Barbies For Fundamentalists
Saudi Arabia's religious police proclaimed Barbie dolls a "Jewish" toy (apparently, nobody told them that if there were a prototypical shiksa goddess, it would be Barbie), and deemed Barbie's revealing clothes a threat to Islam. Good thing there's now a full line of dolls that should get a pass with the Saudi Arabian police:
With her long-sleeved dresses, hijab or Muslim head scarf and, by her creator Ammar Saadeh's own admission, a less-than-flattering bust-line, Razanne is all about modesty and piety.But Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries likely would be attracted to Praying Razanne, who comes complete with a long hijab and modest prayer gown.
So much better for covering up suicide bomb packs than that scantily clad Malibu Barbie!
Ah, now what about Jewish barbie?
The Beverly Hills shiksa wannabe:
Full bust trimmed down in her liberal green peace shirt, hug hippers and tons of beads. Her thin rail waist corresponds to her boyish hips and her boycrazy attitude.
Jewish NY Barbie:
Debra Messing curly hair and uncontrollable tendency to go shopping. With a loud appetite for humor. I doubt the Razanne doll would make any money. How boring a doll!
cecile at October 8, 2003 8:22 PM
Cecile's back! For the record, Cecile may seem to the unobservant like a 46-year-old dissolute LA Times writer (somebody wrote to Lukeford.net, accusing her of this), but she's actually only fourteen, and has recently been commandeered by homework-dispensing middle-school teachers...hence her scarcity around these parts as of late.
Amy Alkon at October 8, 2003 8:46 PM
Do you know Steven, Barbie's cute black male friend? I got a Steven doll for my birthday, and he's been perched on my bookshelf next to a copy of "How the Irish Became White" for months. I wouldn't be surprised if Steven became white one of these days too, in his day-glo surfer shorts and all.
Lena Cuisina at October 8, 2003 10:59 PM
A gay friend of mine in graduate school was given an inflatible female sex toy for his birthday. He named her Polly. Polly Urethane.
I recently saw a commercial that should have the Jerry Falwells and the Oral Roberts of the world up in arms. It was a Barbie doll who is a witch. The commercial showed three of them stirring in their caldrons. I'm looking forward to the reaction from the the religious right.
Patrick at October 9, 2003 8:03 AM
Can you stone or behead this Razanne doll for killing in self defense men who rape her, or for having committing "adultery" by being raped by a man of the village? Now that would make it authentic. Who needs homicide bombs?
Bob at October 9, 2003 8:31 AM
Bob -- most any girl who has a brother has already seen a Barbie doll get stoned, beheaded, melted, drowned, or anything else the Taliban could come up with. Little boys are way ahead of ya on this.
LYT at October 9, 2003 11:29 AM
SUCH FOND MEMORIES! My brother and I made sure that my sister's Barbie dolls menstruated at well-timed intervals.
Lena Cuisina at October 9, 2003 6:25 PM
Is there a Middle Eastern version of Barbie... you know, where chubby is chic? Burqa Barbie, covered from head to toe, but underneath she could double as a shotput.
Patrick at October 9, 2003 7:36 PM
QUOTE: So much better for covering up suicide bomb packs than that scantily clad Malibu Barbie!
Ah, yes. Of course every oppressed muslim woman is a terrorist.
Wow, what a racist.
Sniffy at October 10, 2003 5:10 PM
Sniffy, clearly you got shorted in when gray matter was dispensed. The message is not about ALL MUSLIMS, but about the Saudi police and their priorities.
Amy Alkon at October 10, 2003 8:12 PM
I don't know, Amy, that might have been what you meant, but Sniffy's interpretation isn't beyond the bounds of what a reasonable person could read in your words. Perhaps before using inflammatory words (e.g. 'shiksa' isn't looked at kindly by those of us who've had such terms thrown at us by Jewish grandmothers) or flinging broad accusations, you might consider that not all your audience shares your views and write with such in mind.
Or you can just throw insults and tantrums, I suppose.
A. Rickey at October 11, 2003 9:03 AM
Yeah, what a tantrum. And all the guy did was call her a racist. Try to be a little more understanding of other people's righteous indignation and learning disabilities, huh, Amy?
JFT at October 11, 2003 9:47 AM
And indeed, one possible reading of her words was particularly racist. She also used a term which we goy, at least some of us, don't exactly take kindly at, which doesn't help. If you decide to write intemperately and someone takes offense, you shouldn't be shocked.
I'd tend to read Amy's post much as Eugene Volokh did, but it's not the only possible reading, nor do you have to be an idiot to take it any other way. Neither tone nor background carries on the internet, so what one person thinks is obvious isn't always. Maybe Amy was trying to say what she now says she was, but you can't tease a certainty of that out of a post that, in three sentences, manages to combine three arguably separate topics, inviting a reader to make their own inferences.
But you know, analyzing the text is so much more work than just calling people idiots when they don't agree with you.
A. Rickey at October 11, 2003 11:35 AM
Or lightening up.
JFT at October 11, 2003 1:11 PM
Yeah -- maybe you get apply to get on the list for a sense of humor transplant. You appear to be in dire need.
Amy Alkon at October 12, 2003 6:10 PM