Deviant Bodies
The issue of deviant bodies has been a contentious issue for quite some time now in the contemporary society and especially in the American society. There have been several studies attempting to describe the ideal body of both males and females. Emphasis though has been on what the ideal woman’s body in the American society should look like in terms of skin color and body size (Terry & Urla, 1995).
Deviant bodies can be described as those bodies which deviate from the norms set forth by the society. For instance according to deviant bodies, critical perspectives on difference in science and popular culture, the ideal body is epitomized by the Barbie doll or Barbie girl (Terry & Urla, 1995). The ideal woman’s body is described as slender and sexy by the proponents of the Barbie doll while the scientific anthropologists try to bring another perspective of physique and sturdiness. The Barbie girl or doll though is so prevalent due to the manner in which it is popularized by popular and mainstream media. As woman, having a large body with extra fat is thus considered as being in the category of deviant bodies. A point to note though is that this classification of whether or not a body is deviant depends on the circumstance. A body considered as normal in general society could be considered otherwise in Hollywood. The writer thus goes a notch higher in really pointing out the differences in normal bodies and deviant bodies.
The issue of race has also been widely covered in this article. Initially, the American society considered other non-white races as deviant bodies. This is shown by the representation of the Barbie dolls as being consistently white for some time (Terry & Urla, 1995). The white Barbie doll is what the ideal American women were supposed to look like. The rest were disregarded as deviant bodies not representing the ideal American women. This trend though changes with the changes in society. The author shows the progressive change in society, where the African American women curve their niche in the society, forcing Mattel to consider producing Barbie dolls that reflect this change. The author notes that this was not only a marketing strategy for this company, but also an indication that the African American women were rising into positions of influence. For instance, Mattel’s manager at that time was Deborah Mitchell, while the principal Fashion designer is Kitty Black-Perkins. The author in this case brings out clearly how social change is altering the economic dynamics of American companies. He also shows the integration of cultures in the society.
The Barbie girl is not just a toy to play with according to this article. It represents the society and the changes inherent in the society. Other than bringing out the feminist aspect of the society, the author describes by the different shapes, sizes and colors the Barbie doll assumes, how feminism is dynamic (Terry & Urla, 1995). Barbie dolls represent how initially white women should dress, how their bodies should be groomed and their hair done. But with the advent of non white market, Mattel has to consider the other races inside and outside America.
This article has also discussed the rise of women in careers initially male dominated. Barbie girl is represented as a doctor, an astronaut as well as an army officer. But this does not go well with the market since the society does not approve much of the women in these types of careers. The author in this case portrays the society in the most ideal manner in which women are not recognized in some careers in the contemporary society.
The anthropometry of human bodies has also been largely discussed in this article. Scientists have gone to great lengths to identify what size the ideal American woman’s body should be. There projection though fails since there is no particular human being who meets their criteria (Terry & Urla, 1995). The women in the contemporary society stick to the slender and sexy type of bodies as represented by the Barbie girl. This, the author says it’s a different trend as it has led to stigmatization of those that do not meet the requirements of the Barbie girl.
The assertion that the Barbie girls or dolls accentuated social class stratus is unfounded in this article. Though initially the Barbie dolls are produced as all white, they do not epitomize class structures. It is the media which in their bid to popularize them bring this issue to light. Otherwise, the dolls were produced as toys mostly representing feminism rather than class structures. The media thus should play a big part in ensuring that these class structures are eroded with the production of Barbie girls or dolls representing diverse races.
In general, the article has been aptly written, articulating its views in the most elaborate manner possible. Its representation of the society using the Barbie dolls is commendable. The issue of feminism has also been aptly brought out. The issues that affect women especially the issue of defective bodies has also been well brought out. The writer should although go a step further and present suggestions to some of the issues raised in this article. It is on the whole a well researched article.
Terry, J., & Urla. J. (1995). Deviant Bodies: Critical Perspectives on Difference in Science and
Popular Culture. Indiana: Indiana University Press.
