Salma Hayek: Frida Doesn't Need This Barbie Makeover

Latest

Frida Kahlo–artist who fucked conventions and carved a revolutionary existence of sexual liberation and radical politics out of torment and critical thought–has been honored by Mattel as an “Inspiring Woman™” with a namesake Barbie, available for $29.99.

Salma Hayek, who played Kahlo in her 2002 biopic, is not having this.

The “Barbie® Inspiring Women™ Series” and “Sheroes,” part of Mattel’s larger #MoreRoleModels campaign, imagines what women who defied gender conventions of their time might look like with 1:1 lip ratios and all the same body types–but oh my GOD, there’s a Frida Kahlo Corporation which purports to own the rights to Frida Kahlo’s name, so that’s how they did it. In an Instagram post on Sunday, Hayek protested that Kahlo stood for non-conformity, and Barbie is all about conformity. And capitalism, if you like. She writes:

#fridakahlo never tried to be or look like anyone else. She celebrated her uniqueness. How could they turn her into a Barbie No puedo creer que hayan hecho una Barbie de nuestra Friducha que nunca trató de parecerse a nadie y siempre celebró su originalidad #body image

Kahlo’s great-grandniece told the BBC that she would at least like to see a redesign. People are generally irked that they shaved her eyebrows.

The rest are also Barbies.

 
Join the discussion...