Barbie is Just a Doll, People!

A West Virginia state lawmaker hasn't got enough to think about. Democratic Delegate Jeff Eldridge of Lincoln County wants to ban Barbie. He says the 50-year-old doll is too much of an influence on young girls and stresses too much on physical beauty and fashion.

OH PLEASE!!!!

Where, oh, where are the similar complaints about GI Joe and his influence on boys? Big beefy he-men who walk around in camo and sling rifles across their backs!

Really, people. These are just toys. Don't we have enough to worry about that is way more serious than dolls? Hell0? The economy? Climate change? Life without ER?

Yes, Barbie is truly anatomically impossible. So is GI Joe, I think. (I haven't looked at him lately.) I seem to remember the manufacturers tried to make Barbie's figure more realistic and it didn't seem to fly.

I grew up with Barbie and while I loved her outfits (my mom made a few of them), I wasn't heavily influenced by her appearance. I knew she was a doll and the product of someone else's imagination. What is wrong with parents telling their kids that dolls don't represent real people? How easy is that?

The fun with Barbie is dressing her up in these fantastic clothes. I remember my aunt would make wedding dresses for Barbie every year to sell at the church festival. She would have an entire bridal party - it was incredible! The dresses all had hand-sewn beads, silk flowers, lace - everything! She even made one for my doll and gave it to me for Christmas. Believe it or not, I still have the dress. I think the doll is long gone, though.

Barbie is part of being an American girl. Leave her alone!