Emily's New Barbie

June 6, 2006

As soon as Emily read an article about this doll, she wanted one. You will notice that the doll comes with its "abaya" or body cover. This is the "outdoor fashion" for the doll.. or as the Arabic specifies more fully: "her clothes for outside the house." If a young girl is going to imagine her grown-up doll going outside, then she will need to have a covering. Despite the covering, the doll promotes many of the same beauty and body ideals as a Barbie doll.. and the "indoor fashion" is hardly differentiated from wester dress. It seems a case of following western ideals, but putting an Islamic cover on it.

The above picture is of our very own doll.. sitting now on our makeshift book shelf. We can perhaps write it off as a possible first toy for a child?