I wonder whether Mattel timed this rollout to coincide with the beginning of the Supreme Court term, which started this week: Judge Barbie is on the bench! With three women currently serving on the highest court in the United States, it’s only logical that Barbie likewise dons a judge’s robes and begins applying her knowledge of the law to cases before her court:
Mattel just unveiled the Barbie Judge Doll, its 2019 Barbie Career of the Year doll.
“With over 200 careers since 1959, this year Barbie takes the stand as a Judge!” the company wrote on Twitter. “The Barbie Judge Doll encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better.”
The company chose a judge as its Career of the Year doll after learning that only 33% of sitting US state judges are women, Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global brand general manager of Barbie, told USA TODAY…
Barbie also partnered with GoFundMe to raise money to help “close the dream gap.” The profits will be donated to three nonprofits that support female empowerment: She’s The First, She Should Run and Step Up. The Dream Gap refers to research showing that, as early as age five, many girls start to believe what they can accomplish is limited because of their gender.
I’ve been thinking about the collection of Barbies that I had growing up, and the only career-specific one that I can recall is Astronaut Barbie, with her shiny metallic-magenta-and-silver outfit and magenta high-heeled boots. (Realism was key, clearly.) I’d like to think that I would have loved to play with a Judge Barbie, too. I think this was a great choice by Mattel. Not only does it promote the idea that women can be judges, but it also (perhaps inadvertently) can capitalize on the love for Justice Ginsburg. It’s also fantastic that Mattel is donating money to several organizations that support female empowerment. That will also make a difference. Who knows? In 40 years, we could be hearing stories from newly appointed Supreme Court justices about how they played with Judge Barbie when they were little and how that was a catalyst for them wanting to pursue a career in law.
The verdict is in! With over 200 careers since 1959, this year Barbie takes the stand as a Judge! The Barbie Judge Doll encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better.
Shop now: https://t.co/ceim7WxU1E. pic.twitter.com/IQDCp6rZtL
— Barbie (@Barbie) October 7, 2019
I’m getting several for my colleagues for holiday presents. We all have little RBG action figures on our desks.
Cute and nice! I did have a big laugh over the stilettos and white lace collar. Lol. Exactly what female judges wear! And of course female judges are exactly that young. I know, i know, no Barbies are realistic. It’s just especially funny if you work in the legal system.
Angie, I’m pretty sure they based the outfit on RBG. If you google her, she does wear different fancy collars and a small heel.
RBG has different collars for different tasks. She has a special one for reading majority decisions that she wrote and another special one for reading dissenting opinions
I would have hated judge Barbie when I was little. I loved the fancy outfits, evening gowns, big hair. The fantasy barbies!
Yet I grew up and became a scientist. Go figure…
Yeah, me too. I had Barbie and the Rockers and all her friends and accessories. Barbie in my world was a fabulous bimbo that lived in a mansion and drove a Ferrari. I didn’t really deviate from what they were selling in the 80’s, lol.
I was never into Barbie as a child. My best friend was given one for her 10th birthday, and I remember thinking, “Sindy is much better.” I loved big dolls in lovely clothes. My uncle brought me one over from Italy when I was about 11, an utterly gorgeous, exquisitely-dressed bride doll that stood almost thre feet high. I’m still gutted about what happened to it.
In the first photo, the first doll looks like the Duchess of Sussex, the second one’s top lip is far too big and puffy, like she’s had too much lip filler. The third is typical Barbie, and, hate me if you like, but I want Anna Wintour’s hair, like the fourth doll. I like a nice, glossy bob.
Trump wants the blonde one on the Supreme Court!
It would be nice if Matel announced they contributed money, not just partnered with GoFundMe.
My sister and I had Barbies as kids but my daughters had lots more.
My Barbies were more like Malibu Barbie and spoiled, rich girl Barbies.
Barbie progressed!
I don’t remember all of them but my girls had Veterinarian Barbie, Boot Camp (military) Barbie AND military Pilot Barbie, Pediatric Doctor Barbie and Police Officer Barbie.
Now, there are Scientist Barbie and Photojournalist Barbie and News Reporter Barbie.
I think it’s cool.
Nice, and long overdue, but I’d like to see them at the age a woman becomes a judge. The 20’s are best known for stupid mistakes, not being appointed to the bench. Let girls have aspirations that go beyond that age!
If you go to a store like Target and check out the doll aisle, Barbie is one of the most diverse you’ll see. Barbies of all shapes and colors and sizes and hair types (all young, but you know). Try to find any other main stream doll line with girls with dark skin and natural hair. (Rooted curly hair for dolls is difficult to do right). The fashionistas line is affordable. Barbie has take a lot of well-deserved flak over the years, but I’d buy my kid a Barbie, if I had a kid.
There could be some better Kens, but hey…
Aww, that is fun! I kinda want one. I had a collection of my sister’s Barbie and I would use them to act out the daydreams/stories in my head (I was obsessed with writing and cinema, even when I was tiny). One of the last “play” I did involved a young teenage girl who saved her older sisters (her legal guardians) by riding her horse through the night Sybil Luddington-style to team up with the eldest sister’s boyfriend. It was full-on spy stuff . My dad had a top secret security clearance for his work at the Pentagon at the time, and we lived not far from Quantico/Langley/D.C., which at the time I thought was the COOLEST thing ever, and which, as an adult, I now know was the COOLEST thing ever (although I am vnow vocally radical in my anti-military, anti-nationalist, anti-government views). Barbies are awesome.