For such a bland doll, Barbie sure has caused a lot of controversy in her 50 years of existence. Now she has parents outraged about her latest iteration, Totally Stylin' Tattoo Barbie, which comes with a palette of temporary tattoos and a gun with which to apply them. Oh, Barbie, how the mighty have fallen. You used to wear tennis outfits and hang out in mansions. Now you come with a "Ken" tramp stamp and a gigantic purple belt buckle.
In addition to this tattoo trouble, Barbie's bad rep with young girls' self-image has led to the proposal of the "Ban Barbie Bill" in West Virginia. That's right, Totally Stylin' Tattoo Barbie will not only look like an outlaw, she may actually be one too.
Read more about the Barbie Ban after the jump.
Trouble in Toyland
Bratz Although the low-rise jeans-wearing dolls are meant for girls between the ages of 7 to 12-years-old, preschool girls have been toting these luscious-lipped curvaceous toys, causing an outrage among parents and toy watchdog groups. In 2006, a Harvard group, in collaboration with Dads and Daughters, pressured Hasbro to stop production on a Bratz line based on the super-sexy girl group Pussycat Dolls in 2006.
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Barbie In 1989, the Barbie Liberation Organization took Mattel to task for their Teen-Talk Barbie, which intoned the infamous words, "Math is hard." To teach Mattel a lesson, they switched dozens of Teen-Talk Barbie voice boxes with those from Talking Duke G.I. Joe dolls.
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Easy-Bake Oven A popular toy since the '50s, you'd think that Hasbro would've gotten he kinks out of the play oven by now. In July 2007 the toy company recalled the new version of the oven after more than 200 kids got their fingers stuck in the oven's door and 77 kids reported being burned from the device.
AP
Aqua Dots It's never a good idea to eat your toys, especially if they're Aqua Dots. In 2007, there were several cases of kids vomiting or falling into a coma after ingesting the beads. And, scientists found that the toy's coating contained a chemical that turns into the "date rape" drug Rohypnol after digestion. The arts and crafts beads were pulled off U.S. shelves immediately after the discovery.
AP
Scrabulous When RJ Softwares developed Scrabulous for the ultra-popular Facebook it attracted a half-million players daily, prompting Scrabble maker Hasbro to step in and slap the India-based company with a fat lawsuit. Hasbro claims that RJ Softwares stole "intelligent software" including the game's trademark name.
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Super Columbine Massacre RPG When tragedy hits, it's usually a good idea to downplay it and let wounds heal--not create a video game about the disaster. Despite the negative reaction by the survivors and victims' families, the game is still available online.
AP
Tickle Me Elmo In 2006, love fo Tickle Me Elmo turned ugly at a Target in Tampa, Fla., when a man threatened another customer with his life. The guy told the shopper he had a gun and wasn't afraid to use it if he didn't get the Elmo doll. And it looks like Elmo isn't that innocent after all: That same year, some copies of the "Potty Time with Elmo" interactive book contained a button that said," Who wants to die?"
AP
Grand Theft Auto The game's in-your-face violence and sex has been highly scrutinized by parent groups. And controversy sparked when 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas game contained sexually explicit mini-games that could be unlocked with a code. Versions of the game have already been banned in Thailand and Australia.
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The SockObama In June 2008, the blogosphere fumed about a sock monkey doll made to look like Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama. Although the doll may have been described as "firm but huggable," the doll's production was stopped after a couple of weeks after critics said the doll had racist undertones.
nymag.com
Furby No one's too sure exactly what a Furby is. However, in early 1999, The National Security Agency put employees under "Furby Alert" and requiring that employees keep their Furbies at home. It turns out the furry toy contains a computer chip that can potentially record classified information.
AP
West Virginia State Delegate Jeff Eldridge is arguing for a ban on Barbie, stating that the toys damage girls' self-esteem. "I just hate the image that we give to our kids that if you're beautiful, you're beautiful and you don't have to be smart," he said.
We wonder if his rage is Barbie-specific or if he wants to get rid of those trampy-looking Bratz dolls, too.
In either case, isn't it up to parents to decide what toys their kids are playing with? Or are some toys inherently harmful?
Happy 50th birthday Barbie! You're still great at pissing everybody off.
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Worst Tattoos for Women
We miss our old dead iPod, too, but we're pretty sure it's not in Heaven.
List of the Day
Ok, we believe you.
Horrible Tattoos
Most unicorns can't stretch their necks quite that far, but this one's father is Pokey.
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The District of Columbia's "Flasher Maps" Program was a huge success, especially with male tourists.
Flickr
Funny, our power-up button is somewhere else.
Flickr
Maybe she just plans on having lots of kids.
Photobucket
We "beleive" she should ask for a refund.
Someone never learned the difference between "its" and "it's."
Photobucket
We've heard of guys naming their hands, but never women.
Flickr
The ever-popular "Elf and Naked Woman Collect Leaves Under A Cat Sun" tattoo.
Flickr












Comments:
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Thursday 05 March
By luddite00
Almost as bad as all the parents who let their 8 year old girls walk around with advertisements and innuendo emblazoned on the seats of their pants. Why do you want strangers to read things off your daughter's rear ends? Crazy or you just don't care?
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Thursday 05 March
By bones
Beats Peirced Barbie ! ! Tattoos rule and before anyone thinks im some hillbilly trash ill let you know im the owner of a reputable and very profitable tattoo shop and have seen ALL types of people get em - bikers,bankers and everything in between. As for that pregnant girl getting a tat - SHUT THAT SHOP DOWN ! ! In these days and this economy you people are worried about a doll ? I love it - getting one for my daughter.
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Thursday 05 March
By Ash
This is stupid. If parents don't want their kids to have certain toys or play certain video games it should be thier business to censor those things. The rest of us who aren't so uptight shouldn't have to suffer because of those that are. This is just one more things that teaches kids that there are different types of people out there with different lifestyles. I completely respect those parents that feel this toy is inappropriate however, I don't feel like tattoo barbie is going to turn kids into serial killers or something. That's just silly.
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Thursday 05 March
By Lee
How is that any different than the temporary tattoos? Seems like there are a lot of sexually disfunctional people out there, if that's the first thing you think of when you see a tattoo! Since when did we all have to be the same?
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Thursday 05 March
By jbjg24m
bet that Ken liked the tattoo!!
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Thursday 05 March
By sheila
this is for "basketpam" so, is what you're telling us, is that you now think your beautiful niece is not so beautiful just because she has a tatoo?? I feel sorry for her, and applaud her for making a choice she wanted to. Tatoos are personal and have meaning to the ones who get them, If they are in memory of a lost one, or ones children, I have both tributes on my beautiful body, and I was was there when my daughter got some of hers. I am in my 50's and a professional. good luck to your niece, I pray she has a strong spirit .
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Thursday 05 March
By Sue
I cant stand Barbie never had one that doll is so overrated
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Thursday 05 March
By martina
Wow people, get a freakin grip. It is cute, my daughters have a tattoo machine, fake one, but what is the big deal. its not like after having this barbie my 6yo can go out and get a tatt on her lower back. If you dont like the doll, don't buy it! Tatto's do not make a woman trashy, I have pleanty of them and I am not trashy, I even have one on my lower back, of my childrens footprints, nothing screams stick it to me like a picture of my kids feet! ;)
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Friday 06 March
By nick
i also like how she's branded above her tatoo with the words "made in Indonesia". hahaha, tramp.
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Thursday 05 March
By ann
There is a time and a place for everything. Influencing a child with age inappropriate toys is just plain wrong. Even those of you with tatoos would most likely agree with those 2 statements. Fortunatly parents can simply not buy such toys. Parents can write the company and protest the sales of such an inappropriate Barbie. As for me A tatoo can be nice. Many tatoos are unattractive TO ME. I could not possibly take a guy or girl with tatoo covered arms and legs and misc. body parts covered in tats seriously. I would not want them working in my businesss, and I certainly wouldn't date a man covered in tats. Nothing repulses me more that a 50 or 60 yr old person wearing clothing that reveals the aging saggin, ink worn reminants of tatoos. That's just my thoughts. I certainly think anyone has a right to do what they want to their bodies, this is America. There is a time and a place for everything......in a young persons days tats are ok but as you age that time and place changes. With tatoos you have no choice.
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Thursday 05 March
By Priestess
Oh good grief, seriously? inappropriate. I don't think so, its a tattoo. And as for the two bit piece of trash calling this the mark of a whore, well you must be speaking from experience. As for basketpam's comment, there is NOTHING wrong with tattoo's and they are NOT in bad taste at all. You obviously don't know your azz from your elbow. And I think the name of the aticle is more offensive. Seriously people is it YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PARENT YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN, IT IS NOT SOCIETY'S JOB. GET OFF YOUR PATHETIC EXCUSE, WASTE OF OXYGEN SORRY EXCUSE OF A LIFE AZZ'S AND PARENT YOUR CHILDREN. Its a barbie for christ sakes, if you don't like it well DON'T BUY IT. Its as simplr as that. What a much of uneducated morons. I am no whore and I have tattoo's. I will wear them with pride even when im old and wrinkly. You people who are whining over a doll NEED to seriously GET A LIFE!
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Thursday 05 March
By Jayne
I think the INDONESIA "tattoo" is far more offensive.
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Thursday 05 March
By Bren
You people are crazy a whore ,,,a tramp ...because of a tatoo. Crack me up are you all over 90!
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Thursday 05 March
By gayle
regardless of the barbie debate... i find the reporter's voice to be the most annoying part of all this :)
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Thursday 05 March
By Zunie
Don't by Barbie for your children if it offends you. Simple as that.
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Thursday 05 March
By Killabeez
I am from WV and I think this ban is a load of proverbial horse, er, apples! Aren't there just a few more slightly more important issues to take care of and put bans on and the like that we are now having lawmakers stoop to banning a toy? Gee, cigarettes are harmful, so, lets tax them so if they die from smoking they won't have enough money left to cover a cigarette. These hard working hacks need gasoline to get to their underpaid jobs, so, lets tax the heck out of that. H,,,...Barbie turns little girls...and quite possibly, some little boys...into pathetic shells of humans that either become prostitutes or, blow their brains to kingdom come with one of GI Joes bazooka's (now, see how dumb this is?) But, they will bail out auto makers that are not even turning a profit and that will not over tax a realy deadly vice of we humans...LIQUOR AND BEER!!! Yes, many are the accidents I read about where smoking a cigarette or your child wanting a Barbie has made us lose control of our vehicle, go into another lane and careen into a car ...taking out a whole family! What stupid lawmakers we have at times...and, how stupid we have been to put some of them in office.
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Thursday 05 March
By Killabeez
Oops...I had a couple of errors and a misspelling or two in my previous comment. I just wanted to apologize, and, even though I am from WV (here come the jokes), please, forgive me and my elusive spellcheck and do not lump me in with the ignorant Barbie hating lawmaker >smilez< (that misspell is on purpose).
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Thursday 05 March
By Christine
I think everyone just needs to relax!!! Its a doll for crying out loud, has your parents never taught you not to judge a book by its cover. To sit there on your high horse and say women who have tattoos are whore's is just so childlike. If you are a good person then you should be able to be a good role modle and not expect Barbie to do it for you!!! Get real, there are more important things to worry about besides "Barbie's Tattoos"
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Thursday 05 March
By Killabeez
To Marguerite, or, however it is spelled. Wake up and grow up. Alot of young women have these tattoos, and, simply because everyone else does. That is not a good reason, but, that is how we, and that includes you too, have raised our children.But, do not assume because you want "it put there"....whatever it may be that you are wanting there, or, talking about....and, if you look closely Marge..it is on the SMALL OF THE BACK, not a bodily orifice. It just sounds to me like you have a problem with it, or, you have possibly wanted one of these tatts, so, you slander all people that have one. The tatts are an individuals taste. You may not think they are appropriate, but that however is not your business. The same with on a toy. Do not buy one! But, don't infringe on someone else's right to have a tatt or buy a doll with one, a doll with a temporary tatt at that. And, you talk of people with tattoos as being trashy? You need to check into some of the worlds other cultures Marge. Those tattoos are anything but trashy.
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Friday 06 March
By Marguerite
actually when tattos first came to light they were only worn by those of the lower class such as fishermen and prisoners. today you can still identify many people who have been in prison by the type of tattoos they have. sorry but most employers do judge people by how they look and wont hire those with ink. you dont see heads of fortune 500 companies (donald trump warren buffet etc etc) with a tattoo on their ass. barbie is supposed to be a positive influence and empower young girls. there is nothing empowering or positive about scarring your body. not to mention what is cute when you are a teen or 20 something looks like crap when you age.