Mattel has announced the launch of a new line of Barbie dolls in conjunction with National Geographic. The global production brand has revealed that the new product line will centre around ‘exploration, science, conservation and research careers’ in a bid to encourage girls to imagine themselves entering the field of STEM.
Barbie will be seen in new career roles to highlight occupations in which women are typically underrepresented including Astrophysicist, Wildlife Conservationist, Polar Marine Biologist, Wildlife Photojournalist and Entomologist.
Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Barbie said, “Barbie allows girls to try on new roles through storytelling by showing them they can be anything and, through our partnership with National Geographic, girls can now imagine themselves in STEM careers.”
Susan Goldberg, editor in chief of National Geographic magazine and editorial director of National Geographic Partners is quoted in a Mattel press release saying, “through our partnership with Barbie, we are excited to reach kids in a new way, using the power of play to inspire our next generation of explorers, scientists and photographers.”
Dr Katrina Morgan, a member of WISET (Women in Science, Engineering and Technology) at the University of Southampton believes that Mattel has taken a step in the right direction in terms of supporting women in STEM but that potentially it might not be enough.
“I imagine that a toy that’s more interactive than a doll might be more beneficial as it would encourage a different set of skills. You find a lot of toys that are traditionally given to boys, for example, Lego or science kits, involve building and creating. In comparison to the skills developed through interactive play, being given a doll is more humanities based, encouraging emotional development rather than skills that would be transferable to STEM careers.”
Comentários