We got piles of letters in response to our recent Barbie story, “Bent out of shape” (March 30 Tough News). In case you haven’t been following the saga, here’s the sitch, short and sweet: In January, we ran a cover story on the WNBA Barbie. We were trying to have some fun with the Barbie stereotypes, but lots of kids thought we were making fun of female athletes. So in “Bent out of shape,” we explained our side. Then we asked readers to tell us: Did our Barbie cover make them want to chuckle or upchuck? Get a look at some of our responses below. Also, as promised, we’re giving readers the last word. When it comes to the whole Barbie brouhaha, we’re over it!
When I read “Bent out of shape,” I was offended, but as I read on, it was getting funny, not serious anymore. I don’t see why so many women are getting insulted. I am not degraded by all of this; I think it is just a joke.
— Haneen A., 12
I’ll be honest with you. I thought the Barbie article was corny and unfunny. But anyone who thinks this article insults female athletes or females in general needs to keep it to themselves. Obviously, KidNews did not intend to offend anyone. If the editors at KidNews sat in a room all day deliberately thinking about ways to hurt their readers’ feelings, you would have never read the Barbie article.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: KidNews did nothing wrong. Now let’s drop the subject.
— Doug C.
I don’t mean to be rude, but I disagree with the president of the Laugh Factory, Jamie Masada. I don’t think we’re “losing it” if we don’t make fun of ourselves and other people. I mean, personally, I don’t like being made fun of, and I don’t think a lot of other people do either. I also disagree with Bee Epstein-Shepard, a mental-skills coach to female pro golfers. I mean, you shouldn’t take everything so seriously, and it’s OK to laugh at yourself sometimes. But if you are feeling put down, you have the right to stand up for yourself.
I am sorry if I offended anyone. If I did, I didn’t mean to.
— Tina S.
I agree with the members of the Girls Advisory Council. I don’t think Mattel is trying to send that kind of message. Come on, if Barbie could really talk, would she say something like that? I think Mattel is just saying girls can do anything boys can if they want.
— Nora Y., 9
I am very much into the sports of softball, basketball and track, and I do not think at all that the story was an insult. I found it very humorous, because Mattel makes Barbie look glamorous (small waist and large chest). I think KidNews was just trying to have a little fun with the Barbie and the way it looks.
Even though I am against gender discrimination, I don’t think this was it. If you think this was offensive, then how about all the times when a boy asks you to race him and gives you a head start? That is offensive. Every time a guy asks me to do something against him and offers me a lead, I turn it down, because that would be like saying boys kick butt, girls need a head start to win.
KidNews realizes that there are stereotypes for girls. While we are all working on the problem, KidNews was bringing out the humor.
— Alison E.
Some people are pretty shallow if you were offended by the article. It wasn’t an article making fun of girls who play sports. I admit, some of the remarks were a little out there, like “block her with a full-skirt press.” KidNews could have made them a little more tasteful, but other than that, it was a perfectly fine article. It wasn’t meant to be offensive.
— Jacqueline S., 11
I agree very much with the letters you have received. Being a girl, I was offended by the comments made, and I think it is making fun of girls. Like that comment “go easy or I’ll break a nail” is very disrespectful to girls and women.
— Aziza N.
Barbie is a stereotypical girl. When they make jokes like “go easy or I’ll break a nail,” you’re supposed to laugh! Barbie has always been the doll who gets the guy!
I play sports some-times, too, but jokes about female athletes are supposed to be funny. When you see a joke about a boy athlete, you just laugh, because they have been doing it longer. Guys get made fun of just as much as girls do.
— Vera S., 12
I think boys are outraged, and they have a right to be. Do you know what you should have put on the cover? An NBA Ken doll. Most of the boys would have been happier.
Boys thought it was good that you offended the girls (no offense!). It was very mature of you to say sorry for insulting and offending girls. Other newspapers would have just thrown it over their shoulders and not worried about it.
— Christopher C.
Even those of you who found this article stupid have to admit it is pretty stupid if we always have to worry about offending someone if we write an article. Most female athletes are writing about how horrible the article was. Well, I’m a female athlete, and I liked it!
— Dana H., 11
I know I’m a boy and all, but those comments were made to offend women who spend most of their time doing their hair and makeup.
Athletes need a laugh once in a while, and that’s what KidNews is trying to give women athletes. It would be just the same if they made fun of men athletes.
— Matthew B., 12
I agree with the people who are insulted by the article. Some of the comments Barbie made were not funny and stupid. Then again, I agree that America is losing its sense of humor. My friends and I always have to deal with thinking carefully about what we say or we’ll hurt each other’s feelings. America should relax and laugh a little.
Most of my friends and I are female athletes, and we mostly weren’t offended by the article.
— Nicole M.
I don’t think anyone missed the joke in the article; it just wasn’t funny. I mean, you wouldn’t print something like that about African-Americans or Jewish people. Why even bother taking up space whether you meant to be funny or not?
— Kelly A., 12
I feel sorry for KidNews. If they print something on women/girls, then we write in on how degrading it is to us. If they print an article on guys, then we write in saying it was sexist because we weren’t included. All I can say is, get over it. Have a sense of humor and worry about more important things than Barbie breaking a nail.
— Erin
Barbie is a toy! How could Barbie’s concern for her nails and makeup offend a person? Barbie doesn’t represent the girls of the United States. The girls of the United States represent themselves.
— Skky T., 12
Your Barbie article was the least important article in that issue. Although it should not have been on the cover, it was very, very funny. Of course, you didn’t mean to make anybody mad. But you did, and that was not very polite. Of course, you have rights. So do the people at Mattel. So do all of your readers.
I don’t know whether I should go by my own opinion and think it was funny or go with the crowd and feel insulted. So I don’t know what to say other than I think it was a laugh riot.
— Neal H., 10
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Backtalk is a place where kids can express all sorts of opinions, whether we at KidNews agree with them or not. Everyone needs a place to let his or her voice be heard. Besides, exposure to different views helps people better understand their fellow human beings.
Write letters or send editorial cartoons to Backtalk, 5th Floor, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. We won’t use your last name, but you must include your full name, age and phone number (we may call to make sure you wrote it). You can also e-mail us (screen name ctc-kidnews@tribune.com).
