Could This Real-Girl Barbie Doll Actually Make A Difference For Kids?

You've undoubtedly seen the freakishly Photoshopped, real, live Barbie girls of the world (though you might wish you could un-see them now). But the latest head trip goes in the other direction. Artist Nickolay Lamm created a 3D model of a doll with a more recognizably human figure, then Photoshopped her to look just like a real Barbie. And, of course, compared them side by side to point out the differences.

It seems like every other week there's a story about how Barbies are bad for body image — and we don't necessarily disagree. Even though it's just a doll, it seems likely that the repeated reinforcement of a certain aesthetic has a significant effect on young girls' conception of what they should want for themselves. However, the thing about this "realistic" Barbie is that, truth be told, she's an entirely different category of doll than the original, which has a decidedly more cartoonish look. Judging from her face alone, she's clearly intended to look more human not just in the sense that she has a slightly more average body type, but in the sense that she looks less like a cartoon and more like a plastic person. What do you think? Is this doll a great step forward, or not much of a step at all? (The Huffington Post)