Abstract
In this article, the writer looks at the history of the creation of the Barbie doll. The writer discusses this doll as a symbol of the American ideal of femininity and analyzes the effects of this image on women.

From the Paper
"The Barbie doll was introduced to the American public in 1959. The idea for the doll was conceived by Ruth Handler who, with her husband, founded the Mattel Toy Company ("Inventing"). Handler has toured Europe and found the German "Lilli" doll a possible appealing toy for young girls. However, the "Lilli" doll was considered to be too risquAfA(c)' for the young American girl and Handler set about making a doll that would embody the American ideal of femininity. Barbie as a housewife, Barbie as a fashion icon and Barbie as a teenage tennis player were just a few of Handler's visions ("Inventing"). With the assistance of a clothing designer Handler set ..."

Tags:barbie, female, gender

Abstract
This paper examines the influence of the image of the Barbie doll on the female gender. The writer discusses Stacy Handler's (the granddaughter of the Barbie creator) struggles with weight, self-worth and social acceptance as a young female in society. It explains how many young girls have developed eating disorders while trying to emulate Barbie physically and how this has had many psychological repercussions. In its conclusion, the paper shows that until society is willing to comprehend the damage that it inflicts on children through these unrealistic expectations, the concept of Barbie as the "perfect" woman will continue to negatively impact the female gender.

From the Paper
"The Barbie doll was introduced to the American public in 1959. The idea for the doll was conceived by Ruth Handler who, with her husband, founded the Mattel Toy Company ("Inventing"). Handler has toured Europe and found the German "Lilli" doll a possible appealing toy for young girls. However, the "Lilli" doll was considered to be too risque' for the young American girl and Handler set about making a doll that would embody the American ideal of femininity. Barbie as a housewife, Barbie as a fashion icon and Barbie as a teenage tennis player were just a few of Handler's visions ("Inventing"). With the assistance of a clothing designer Handler set about creating fashions for the Barbie doll and it was not until these fashions began to catch the eye of parents that the Barbie began to gain in popularity."

Tags:ken, body, image, fashion, eating, disoders, beauty

Abstract
This paper discusses the religion Taoism, and the connection females have to the religion. Taoism is not necessarily a feminine religion, but females feel a close connection to the religion due to its female imagery, females goddesses and methods of enlightenment for females.

From the Paper
"The presence of feminine elements in Taoism is sweeping, and these elements have influenced the participation of women in this particular religious movement. The use of this female imagery gives women, and the qualities associated with them, a favored status in this religion. However, just because Taoism does value such qualities as softness and fluidity, usually associated with the feminine, does not mean that it favors a feminine model or can be seen a stronghold of feminism. Rather, it allows for a greater acceptance of women into the religion, and an easier relation between the woman and her religion."

Tags:daoism, images, religion, taoism, women, goddesses

Abstract
This paper reviews the 1998 PBS documentary "Barbie Nation" that traces facets of Barbie's unique impact on American society from her creation as the first representation of a realistic female figure in the 1950s to her current position as an international symbol of fashion and femininity. The paper explains that the film seeks to answer why Barbie is so popular and why it has become such a phenomenon. The paper points out that, despite the polarization for and against Barbie's image, the film concludes that the unifying element in adults' reactions to the doll is based on how she made them feel, positive or negative, when they were children initially encountering her.

From the Paper
"That wholesomeness, of course, has come into serious question in recent years as the doll has become more sexualized to accommodate for changing times. Barbie's figure is now being criticized as unrealistic and unfair to the young girls who play with her, as over time they are said develop unreal expectations of body and self because of her suggestive clothing, wide hips, slender waist, and large breasts - proportions that, if rendered to scale, would make for a wildly impossible, mutated being."

Tags:popularity breasts, body image, men disdain

Abstract
In this article, the writer critically reviews research published by H. Dittmar, E. Halliwell, and S. Ive on the effects Barbie has on the body image of five- to eight-year-old girls. This paper summarizes key findings, identifies strengths and weaknesses of the research, assesses the quality of the research and suggests areas for additional future research. The writer concludes that Barbie does have a negative impact on the body image of young girls, 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 and 6 1/2 -7 1/2 years old. However, the writer maintains that by the time girls are 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 these same negative impacts are more influenced by size-16 Emme. The writer concludes that there are a lot of societal influences other than the dolls that are causing negative body images in young girls.

From the Paper
"The results of the study were different for different ages, 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 , 6 1/2 -7 1/2 and 7 1/2 -8 1/2, revealing differences in the way girls though they looked and the way they wanted to look after seeing certain images. For example, the youngest group, age 5 1/2 to 6 1/2, shown the Barbie picture books wished they were thinner and disliked their bodies more than girls of the same age who viewed other images. These results were even more pronounced for girls 6 1/2 to 7 1/2. Further, this age group desired more extreme thinness as adults than girls the same age who viewed images other than Barbie and the girls 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 who had also viewed Barbie pictures. The 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 age group were affected by the Emme images and not the Barbie images. The girls who viewed Emme wanted a thinner body shape for the adult figure than girls viewing other images."

Tags:Emme, doll, size, looks

Abstract
The paper relates that Canada's amateur athletes face considerable financial pressures in their pursuit of excellence, and recently, some Canadian female athletes have adopted a fundraising strategy of selling calendars featuring images of themselves in revealing and/or sexually provocative poses. This report argues that this trend is counterproductive and damaging to the image of female athletics. Key points include: the broader cultural context regarding female images; impacts upon young girls; and reinforcement of existing sexism in sports today. It is recommended that a media campaign be initiated to raise the profile of female amateur sport and eliminate the need for such a strategy.

From the Paper
"Reporting to: Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport by Consultant to the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. Abstract: Canada's amateur athletes face considerable financial pressures in their pursuit of excellence. Recently, some Canadian female athletes have adopted a fundraising strategy of selling calendars featuring images of..."

Tags:women, bodies, sport

Abstract
This paper provides an explanation of the history behind the development of the Barbie doll. It discusses how, from the beginning, the doll was controversial and how it has been ever since. This paper argues that the Barbie culture is harmful not only to young women and girls, but also to young men. It states that women are not Barbie dolls, nor should they be.

From the Paper
"The year: 1991. The occasion: My eighth birthday. My house was full of giggling third grade girls, and the pile of gifts was looming high near the cake. My parents eyed the mountain warily, knowing full well what the majority of the rectangular 13-inch boxes contained. They were inevitable gifts at that age. In fact, they were expected gifts at that age. I tore into them one by one, the bright bubble gum pink flooding my senses, as Barbie reared her perfectly coiffed head. For a female child in America, or a female child, period, Barbie is an unavoidable influence on development, both physically and mentally. I was to become a statistic by the year 1996, it was reported that 99 percent of girls between ages eight and ten had at least one Barbie, while the average girl had eight (Rogers 13). Though the Barbie doll was created with good intentions, and though proponents today continue to fight for her rights, today Barbie does more harm than good for her followers."

Tags:body, image, doll, girl, controversial

Abstract
This paper shows how media images affect women and influences them to play a part in the Barbie Doll image. It analyzes the different effects caused by those media images and the writer concludes that until the media stops sending these messages women will continue to be affected.

From the Paper
"With the new obsessions of weight loss, plastic surgery, and Hollywood stars, women believe they are not normal unless they fit into the so-called "Barbie Doll" image. Young girls are feed body images when they pick up their first Barbie-doll. Yet, research as found that the Barbie-doll would not be able to live if she was human. Her body would be too tapered to hold less than a half of a liver and her back would be too weak to support weight the her upper body (Gerber, 2). No longer do some women base their self-worth on personality, morals, or values but having an unblemished body with designer clothing that are wore by celebrities. Women are reading magazines and watching television, which project the image of rock-hard abs, long skinny legs, and huge breast. The media influences these unattainable images for women through model ads, television commercials, and by boosting Hollywood stars as examples of how women should look. The media influences the way women consume products from the market and her mental well being also."

Tags:anorexia, Barbie, doll, body, bulemia, bulimia

Abstract
The paper reviews in detail the image of Medusa that pits femininity and masculinity against each other and allowing masculinity to triumph. The paper continues by stating that the gaze of the painted female subject often is depicted with her eyes either diverted from the viewer, or coyly regarding him. The author states that myths like the Medusa myth and the female gaze instruct women that their sexuality is something to be suppressed, that a powerful woman is a dangerous woman, and that the male will triumph in the end.

From the Paper
"Though the familiar image of Medusa as a serpent-haired monster is attributed to the Greeks, the myth of Medusa actually has its roots in pre-classical Mediterranean culture. In the matriarchal societies that existed before Greek civilization, Medusa was far from reviled as she was by the Greeks; instead, she was worshiped as a beautiful mother deity who symbolized wisdom, fertility, and female power. With the advent of Greek civilization, the existing gynocentric religion and mythology were compelled to adapt to the new patriarchal value system."

Tags:image, preclassical, mediterranean, culture, male, sexuality

Abstract
In this article, the writer examines the use of the Internet by female teenagers. The writer then studies the effects by the Internet on the teenagers' self image. The writer looks at the influence of the Internet on the psycho-social development of teens. In this paper, the writer also discusses how female and male usage of the Internet differs.

From the Paper
"Over the last decade, an increasing number of teenagers have become prominent users of the Internet, thus generating concerns among parents and researchers with regard to its effects on their psychological well-being. In one of the studies many of the parents surveyed assert their worries about their children's isolation from others in the real world and their development of antisocial behavior due to Internet use. Due to their vulnerability to adult predators, teenage girls and their use of ... "

Tags:Female Teens, Internet Effects on Self Image