The Barbie doll has been a part of American culture for more than 50 years. Tall, blond and blue-eyed, the doll became a symbol of the “all-American girl.” But in recent years, critics targeted the doll. Social commentators said Barbie was not a good representation of what women do or should look like. The toy company that makes Barbie made some changes over the years. For example, it widened Barbie’s waist in more realistic proportion to the rest of her body. But that apparently was not enough for consumers or critics. So on Thursday, the manufacturer announced three new Barbie body types. Time magazine reported the story. Mattel describes the new dolls as tall, petite and curvy. The dolls will also represent different ethnicities, with a range of skin colors and hair styles. Lots of people commented about the news on Twitter and Facebook. Some people were excited to see the changes. Geek Girl Diva tweeted, “The curves are cool. I’m way more stoked about the hair color.”

What does symbol mean?
not true or real
an object that represents a particular idea or quality
a group of different things
very angry
Which classic toy is getting an update?
Bop It
Slinky
Barbie
G.I. Joe
Many people think Barbie was not a good representation of what women look like.
representation
role model
influence
image