELICIOUS44

DEELICIOUS44

10-8-2009 8:12 pm

i want 1 dey r really pretty i like da barbie i only like barbies of color . when & where can i get 1 @
noladii36

noladii36

10-8-2009 7:39 pm

I PERSONALLY DONT SEE THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE DOLLS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS WHAT IT IS AS FOR AS THE WAY THAT WE LOOK. ITS NOT LIKE WE OR JUST BEING PORTRADE THIS WAY…IT IS WHAT IT IS…
DEELOVE09

DEELOVE09

10-8-2009 4:38 pm

the dolls dont look GHETTO and why does everythign has to be about RACE? @dutchesof3 I THOUGHT THE SAME THING UNTIL I WATCHED THE VIDEO and the comments the girls made they prob was dressed jus like the dolls when they were interviewed. SMH.

I LIKE THE DOLLS AND MY DAUGHTER WHO IS 4 JUST LOOK AT THE COMPUTER AND SCREAMED IN MY EAR SO I GUESS SHE’LL GET THE BARBIE FOR CHRISTMAS…LOL
dutchesof3

dutchesof3

10-8-2009 3:02 pm

i think its fine the white barbie go the same type of accessories. the only thing that bothers me is that with the black dolls the littles sister liked like there child at fist glance. i dont think its anything tht the company is doing its just my mind set. when i see barbie and skiper i think sisters. when i see trichelle and janessa i think teen mother or there mother is single so trichelle got to pick up the slack. is that wrong of me?
aaronalee

aaronalee

10-8-2009 2:06 pm

i like em…but thats jus my opinion
UnTaMed_Princess08

UnTaMed_Princess08

10-8-2009 1:40 pm

people always wanna make it black, white, and bulls**t. there is nothing racist about them dolls. if you look at majority of the african american culture as a whole. the pre teens and the teenagers, this is what they represent. go on any myspace, moco, bp, fb page, and i guarantee you, when these kids get on pics and cam, these dolls bare a uncanny resemblence to them. i think the dolls are cute as well. Good Job Barbie.
cdrop_32

cdrop_32

10-8-2009 12:16 pm

these dolls are’nt racist they are beautiful to me…
Deletha_J

Deletha_J

10-8-2009 3:00 am

I dont consider the barbies racist! Whoever consider these barbies racist are just pain sensitive and dont know what the hell racist means. I mean finally we get recognition via dolls and someone always has to turn this positive project into something negative. This is blown way out of proportion. Come on now
somajor87

somajor87

10-8-2009 1:36 am

OMG…THOSE LITTLE KIDS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEIR TALKING ABOUT, I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF BLACK PEOPLE CRYING RACISM….STOP YOUR S**T!!! HOW THE HELL CAN WE BEGIN TO PROSPER IF WE KEEP DWELLING ON SIMPLE S**T, LIKE A DAMN BARBIE…WHEN BARBIE WAS JUST WHITE YOU COMPLAINED, NOW THEIR PRODUCING MORE BLACK DOLLS UR STILL COMPLAINING…..SHUT YA ASS!!! I AM ONLY 22YRS OLD AND WHEN I WAS PLAYING WITH DOLLS, I COULD NOT FIND ONE BLACK DOLL, TOYS R US WILL ALWAYS SAY, “WE RAN OUT!” BUT YET STILL THEY HAD RACKS FILLED WITH WHITE AND ASIAN BARBIES! YOU DON’T LIKE THE DOLL, DON’T BUY IT! HONESTLY, ITS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.
SoRandom21

SoRandom21

10-8-2009 1:07 am

i love the new barbies, i do not believe they are being racist in any way. I love their new outfits and their hairstyles. Now if Mattel barbie makers would have put the african american dolls in blonde hair and american eagle or something of that sort they would still be calling mattel racist, some people just dont know how to accpet change for the better and not the worst
~BLACK BARBIE~
LuvSumTG32

LuvSumTG32

10-8-2009 12:58 am

I don’t see anything wrong with the dolls.Sounds like somebody is ashamed of being black. Things that make you go hummmm.
Tiybri

Tiybri

10-8-2009 12:32 am

Ok first ppl betch about how its so hard to find black barbies, so when they get there own line ppl want to nit-pick at nonsence….

” Tyaine Danclaire, 15, of the Bronx, liked Trichelle’s straight, long hair because it looked like “a weave,” but she thought the idea “was sorta racist.” ”

DF?????
Black barbies always had long straight hair why is it a problem now………And they have more then one with differnet hair styles….
svf67

svf67

10-7-2009 11:36 pm

The dolls dont look bad to me. I dont have any idea what the fuss is about on these dolls looking “ghetto”. The only thing I take issue with is all of the dolls have long, straight hair? Where is the diversity in doing that? Not all black females are into weaves. We rock locks, twists, braids, short styles, mo-hawks, etc. All of the dolls look the same. I guess they didn’t know that when they made the dolls to represent “real” females. I think alot of us need to see Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” when it comes to a theatre near in your town. Because we are missing not only the cultural implications of this mentality but the financial as well.
SouthernRose

SouthernRose

10-7-2009 11:07 pm

I like the dolls I grew up in the era where the dolls were one color jet black with orange lips in otherwords they dip the dolls in black and painted the lips its about time they realize we come in a rainbow of beautiful colors Peace my Sisters
girl_2

girl_2

10-7-2009 10:00 pm

i like them i think they’re really cute
toodelicious4u

toodelicious4u

10-7-2009 6:39 pm

I actually like the new ethinc barbies. I think that my daughter would choose these dolls over any other barbie doll. I believe that the people who are writing these hate messages are the people who hate themselves and who hate the african american culture and style. First yall wonna complain when they dont include us now yall wonna complain when they do…..? Thats a bunch of bull! There isn’t anything ghetto about these dolls. These dolls are stylish and beautiful. I feel like it’s extremely important for our children to play with toys that actually represent us.
toodelicious4u

toodelicious4u

10-7-2009 6:38 pm

I actually like the new ethinc barbies. I think that my daughter would choose these dolls over any other barbie doll. I believe that the people who are writing these hate messages are the people who hate themselves and who hate the african american culture and style. First yall wonna complain when they dont include us now yall wonna complain when they do…..? Thats a bunch of bull! There isn’t anything ghetto about these dolls. These dolls are stylish and beautiful.
bigNsexy080

bigNsexy080

10-7-2009 5:18 pm

da way i c it nobody from barbie mentioned anythn bout ghetto.. n da dolls dont look no ghetto to me neitha.. dey black n i think dey pretty dun.. wut is wrong wit it? i dont c no ignorance.. yap yap yap.. give it a break