The Body
Burden:
Living in the
Shadow of Barbie
by
Stacey Handler
The effect the doll,
Barbie™, has had on the body image and self esteem
issues of girls and society has been a common topic in
the media and among therapists for several years. If we
conclude that having Barbie as the ideal l when it comes
to how women are supposed to look, imagine what the
effect must be on Barbie's real life "sister."
Stacey
Handler is the granddaughter of the woman who created
Barbie. While Stacey enjoys the benefits of an income
from the incredibly popular doll, she has also grown up
dealing with the shadow of Barbie hovering over every
aspect of her life. In her book, Stacey bares her
feelings, inspecting every aspect of the impact living in
Barbie's family has had on her own self-image and
thoughts about her full-figured body. She does so in a
compelling manner through both poetry and prose, relating
personal incidents that ring true for all of us.
"Barbie
has always been like a flawless sister to me. Between
us there has been a rivalry, silent and eternal. It
was a rivalry I could not confront because she is
made of plastic."
Stacey
Handler brings fresh insights, an interesting perspective,
and emotional revelations that impact women of all ages
and sizes. Delve into her book and examine your own
relationship with Barbie and how she has influenced your
life.
