Ruth Handler

INVENTED BARBIE DOLLS
Before Barbie, girls had only two choices when it came to dolls: paper dolls, or baby dolls
Her husband was one of the cofounders of Mattel, and it is the Mattel engineers and technicians who actually hold the patent to Barbie
Ruth served as Mattel's executive vice president, president, and cochairman of the board, a rarity in the 1960s male-dominated world of business
She was invited to speak at many events, including one investment seminar where she was forced to sneak in because it was held at a men's only club
Became director of the Federal Reserve, a member of the National Business Council for Consumer Affairs, and a guest professor at multiple universities
After having both of her breasts removed due to breast cancer, she INVENTED the Nearly Me breast prosthesis
Barbie and Ken are named after her two children
Today the Barbie brand is a multi-billion dollar business, sold in over 100 countries

Open for Debate

Barbie has become a much vilified symbol of the unrealistic beauty expectations placed on women -- especially women of color. However, it has also been lauded as expanding the role of women. By dressing Barbie in sophisticated, stylish outfits ranging from business suits to traditional garments from around the world, it enabled young girls to imagine themselves as something other than a mother.

Bibliography: Vare, Ethlie Ann and Greg Ptacek. Patently Female. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002. Print.

Support this organization dedicated to preserving her story:

Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University

Books by this Awesome Woman

Biographies for Kids and Young Adults

The Story of Barbie and the Woman Who Created Her

(picture book)

Research

Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her

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