Week 4: Black et al 2014 Response

“The differences between these two text samples are striking, particularly in the indicators of lexical density, 5.7 words per sentence for Barbie Girls versus 14.61 for Xtractaurs, and grade level, 1.67 and 9.63, respectively.”

 

 

After reading this quote, I could feel frustration bubbling through my body. Why is it that today, in a world through which women should be perceived equal, female children are still socialized to hold themselves to lower academic expectations?

I passionately hope that large companies such as Mattel, Fischer Price, etc. begin to rethink the manner in which they market their products, especially with regard to gender. While products such as the Barbie Girls site promotes creativity, they also limit the scope of subjects accessible to girls.

One question I have: what would a Barbie with more substantial learning goals look like? Would it be well received by girls?

 

I look forward to the day in which gender is not a limiting factor for female development!