Avon Barbie dolls anyone?
Here is a link to Avon Rose Splendor Barbie Doll. A Norristown Avon representative has these dolls on sale. There's an African American one and a Caucasian one. Interesting. There aren't usually many Asian Avon dolls, but the lack of a Hispanic doll for this issue surprises me. Now that Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. .... hmm ....
4 comments:
have no idea that Avon has Barbie. but then Barbie seems to have soo many products to endorce. hohoho. have u seen the blonds barbie? nice dolls, but the prices are way too insane.
The lack of a "Hispanic" doll could be that Hispanics can be of any race. "Hispanic" is a very tricky ethnic category to negotiate and while there is a stereotypical "Latin look" many "Hispanics" simply don't conform to it (and to make matters more complicated, many people from "Spanish-speaking" countries of origin don't speak Spanish as their mother language).
Hi, iLham!
Mattel/Barbie has ties to all sorts of things unrelated. (That marketing job is probably Barbie's main income source.)
Regarding "the blonds barbie," someone needs to say NO to drugs. Who in this time will pay $5,000 for a SINGLE Barbie. No, don't tell me. I really don't want to know ;-D
Hi Kim!
I agree, that's probably why Mattel and most companies did NOT make designated Hispanic dolls before the 1980s - the race factor overrides the ethnic factor in the general public. Black Hispanics, usually being considered, "Black." White Hispanics tend to get assigned to "White" roles and "Asian" Hispanics fill the "Asian" bill.
That's partly why the emergence of Hispanics as the largest ethnic minority tickles me. I love how the "ethnicity" in this case overrides "race" since Hispanic is as you write, "a ... tricky ethnic category."
And in turn, the "ethnicity" itself varies according to who uses the term - whether the in-groups (Mexicans, Cubans, Latinos from various Latin American countries) use the term or whether outsiders, use it. What a mess! It's an American delight.
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