The British Medical Association has started playing with dolls. Barbie has just undergone an exhaustive clinical analysis, and the results are that she is not a good example for future doctors and scientists. The doll turned into a construction worker, teacher, veterinarian or judge, with the aim of fulfilling her old motto: "We, the girls, can do anything", in reality, being a doctor or scientist, is not very good at it.
Indiana University researcher Katherine Klamer has analyzed 92 dolls and concluded that they are unprofessional. More than two-thirds of the Barbie brand scientists and doctors wore their hair down, and more than half wore high-heeled shoes, even in settings where it would be discouraged or forbidden for safety reasons.
"Barbie has a commendable resume that spans several careers, many of them male-dominated. To prevent Barbie from being excluded from her workplace, future dolls must be equipped with the proper protective equipment to perform medical and laboratory work safely. In addition, Dr. Barbie should expand her scientific and medical careers into subfields where women remain a minority, both for the sake of young women and for her own sake," says the study just published by The British Medical Journal (The BMJ).
The difference between what Barbies wear and real doctors is visualized even in the doll's own movie. The multiple actors portraying medical dolls appear with their hair down and high heels, while the real doctor Ken meets in the real world has short hair and wears a professional coat.
Find out more
Cinema.
Barbie's house and the Playboy mansion, when the extremes touch
- Written by: LUIS ALEMANY Madrid
Barbie's house and the Playboy mansion, when the extremes touch
In the U.S. In the U.S. and U.K., women currently account for 37.1% and 48.0% of all practicing physicians, respectively. As women begin to dominate applications to American and British medical schools, these numbers are expected to rise further.
Women also make up more than half of dental school students, and they continue to dominate nursing. 88% and 89% of nurses in the US and UK, respectively, are women.
"Barbies are more than just pink toys, they are symbols of some of the most important careers that girls can aspire to one day, and that their ancestors fought for them to access. They do more than raise awareness. They embody society's idea of who medical and scientific professionals are. For the sake of the girls as well as for her own sake, Barbie should continue to break glass barriers," Klamer said.
"
Barbies can unintentionally spread misconceptions about medicine and science, usually through their appearance. If Barbie wants to be an accurate mirror for girls to reflect their career aspirations, she needs to practice many types of medicine and science, and meet standard hospital and laboratory safety requirements."
Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie at Barbie's hospital in the film. Barbie.
Their field study analyzed 53 female physicians, ten female scientists, two female science educators, 15 nurses, 11 dentists, and one paramedic; and compared them to 65 professional non-Barbie dolls (26 female doctors, 27 female scientists, seven nurses, two dentists, two female engineers, and one MRI technician). Specifically, clothing, accessories, packaging, and personal safety accessories were analyzed, according to Indiana University guidelines.
Aside from three ophthalmologist dolls, all of the Barbie dolls seemed to have no specialty except pediatrics. And of the 12 scientific dolls, none met the protection requirements related to hair and clothing.
"As surgeons, a male-dominated field, we support Klamer's conclusion that Barbies should represent a more diverse field of medical and scientific professions, and that safety is above fashion," Harvard surgeon Sareh Parangi said in an editorial in The BMJ.
Barbies should represent a more diverse field of medical professions, and safety should come before fashion
Sareh Parangi
She also notes that female medical students are still disproportionately deterred from pursuing surgical careers, even at prestigious institutions, and believes that perhaps, a childhood playing with neurosurgeon Barbie or traumatologist Barbie, could inoculate girls against the sexist assumptions and recommendations of this career.
"We would encourage and welcome the creation of a surgeon Barbie, and we would be happy to advise Mattel on the right equipment and protective measures to ensure it is realistic as well as fun," Parangi adds.
It should be recalled that in 2021, Mattel added six new dolls inspired by women who are dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Among them, one inspired by the creator of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Sarah Gilbert.
- Articles Ricardo F. Colmenero