Bratz Dolls

 

Sasha     Fianna      Phoebe       Cloe

Bratz Dolls 2010

 

Bratz is a line of 10” American fashion dolls released in 2001. Being a male, I personally have not played with these dolls, but I have a five year-old niece, Kellena who has been showing some interest in them lately because she has seen the Bratz cartoons on television.  Her mother is concerned about the sexualization of the Bratz doll’s clothing and the effect they may have on her daughter.  Starting with the doll’s hair and make-up, I see a trend that is borderline promiscuous and highly sexual.  These dolls are all adorned with an extremely large amount of eye make-up and sensuous, shiny lipstick. All the dolls have outrageously long hair, which is definitely out of proportion to their bodies.  Most girls do not grow hair down to their knees; it just isn’t realistic.  Then again, maybe that is what the manufacturer is trying to portray, a doll that is “not real.”   These dolls are supposed to portray teenagers adorned in trendy fashions.  I think the image these dolls portray is not how young girls actually dress, or should dress. They are an exaggeration and parents should make sure their young daughters realize that this is not appropriate dress and make-up for a young girl.  It gives off the wrong impression, which in my opinion is highly sexual.  I believe that younger girls, up to the age of 10, are too young to play with these dolls.  Therefore, Kellena definitely should not be allowed to play with them until she is much older.  Even then, I believe that her mother should proceed with extreme caution.  Young girls are so impressionable and may want to dress like these dolls.  “Bratz dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. Although these dolls may present no more sexualization of girls or women than is seen in MTV videos, it is worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality”– APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls.

As for how these dolls reflect gender norms, I believe they have the same effect as “Barbie” dolls, but in a more modern, extremely sexual way.  Their images are undoubtedly designed by men because they focus on the “ideal image” which is flawless hair and face, perfect body, and large breasts.  These dolls are both innocent and sexy.  They send a dangerous message that girls should value this unrealistic image and that how they look is the most important thing, not what should really matter (self-esteem, confidence, self-respect, intelligence and so on). This stereotype of women has been around for a very long time and seems to be not going away anytime soon.  I believe that these dolls can have detrimental effects on young girls, which can lead to teen pregnancy and trivialization of sex and violence.  I personally, would not want my daughter to play with these dolls.  In our patriarchal society, there are so many outside influences that are disempowering to women and parents need to filter what their children are subjected to on television and film and the kind of toys they play with.

 

Source: http://www.thetoyreview.com/wiki/Bratz_Dolls

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bratz

 

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