Who did you play Barbie's with? How did you interact when you played?

"I only played Barbie when my friends came over, I was much more interested in the barbies. She was always the cooler barbie and I was a bit of a loser barbie."

-Erin, 19, Caucasian and Native American, heterosexual female from San Fransisco, USA

When did you stop playing Barbies? Why did you stop?

"I stopped playing with Barbies around 4th or 5th grade. My friend who I usually played with at that time "grew out" of playing Barbies, so we just generally stopped."


-Rose, 15, Caucasian, questioning female from the USA 

How did other people influence the way you played Barbies?

"I played with 2 of my friends-- one was a closer friend, and I tried out some of my more unique scenarios with her (gay parents, disabled parents, etc.) with her. With my other friend, we mainly played historical stories."


-Rose, 15, Caucasian, questioning female from the USA

Who bought you your Barbies?

"My parents and family members mostly, but my friends and I always bought each other dolls for birthday presents too."


-Maureen, 20, Caucasian, gay female from Oregon, USA

How did other people influence the way you played Barbies?

"When I played by myself by Barbies were usually naked! I remember my Barbies frequently having "sex" with eachother...or whatever my child mind thought sex was. I definitely did not do that with friends or my parents around."


-Nancy, 23, Caucasian, heterosexual, female from the United States