Monday, November 23, 2009

NOW's Marcia Pappas Condemns Burqua Barbie

Quote of the Day

“As feminists we believe that women must be able to make their own choices and that includes choices about the clothing they wear. But the burqa is more than a choice. Women are forced to wear the burqua or risk being murdered. Mattel should be ashamed. Making a profit by selling a doll that is clearly wearing a symbol of violence is not acceptable and there should be a public outcry to take this doll off the market.”

Of course, some women prefer the burqua to the sexualized fashions of the West. Mattel's new Burqua Barbie appears to be a limited edition doll made special to raise money for charity. Can anyone doubt that underneath the burqua, Barbie continues to plague with her traditional anorexia-inspiring body? Longtime feminist author Phyllis Chesler weighs in: "The burqa violates a woman’s human rights. It poses a danger to a woman’s health, both mental and medical."