Goldman_La_Princesa_Plástica_Hegemonic_and_Oppositional_Representation

13. La Princesa Plástica: Hegemonic and Oppositional Representations of Latinidad in Hispanic Barbie

Barbie, a cultural icon from Mattel, has been prevalent and influential in Western consumer culture for over forty years.
The doll's representation of femininity reflects efforts to appeal to diverse consumer groups, yet it also reinforces classical stereotypes through its primary representation as "rich, blonde Barbie."
Cultural critics argue that resistance to the hegemonic Barbie narrative is challenging but not impossible, with various subversions taking place through art and media.

Original and Ethnic Barbies
- Barbie's image initially emphasized a Caucasian identity, limiting ethnic representation within a predominantly Eurocentric narrative.
- In the quest to diversify, Mattel operationalized "Hispanic Barbie" and other ethnic variations, raising questions on authenticity and representation.
- Despite introducing ethnic dolls, the early Hispanic Barbies were influenced heavily by Caucasian standards of beauty, focusing on costume and superficial likenesses to represent Latinidad.

Animated Representation
- Albertina Carri's 2001 animation "Barbie Can Also Be Sad" critiques ethnicity, gender, and class dynamics in Latin America, using Barbie and Hispanic Barbie as metaphors.
Challenges to Mattel's Narrative
- Various works and critiques manipulate the original Barbie image, emphasizing stories of empowerment and identity juxtaposed against Mattel's marketing.
- Grassroot organizations and art forms seek to reimagine Barbie from feminist perspectives, reflecting on race and class struggles often omitted in mainstream Barbie narratives.

Marketing Strategies
- Barbie's marketing strategy stressed her "Americanness," aligning her identity with white, middle-class values to maximize market appeal.
- Puerto Rican and other ethnic Barbie dolls often showed stereotypical traits that marginalized actual cultural identity, reducing Hispanic identities into consumable narratives.
Representation Discrepancies
- The disparity in representation for U.S.-marketed dolls versus those in Latin America reflects broader issues in cultural imperialism and identity politics.
- Dolls like Hispanic Barbie and Teresa often maintained closer attributes to Caucasian Barbie than to actual representations of diverse Latina identities.
- The use of bilingual packaging and Spanish branding highlights an attempt to appeal to Latino consumers but ultimately falls short of genuine representation.

Layered Critique
- Scholars and artists highlight the commodification of ethnic identities under the guise of multiculturalism in Barbie products.
- By analyzing portrayals of Barbie as a reflection of greater societal attitudes toward race and class, critics shed light on the often invisibility of the disparities in power relations that Barbies symbolically reinforce.
Embracing the Complexities of Identity
- Carri’s work offers powerful commentary on social power dynamics, exploring how the identities of Barbie and her Hispanic counterpart align with broader narratives of cultural domination.
- Despite the playful nature of dolls, critical scholarship portrays Barbie as a site of struggle surrounding racial, gender, and economic inequalities.

The challenge remains for Barbie and her extensions to embody authentic representations of diverse identities rather than distilled, commodified versions.
As discussions around cultural appropriation and authenticity continue, Barbie's evolution must grapple with its historical context to better reflect the complexities of modern Latina identities.