What on earth is going on here?
Seems the beloved troll dolls of my childhood have been deemed in need of a makeover. “The original troll dolls debuted in the 1960s with chubby bodies, unruly hair and pug noses. More recently they’ve been updated—while they still have only four fingers on each hand, the new Trollz line…features short skirts, bare midriffs, giant eyes and even styled hair.”
Trollz? With a z? As if it wasn’t bad enough we have to contend with BratZZZZ and Baby BratZZZZ now these once adorable pug like Trolls are now sexified Trollz?
But the big question here really has to be why? They’re trolls. Trolls. They’re not meant to be ‘pretty’, or ‘styled’, or ‘fashionable’ or anything else other than a squidgy little troll with crazy hair that you spike up, tease and play with in the bath.
What sort of message does this send to little girls today and what sort of impact can we expect it to have on them and how they feel about themselves and their bodies? Because we shouldn’t make any mistake that it is having an impact. Just read this excellent guest post by Dr Jennifer Shewmaker at pigtail pals on how 3-5 year old girls are internalizing the ‘thin ideal’ that is now so pervasive in our culture or another great pigtail post on the ’making over’ (cue thinner, perkier, thinner, sexier, oh and yes let’s not forget thinner) of dolls like Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake.
I know I have already asked you a stack of questions in this post already Beautiful You but I wonder when and where you may think this will all stop? I would love to know your thoughts. I for one find this sort of toxic body culture being thrust upon children to be unacceptable and without question contributing to body dissatisfaction and the questioning of girls about their own body and appearance. Surely there are enough ads, magazines, and digital trickery to come as a teen and adult that we can try and save them from this?
Do you have a little girl in your life? What are your thoughts on toy makeovers like this one for Trolls?
P.S. Also – is it just me or does that new blonde Troll look somewhat like Joan Rivers?!