Diabetic Barbie

Why am I posted as anonymus? The post about a disease free Barbie is me!!

You CAN correct that, ston. Go back to your post and you'll see the "edit" link click it and you'ii see your posting which below it has on the left an "edit reply" button and on the right a check box beside which it says "Post anonymously" uncheck the box and click the "edit reply" button and that should fix it. You probably inadvertently clicked on the post annonymously link when typing your reply. It has happened to me before also and in fact, I inadvertently clicked the link while typing this reply (which I noted and unclicked before I sent the response out)

Thanks jayabee52!!!

happy to help! (you CAN call me James)

I've been thinking about this subject for most of the night and now I've gotten my mind around the thing that disturbs me.
I'm a first generation Barbie owner - I had the redhead " bubble " head Barbie. The Barbies, of course, appealed to little girls because of the pretty clothes and the " grown-up " look of the doll. She was a " fantasy ". In the late sixties she became a role model for who little girls could aspire to be. She became a stewardess, a nurse, a doctor, a race car driver, and even a " rock star ". No little girl has ever aspired to get a disease. I understand that people want to ease a child's suffering and to make them feel better and to not let them feel " different " because of being ill, but I want to keep Barbie out of it. OK, beat me up, I have more arguements about a " disease free " Barbie. I'm looking forward to a lively debate!

What about the Barbie that becomes a rockstar, even though she has diabetes. It sends a positive message that even thought you have diabetes, you can still do anything.

Also, I do not think they need an obese Barbie, but maybe a healthy weight Barbie, because the anorexic one they have been selling is not sending the right message either.

My step daughter said the same thing and I have to admit I never looked at it that way. I have never owned a Barbie. I was not a doll girl at all. And I think you do have a valid point. My step daughter said, "where do we draw the line? Are they going to make an obese Barbie or a downs syndrome Barbie?"

So while I am still supporting this young lady's efforts, I do have to say that the other side of the coin does have a very valid case.

I had a lot of fun playing with the accessories that came with the Barbie and I had awful visions of the accessories that a diabetic Barbie would have. Plastic vials of insulin/pump, a device to keep her up to date with her dr appointments, a removeable foot/leg, a prothesis to replace the removeable foot/leg, a dialysis machine and ( horror! ) syringes!

Usually the road towards being an amputee is filled by an adult
who should not have the need for a doll.
Kids can role play testing, charting, wearing a pump and still strive for all the things barbie could be rock star and all.
The tragedy that occurs with some adults does not have to be there.
A little girl or boy can practice care which is a much needed skill and habit
as we all see from all who struggle with this dance partner
It may also raise awareness of kids without D who are classmates or friends

LOL…again in the wisdom of my step daughter. She was saying we had cancer Barbies…we cut their hair off. We had tattoo Barbies because they always had marker drawing on them. We had amputee Barbies if you had a little brother who liked to take the dolls apart…Her point was that the kids make the Barbies fit their lives. So they make the accessories they wanted to go with their dolls. Works for me.

I love the idea!! And liked it!

thanks!!!

Okay. I can completely understand having a barbie who has cancer, but diabetes? No way. I wouldn't go to facebook & click anything. W/cancer you have the chemo that makes your hair fall out. But diabetes? I look like someone who doesn't have diabetes. So a doll? It's not gonna fly.

Its for kids not you. Its to make them feel better about themselves. Can't hurt and might help them.

You are entitled to your opinion and do not have to like it if you don't want. I think it is a good idea though. Diabetic kids still struggle with the diagnosis, just like kids with cancer.

I teach 4th graders. 6 of my kids have J.D. They all seem to know how to handle their diabetes. The other kids in my class who are not diabetics, know how to handle when problems arise with the kids who are diabetics. All of my other students know that these kids have to eat after taking their insulin, so I allow them to eat in class. The other kids, all know, that this is the way it has to be. No molded piece of plastic is going teach them any of this. They didn't learn any of this from me. They're all extremely smart kids. Just the other day, 1 student went into a hypoglycemic episode, a child went over to him & since he was still conscious gave him a glucose tablet and he was all right. All the others in my class applauded. Now I do not ever see a plastic molded doll teach kids how to do that. You learn that by watching, and asking questions. Those kids didn't learn that from me, nor was there a school assembly to show what to do in case this happens. These kids are 8-9 year olds. They have more brains and more common sense than some big mucky mucks at a toy company, thinking that a dumb doll will help them teach all this. Well the only thing that they will get is 20-25 bucks from some poor soul who thinks a piece of plastic can do what I witnessed in my class from a room full of 8-9 year olds.

Dolls are usually for younger kids than what you have. Hospitals use them all the time for kids who are sick. Kids role play. This is a type of role play that can develop good habits and a bit of comfort about ones self. What about the young ones it may help when they notice the differances between them and others. I took care of my baby dolls and I am sure learning to care for a diabetic doll could also help a little person.

i absolutely love this idea and i just liked it on facebook

Thanks so much! Emma (the 8 year old daughter of the woman who made the page) was hoping to get 5,000 likes by today! She is a long way off, but if people keep sharing it on their pages, we can make it happen!

I never had a Barbie doll. I hated them.

I'm in the same boat your in Joyce. I also hated Barbies. Any doll for that matter. Gawd, was I a tomboy. I would've rather of had a Tonka truck, than a doll.

Maybe you can ask them to make a tonka truck that runs on insulin next.

Are we talking about a talking Barbie? Unless she tells us how do we know what her many medical conditions could be? My Barbies often looked unconcious. Several had major medical issues. One constantly lost a leg. I had one who came with faulty bendable knees. She should have filed a class action lawsuit. She had back issues as well. One poor dear had to give up her piano playing because the boy next door bit off all her fingers. Then their was the Alzheimer Barbi that kept repeating.

You are funny! I always took the heads off my sisters' Barbies and then stuck the heads in the litter box and told my sisters to rescue them from the quicksand!

We had no cat or that might have happened. I disected my sister's Drowsy doll to see how it talked. She still has flashbacks about finding her dismembered doll. I discovered the doll after the backyard glacier thawed in the Spring. She didn't look much better before the autopsy.

Aren't siblings fun to terrorize? I was the oldest and did it all the time!lol

I was the oldest too but it never occurred to terrorize my younger sibs. I did on occasion tell them some really tall tales!

I must be more devious than you! :)

I was too scared of punishment from Dad (sometimes a bit abusive) And I only had 1 sister and 3 other brothers. L, being the only girl was daddy's little girl and I wouldn't THINK of messin' with her. The younger bros there wasn't much to do to terrorize them.

you are a riot too ston3! ROTFLMYBO

dwl.. u r funny

dwl.. u r funny

OMG ROFL

LOL…you are on a roll this morning.

Did you click on it? She comes with a pump and a juice box for lows. I think it is more geared toward Type1s, but it is still a great idea!

ROTFL!

this is AMAZING!!!!!! what a concept to help young children identify with other toys who are essentially just like them!!! children learn through play, it helps their social emotional and psychological development! what a way to help young type ones indentify with themselves!!
So Barbie comes with a pump, a meter, glucose tablets, fesh fruit and veg and a glucogen needle ( just incase,) i hope that these things all come with her and you dont have to buy the seperate!!
Barbie is going to need an Actionman though! i i agree with this!!

What a wonderful idea. I will be passing this one around for all my facebook user friends to go to. Thank you for making this known. There are a lot of kids out there that would be so thrilled…so what about Ken?

I hope they make a Ken too!

Everyone please go to the FB link and click Like on the Diabetic Barbie page!! Emma is turning 8 on Tuesday and she wants 3000 Likes for her birthday!!!!! (right now the number is 1329)

Thank you!! I cannot believe more people are not doing it! I have put it on my facebook and only 5 of my friends did it :(

I will post the link on my profile page here too

I know that I will be the unpopular voice here; but, since you did ask…
I don't like the idea. It's a doll…a toy. The manufacturer only has responsibility for products liability, not imparting information. Where does it stop? Amputee Barbie? Schizophrenic Barbie? Stillborn Barbie?

I'm in favor of educating the public in all sorts of public health issues. Lest we forget, anyone can literally wake up one day "disabled." But I'm just not sure that is the responsibility of a toy manufacturer and wonder if we would be better served having this done another way.

Okay, I'll prepare myself for those of you who disagree with me and I will even defend your right to want Barbie to be the spokesperson for America.

Actually digital I agree with you. The manufacturer would have to include cancer barbie with the bald head or even breast cancer barbie with a mastectomy on one side. I think education is very important and a Diabetic Barbie would be exploitation of the disease.

Dolls are used when questioning children about sexual abuse. If the doll is used to teach children with diabetes who need insulin pumps and have to take shots this would be great. I don't think a parent is going to buy a doll for a child with a medical problem. If a child has diabetes would she want to play with a doll with a disease?

Finally this is a sexist idea. It doll would depict girls/females with the disease. Even if they came up with a Ken doll with the same equipment, how many boys do you know are going to ask for a Ken doll?

this is the whole point? !! why dont we have visually impaired barbie, or wheelchair barbie? how will we ever achieve normalisation without including everyone within our society? ? and plenty of my barbies ended up as "amputee" barbie after my little jack russell got hold of her!!!
I dont suggest that little wheelchairs or seeing eye dogs are sold in every toy shop around the country but are we not thriving for a society where everyone should be involved and accepted for their differences??? i think its a concept which could help support young children with type one around the world!!! Id call her "Little Ms Diabetty"!!!

Roshy I recently read that statistically, there are now more childhood T2s than there are T1s!
Im proud of Emma for thinking of a way to ease other diabetic childrens' sense of isolation and possibly enabling them to better cope with this disease that they will have for life.
Wether some like it or not, the Barbie Doll is an American icon and and an enduring symbol of childhood around the world.

of course then there is the "divorced" barbie. She comes with Ken's things, bank account ect.

LOL and can barely breathe.

of course . . . . . along with the keys of his Jag!!!!
its gona be mighty difficult to get barbie sized test strips though!!! she make to reach into kens account and invest in a CGM!!!!

ROTFL!

You certainly are entitled to your opinion, but if it helps a young child adjust and become less scared about D, I don't see the harm in it. Yes it's a toy, but it would be one that kids could relate to and maybe even express their anxieties through play. I had 2 barbies, a skipper and a ken. Played with them all the time and remember mimicking things that I saw and heard when my parents were going through a separation.

Young1s, if you like it, you should go to facebook and like the page so they can make their goal!!! (only if you want to of course, no pressure)

None felt.

I can see where you think this may not be a good idea.

I feel, that with the percent of people being diagnosed with diabetes every year, this is a major problem and can help educate children. I do know that some parents may not give informative information to their children, but I do not think it could be worse than them not hearing about diabetes at all.

Also, I see nothing wrong with some of the other types of Barbies you mentioned. I am a teacher and you can buy the doll house figures who are in wheelchairs or have other disabilities. It helps teach the children that, just because someone is different, they are still a person. Maybe it would be better if one of those companies made the doll, rather than Matel?

Like I said before, Barbie is not my favorite role model for kids. I am just thinking of all the kids growing up with Type I that are looking for that doll that is just like them (I remember getting my American Girl doll with the same color hair and eyes as me, too bad she didn't have a pump, I would have been so excited).

You'll get no problem from me, scott. The same as your concern was what caused my initial irritation with the idea . Perhaps I am more easily swayed than you. You'll get no "slings and arrows" from me.

interesting idea, when I went there I wasn't sure what I'd find but to tell the truth I was a bit irritated, but when I got there and read what was going on I rather like the idea now.

I am not a fan of Barbie overall, but I think the doll could really be beneficial to children with Type I. I would like one in my classroom. When the kids are playing pretend, I think it would be a nice way to explain my diabetes to them.

I hope they get enough likes to make one! I mean they made one for cancer, I think diabetes is important too!

agreed!