Barbie Could Be Banned In West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (KDKA) ―
Her measurements are still 36-18-38 as Barbie turns 50 this week.
But if one West Virginia lawmaker has his way, Barbie could be banned in the Mountain State.
"I just hate the image that we give to our kids that if you're beautiful, you're beautiful and you don't have to be smart," said Del. Jeff Eldridge of Lincoln County, W. Va.
Eldridge proposed a bill to ban sales of Mattel's blond bombshell and others like her because it puts too much emphasis on physical beauty, but he's finding it hard to get people to sign on.
"I knew a lot of people were going to joke about it and make fun of me," said Eldridge. "I couldn't get anybody to sign on the bill with me and I said, 'I'm still going to introduce it.'"
"I think that it's nice to have a male member of the House of Delegates worried about women's image and what they're supposed to do or what they think they're supposed to do to succeed," said Del. Nancy Peoples Guthrie of Kanawha County. "My sense is that this is probably not a bill that's going to pass."
At least one mother said it's not the state's place to worry about her daughters.
"I think that there are other ways to promote confidence and instill values in your daughters other than the toys that they play with," said Amy Smith, of Charleston, W. Va. "I don't have a problem with Barbie."
The Barbie doll officially turns 50 on March 9.
Mattel has made big plans this year to mark the anniversary.
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