Tattooed Barbie doll is 'overly-sexualised and inappropriate', say parents
A rock chick Barbie doll with dyed pink hair and a chest and neck covered in tattoos has been criticised by parents' groups.
Throughout her 52-year history, Barbie has endured frequent criticism for setting a bad example to young girls with her unrealistic body shape and ditsy character.
But none of her incarnations has caused so much fuss as her latest: a rock chick with dyed pink hair, a chest and neck covered in tattoos and a small dog in a cactus suit called Bastardino.
Mattel, the manufacturer, has described the doll – which is already sold out in the US until next month – as a "funky fashionista" who is "ready for fun in fashion-forward form".
[Gallery: Barbie dolls past and present]
But parents and commentators across America have criticised the image it portrays to children. Professor Joel Bakan, the author of 'Childhood Under Siege', described it as a "cynical exercise".
"This is a calculated attempt to play on young girls' natural desire to appear older," said Prof Bakan. "This is something to be resisted."
The $50 (£31) doll was created with tokidoki, a Los Angeles-based fashion label, and carries a bag bearing the company's logo. "It also encourages girls to become walking billboards," said Prof Bakan.
Holly Lebowitz Rossi, a writer for parents.com, said: "For those who look to Barbie as a role model for strong, empowered girls, the tokidoki doll is overly-sexualised and inappropriate."
In a statement, Mattel suggested that the doll had been intended more "for the adult doll collector". It said: "Barbie has sported an endless array of styles."
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