Over the last several years, Mattel has become more diverse, creating Barbies of all shades and backgrounds. However, the unique hairstyle of one its latest dolls has sparked a bit of a debate.
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Last weekend, Hulu premiered the documentary "Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie." To promote the project, the Barbie Style Instagram account posted a picture of three Barbie dolls sitting in front of a computer with the caption "Movie night with my girls to watch the @Hulu premiere of the new @Barbie documentary, Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie!"
While the two white dolls had straight hair pulled back into a ponytail, the one black doll had dark-colored cornrows on one side and curly, blonde curls on the other side.
Several on social media noticed the difference and commented on the black Barbie’s look. Several said they were offended by the style and that it did not accurately represent African-American women.
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Others thought the style was unfinished and called it an incomplete sew-in. They said Barbie missed the mark in its attempt to be inclusive.
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On the other hand, a few loved it. Even “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss was a fan. She uploaded a side-by-side photo of her and the Barbie wearing similar hairstyles.
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