In 1959 Mattel introduced Barbie to the world. With a provocative sideways glance, a striped swimsuit, and an unmistakably adult form, the toy was a significant departure from most other dolls, which were made to look like infants and children. Barbies, rather than teaching young girls to be maternal, encouraged their owners to imagine themselves as independent adults. Over the years, Barbie has been an astronaut, a doctor, and a pilot. However, much like the plastic veneer of the 1960s-era doll pictured here, Barbie's progressive facade disintegrates on closer inspection.
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