Barbie in Computer Science
I've heard that Barbie has released a new doll, number 126 in the professions series, with Barbie dressed as a Computer Engineer. Click on the blue lettering to see how she looks, funky glasses and all. Computer Science has regressed between two NSF data collections, with far fewer women graduating in Computer Science than were produced a decade ago. Diversifying CS appears to need help. But with the struggles girls today have with body image, I really hate to see Barbie Computer Scientist. She tries to be hip, but then how is it really an improvement to have a hot pink computer? I would love to know if you think it's a help or a problem that Barbie CS HAS to wear high heels. Do realy computer scientists wear high heels? Must be some that do, but I would be many don't.
What do you think?:
A It's a disaster to have a Barbie Computer Engineer.
B It's a great idea to have Barbie Ccomputer Engineer, the field needs all the help it can get.
C Who cares? That doll isn't going to have much effect either way.
D Do Computer Engineers really dress like that??
I'm gonna wear jeans, never mind what CS barbie wears. I don't think this issue matters very much. Little girls change their minds a million times about what they want to be. I was planning to be a clothes designer. So, I pick C.
D
Computer Engineers probably don't dress like that. I think I would get the wrong idea from this Barbie, if I were a little kid. They should do a better job of dressing her, if they are serious about trying to get us to consider this career.
A: I like the idea behind a Barbie Computer Engineer doll but the clothes, computer color and even the glasses are ridiculous! Making her look like a ditsy fashionista completely negates the goal of showing little girls that hard work and brains can lead to success.
My kids acted like they didn't pick up bad signals from Barbie dolls.
,
I have to go with B. If it's colorful and fun, and it carries a Computer Engineer tag on it, I think it's a plus.
A
I didn't like Barbie as a kid; we used to take off their heads to change their clothes, and felt they weren't really like humans. I was a tomboy too, in some ways. Lots of tree-climbing and hiking, not so much sports.
I really don't like the idea of a Barbie in Computer Engineering. She just doesn't look like she emphasizes working hard and figuring things out, even with pink glasses.
B--Little girls have to be attracted to the doll to play with it and bright colors and the characteristic clothing help with that.
I was a tomboy as a little girl, but still played with my Barbie dolls and made up adventures for them. Barbie in my world had a great job as an MD clinical researcher and Ken stayed home to take care of the housework and Skipper....It's all about sparking the imagination, even if she is dressed a little unrealistically. It makes it OK to be smart is what it says to me. A far cry from the doll that used to say "Math is hard"!
I am not in computer science or engineering (is that a field?) but I know some people who do dress that way. They tend to be MBAs, so they do know some math. I don't know about pink computers though.
Female Biology Professor
OK, between draft and post, the lettering changed to red, sorry! Laura
