Ken

Despite the class speaking primarily about Barbie, I think that there is also a person standing in the background that many people overlook when speaking of the Barbie controversy, Ken. Although we spoke exclusively about Barbie during our class discussions, in the back of my mind I thought, "what about Ken?". I know that Prager speaks about the impact that Barbie has on young girls, but what about the impact that Ken has on young boys. Although I never had a Ken doll of my own or played with one before, he still changed my perspective of what a man should be. I would see my sister playing with her Barbie and Ken dolls and wonder "why can't I be big and strong like Ken?" Women speak of how they must always look pretty and care about their looks unlike boys; however, in our modern era society has also caused boys to care about their looks and wish to be like Ken, muscular and big. I myself have changed the way I dressed or looked simply on things people have said. Women say that society does not pressure men to look a certain way like they do to women, however, society has told young boys what they must strive to be, a tall, muscular man just like Ken.