Islamic 'Barbie' debut

[emad]

Barbie loses out to veiled rival
BBC, UK

Step aside Barbie - a veiled doll with, as her creator describes it "Muslim values", is proving a popular choice in Egypt's toy stores.

Fulla, dressed in a traditional Islamic headscarf and overdress, comes with her own pink felt prayer rug.

Some parents who would not want to buy Barbies for their daughters are choosing to give them Fullas instead.

Creators NewBoy Design Studio launched the doll in 2003 and sales have proved strong in the Middle East.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/13245

[davsand]

1. Let me guess--the Bhurka can't be removed?

Seems like the first thing my kid does is take off the Barbie outfit, and you just KNOW that is probably a universal thing.

:evilgrin:

I dunno--I really don't have a problem with this, personally. I think kids like to have toys that look and dress kinda like they do.

I'm not thrilled with the entire "Barbie" body image that we have going here in the US, but maybe these guys did it smarter and made the doll look like a normal woman. Isn't the idealized female body image in the Middle Eastern culture a bit rounder than the one here in the US?



Laura

[noonwitch]

2. Yeah, but the heads come off pretty easily

So she can be punished appropriately if somehow the burka does come off.