Barbie Becomes a Computer Engineer
As many of you heard, Mattel had allowed internet voting to get help in choosing Barbie’s next career. The choice was announced: the girls wanted Barbie to be a news anchor. But that’s not the end of the story…
Consumers loudly campaigned for another Barbie® career. The winner of the popular vote is Computer Engineer. Computer Engineer Barbie®, debuting in Winter 2010, inspires a new generation of girls to explore this important high-tech industry, which continues to grow and need future female leaders.
“All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers — like girls — are free to explore inï¬nite possibilities, limited only by their imagination,†says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career.â€
(That’s from the official press release)
You can take a look at Computer Engineer Barbie’s fact sheet on their press release site, or check out coverage elsewhere. There are more pictures on the Barbie media site, although apparently you have to click to download the high-res ones if you want more than a head and shoulders view.
It’s neat that they asked some actual women engineers about what clothes and accessories Computer Engineer Barbie should have. Although I’d have traded those leggings for blue jeans, I know plenty of geeky women who’d wear a binary shirt. It is interminably weird to imagine Barbie as a potential coworker, though!
Jazmin:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:27 am
So where can I get one? Great gift.
- Jazmin
Terri:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Apparently you’ll be able to pre-order Computer Engineer Barbie at MattelShop but I didn’t see her for sale yet when I looked briefly and all the pink and stereotypes hurt my brain. (My grandmother collects Barbies, though, so I’ll be getting one for her!)
Jazmin:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Yeah my boyfriend’s mother collects Barbies. This would be a perfect addition to the princesses.
bibliotrek:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Now if only they would explain why she requires a bright pink laptop…
Tricia:
February 12th, 2010 at 11:00 am
I was hoping that Computer Engineer Barbie came in something other than the pink and blonde stereotype but alas it didn’t. At least I didn’t see any multicultural variations on their website. I’ll just have to wait for the Ubuntu Barbie.
Terri:
February 12th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Plenty of real women geeks enjoy bright pink laptops, so that actually doesn’t bug me as much as it would have when I was younger and they were uncommon.
Computer Engineer Barbie | Impromptus:
February 12th, 2010 at 11:52 am
[...] you can’t do?” Thanks to an Internet vote, coming this December you will be able to buy Computer Engineer Barbie! I generally loathe Barbie, but am extremely interested in broadening participation in CS. So, [...]
Leigh Honeywell:
February 12th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Barbie-modding time! :)
Barbie Computer Engineer coming your way! « Engineering Gal's Insights:
February 12th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
[...] set, and laptop.” Â I’m not a fan of her leggings. Â As another blogger pointed out on geek feminism, jeans would have been [...]
Jaime Schmidts:
February 12th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Blond haired pink loving barbies can be computer engineers too :D.
Wenonah:
February 12th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Well, this is much better than the “Baby Doctor Barbie” they were advertising last year. I guess they thought that little girls wouldn’t understand Pediatrician?
x:
February 12th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
the binary on her laptop actually spells something when read as ascii! It says barbie barbie barbie barbie… that’s pretty neat. :)
Michael Granger:
February 12th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
The “t-shirt featuring binary code” kills me, but I have to give them props for the binary on her laptop. In ASCII it’s: “Bar”.
Alan Bell:
February 13th, 2010 at 4:33 am
Ubuntu or Kubuntu?
Carla Schroder:
February 13th, 2010 at 9:11 am
You know what is cool about pink? Boys and men won’t touch it. Women mechanics, for one example, learned that if they use pink tools the guys won’t “borrow” them. The power of pink!
Kimberly:
February 13th, 2010 at 9:28 am
What’s up with the glasses?
Mackenzie:
February 14th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
ZaReason started offering the laptop I bought from them in pink like 2 months after I bought it. Jealous.
Terri:
February 16th, 2010 at 7:51 am
I thought they were too stereotypical too at first glance, but the more I think about it, the more I like them. I don’t think very many barbie dolls have glasses, and I’ll bet she’ll make a lot of glasses-wearing little girls happy. Plus, it’s a nice statement for those girls that glasses can be an accessory for a fashion doll.
Loquacity:
February 16th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
http://shop.mattel.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4032107&cp=3719989.3748552
I braved the pinkification and found it! Shipping in December 2010, by the looks.
L
Jess:
February 18th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I’m so excited (in spite of the eye-searing pink and the Fox News reporter look-alike). http://bit.ly/a6mUet
Muskoka Mac User Group:
February 18th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
[...] Becomes A Computer Engineer I thought Meg might appreciate this, especially with International Women’s Day coming up next month. Share and [...]
Link(s): Mon, Jan 25th, 11pm to Wed, Feb 17th, 1pm | Your Revolution (The Blog!):
February 18th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
[...] Barbie Becomes a ComÂputer Engineer [...]