Move Over Barbie: Salma Is a Muslim Alternative

Kelly Mills — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:03:00 GMT

Sukmawati Suryaman used Barbie as the inspiration to create a more modest doll for Muslim children. Salma wears long-sleeved prayer dresses, abayas, and head scarves, "making Salma's conservative clothing more familiar to [Indonesian] children than the glittering, pop-star inspired outfits donned by dolls such as Barbie and Bratz." Of course, sequined hot pants, boas, stilettos and a bra top aren't exactly familiar to my kid, but that hasn't stopped Mattel. Maybe since Salma's whole body is covered, she can just get away with a bizarrely proportioned face or something. Suryaman hopes Salma will "inspire virtue in Muslim girls."

See, now there I take issue. Does that mean Barbie doesn't inspire virtue in our children? Why, credit card Barbie waits until she marries Ken...to pay off her enormous debt, because shopping is fun! And there's, um, that Barbie that scoops poop. I mean, that's pretty virtuous. Barbie teaches values like the importance of not being quite as slutty as Bratz. Um, what else does she teach kids again?

Photo: Reuters/Supri

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Move Over Barbie: Salma Is a Muslim Alternative