While Barbie is a strong positive figure, she was created to be a doll, not a social icon. Barbie is basically a three-dimensional portrait, supposedly an accurate representation of an average, modern, American woman. Of course the perceptions of "average", "modern", and "American" have all changed over the years since Barbie's conceived in 1959. The doll's image has evolved, too, both in an effort to keep up with the times, and in response to much scrutiny by the women she is supposed to represent. While some people view Barbie as a negative figure that presents an impossible body image to women, she can also be viewed as an empowering figure used to show young girls today that they could be anything they want to be by working at being any job that they desire.…
