Not SciFi but fact - the reason for Barbie's outrageous proportions is
as much technical as sexist. The numbers of folds of fabric for the
waistbands of her skirts would have made her mal-proportionately thick
around the middle in clothes if her waist had not been corrrespondingly
pared. At least that's the way the story is told in the Barbara Benesch
wrote:
>
> Since Barbie's been on the list lately, I figured I'd mention that apparently
> they're releasing a version of Barbie with an expanded waist and a
> diminished bustline. I think it's Hula Barbie, but I'm not positive.
> They're apparently only releasing the one with the "non-traditional"
> measurements, but... who knows.
>
> Barbara Benesch
> BJBenesch@aol.com
provocative and insightful book on the subject, Forever Barbie by M G
Lord.
Susan Courtney
PS - Belated introduction: I'm 48, born in Chicago, BA English from
Smith, living in Kent, about 40mi SE of London for the past 13 years.
Journalist and researcher in commercial real estate now turned
psychotherapist. Trying to decide whther to leave this list because I
spend too much time emptying my inbox of unwanted TV stuff and can't
figure out how I'll make the time to read all the new authors I'm
hearing about. I haven't figured out how to read the archive - so I may
be repeating old material, but, I notice the absence of references to
Mary Gentle's Golden Witchbreed and Ancient Light and Colin Greenland's
Daybreak on a Different Mountain.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:07:32 PDT