Mattel has released Totally Stylin’ Tattoos Barbie, with”40 fun tattoo stickers” for the doll — and for kids — and if certain papers are to be believed, people are freaking the fuck out.
The Guardian‘s tongue-in-cheek story about the new Barbie is titled, “A Tattoo That Spells The End Of Civilisation.” Mother-of-three Colleen Pope, from Bournemouth, UK, tells The Daily Mail: “Tattoos are common and if it leads girls to get one, they might regret it for the rest of their lives. It is dumbing right down — Barbie should be at the high end of fashion, not the chav end. Whatever will they bring out next? Drug-addict Barbie? Alcoholic Barbie?”
The truth is, Ms. Pope may be the only mom who is upset about the doll. Pope’s quote was used in the Guardian piece, an article in The Sun and in this blurb (titled “Moms Livid Over Barbie Tats”) on Newser. So the “livid moms” is really just one livid mom.
Writes one Daily Mail commenter, “Winston Churchill had a tattoo — does that mean he should have been disqualified from Parliament?”
In addition, as seen in this video by Mike Mozart of JeepersMedia, the tattoos are pretty innocent: there’s a panda head, a cupcake, flowers, stars, butterflies, hearts and, of course, Barbie head silhouette. I’m pretty sure the temporary tattoos we used to get as Cracker Jack prizes were edgier.
Why the need to act “scandalized” that Barbie is getting (temporary, sticker) tattoos? Would anyone give a shit if GI Joe had them?
A Tattoo That Spells The End Of Civilisation [Guardian]
Barbie Given Tattoos By Makers To Mimic High-Profile Celebrities like Amy Winehouse [Daily Mail]
Anger As Barbie Is Given 40 Chav Tatts [The Sun]
Moms Livid Over Barbie Tats [Newser]
Totally Stylin’ Tattoos Barbie – The Stink over Ink! [InventorSpot]