What occupation did your favorite Barbie doll have?

"She didn't have one. She just drove her Barbie car all day and went shopping! How unrealistic is that?"


-Loraine, 19, Caucasian, heterosexual, female from the United States

"I didn't have dolls. I had a community of stuffed animals that had as complex a legal system as my five year old mind would allow, though."


-Leah, 17, Caucasian, heterosexual female from Australia 

Has playing Barbies as a child affected who you are today?

"I think it encouraged me to build stories inside of my head, to put myself into a story rather than just take it in. Creating the story lines allowed me to build a story in an interactive way rather than just on paper. Because I played with Barbies, I'm pretty good at building fantastical worlds with lots of potential for characters and stories, but, since we usually abandoned a story half way through, I'm not good at finishing my ideas. But my experiences taught me to play in my own mind. I think if I ever became a fiction writer, my experiences with Barbies would play a big part in a subconscious way."


-Marcie, 21, Caucasian, heterosexual female from the United States

Do you think Barbie is a good role model for children?

"No. She's all legs, and hips and hair. Also her feet are moulded for high heels, that is so wrong. She's teaching girls that you needed to be moulded and uniform and cookie-cutter."


-Roxanne, 17, Caucasian, heterosexual female from Canada

How did your parents feel about Barbie?

"They were against the whole Barbie doll phenomenon. In fact, in my entire childhood, I had one Barbie doll, given to me by my grandmother against my parents' will."


-Leah, 17, Caucasian, heterosexual female from Australia 

How often did you play with your Barbies in family scenarios?

"Most of the time they were empty nest families"


-Linda, 15, Chinese, heterosexual female from Canada

Did you ever cut Barbie's hair?

"I did cut her hair and once I did she became trash. She wasn't perfect anymore."


-Loraine, 19, Caucasian, heterosexual, female from the United States