It’s that time of term again. The work is piling up, the sleep deprivation is starting to kick in with a vengeance, and with Halloween and Bonfire Night over, there’s only the distant promise of Christmas to cling to. But don’t despair. Cherwell is here to help. Whether it’s consolation you need or a good dose of uplifting cheeriness, here’s a compilation of songs guaranteed to help alleviate some of the symptoms of those infamous 5th week blues…
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Suggesting solutions: addressing the gender gap at finals
In 2012, 32 per cent of men got firsts at finals, whilst only 26 per cent of women did. 31 per cent of white students achieved firsts at finals, but that figure was only 25 per cent for students who identified as Black or of a minority ethnicity (BME). If we want to address the difference in examination results between men and women, and between white students and BME students, we need change in our courses. At present, the dominance of white Western men in our curricula, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, combined with a lack of female teaching staff, conveys the implicit message that unless you are a white, Western man, academia is not your place. This needs to change.
By fundamentally changing curricula, the values of the University would be readdressed. If it is made clear to students that the voices of women of people of colour are worth listening to, worthy of the attention granted by study, then University examinations would become an entirely different scene. At present, students who are not white Western men spend the three hours of an examination paper being subliminally, if not explicitly, reminded of the structural inequalities which constantly leave them in a less privileged position, deemed unworthy of scholarly focus.
Following research showing that women perform worse in tests when outnumbered in examination rooms by men, some institutions have taken action to ensure better positive representation of women. Hertford have celebrated forty years of women at the college by replacing all of the portraits in their hall with those of women, and there has been talk of doing something similar in Examination Schools. We need to take this further, and change the very substance of our courses, so that people are learning and thinking about men and women from all backgrounds every day of their course.
We are often led to believe that change at Oxford is not possible. This is a convenient get-out clause which enables those comfortable within the present system to preserve the perpetuation of their privilege. It is also untrue. Alongside the campaign for Cultural and Racial Awareness and Equality (CRAE), I have been meeting with various academics and the University in my role as Undergraduate Rep for the Humanities Division to discuss diversity within curricula. These meeting have been met with a positive reception. A paper is currently being written to present to the heads of undergraduate study in all Humanities divisions, whilst pilot programmes to implement some of the suggested changes are in the pipeline. Yet, the battle has not yet been won: this positive beginning now needs to be turned into real change in terms of the content of both our courses and reading lists.
Alongside CRAE, I am part of a committee working with the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Prof. Sally Mapstone, to put on a symposium on improving diversity in curricula, which will take place in 2015. Senior members of the University are behind this project, but because historically grassroots change has been more effective than instructions given from an administrative level, we need the right student representatives to make sure that this will not just be a token gesture, and that change will go forward.
Curricular reform will mean different things in different subjects. In some areas, there may be more obvious female and non-white subjects of study, whilst in others, initial approaches might involve actively encouraging feminist and post-colonial critiques of certain issues, or even having under-represented scholars on reading lists, thus showing that their perspectives are valued. Women and people of colour do not only write about issues specifically relating to them, but, contrary to what our reading lists may suggest, have contributed to scholarship in many diverse fields. If you want to explore these underrepresented works further, I would advise having a look at the Alternative Reading Project for some concrete examples.
To enable diversity in higher education in the future, with lecturers and tutors from a range of backgrounds, we need to lobby the University to start providing specific support for the least represented groups. Women studying STEM subjects are now being supported by the Athena SWAN project, but this is not enough. Because men, and white men in particular, are achieving more firsts at finals, they are currently in a better position to receive the funding which will enable postgraduate study. To counter that, we must encourage the University to provide support for women and students of colour applying for further study, and make specific funding opportunities available. The University have recently agreed to fill certain quotas of associate and full professorships with women, as part of their renewed commitment to gender equality. Now is the perfect time for students to present solutions, and show that they are passionate about this kind of change. We need the right student representatives to harness this opportunity.
This may seem like a tall order, but we have a big problem on our hands, and very little else has been suggested to actually change the situation. I’m running to be OUSU’s Vice President for Access and Academic Affairs because we can’t afford to avoid this problem any longer.
To read the rest of Eden’s manifesto go to http://ousu.org/elections/manifesto/59/.
In the interests of fairness, all of the candidates for VP Access and Academic Affairs were offered the chance to write for Cherwell.
Cupsets, drama, and humiliation on the road to Iffley
Fifth Week is often associated with doom and gloom, but this week footballers across Oxford will be banishing any negativity with dreams of glory at Iffley Road and a place in the history books. Yes, it’s the next round of JCR Football Cuppers.
The tournament, which is more than 130 years old, has true prestige, an elegant trophy and offers the finalists the chance to play at a renowned venue in front of hundreds of adoring fans — a far cry from the usual crowd of the groundsman and a couple of substitutes.
With the second round being contested this week, a place in the quarter-finals is up for grabs. However none of reigning champions Exeter, last year’s runners up St Catz, or Worcester — Cuppers winners for three consecutive years between 2011 and 2013 — will be among the final eight: the magic of the cup has struck again.
While Exeter were famously humiliated by perennial basement side Univ in the first round in 3rd Week, current Premier Division leaders Worcester also unexpectedly suffered a “cupset” in the second round on Tuesday against fellow top-tier side New — the first time that Worcester have failed to reach at least the semi-final stage since 2009. Goals from Rifkin-Zybutz, Hayes and Feeney gave New a sensational 3-2 victory, avenging their defeat in the 2011 Cuppers final. Tim Wade’s side will now have their eyes firmly set on a return to Iffley Road.
Elsewehere, Balliol progressed to the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over St Anne’s in an all-Division 1 affair. Anne’s were handicapped early on in the match, having astonishingly turned up with only nine players, but the Broad Street side failed to take full advantage against a resilient defence and went into the interval with just a 1-0 lead.
With a full team in the second half, the Mint Green Army of Anne’s rallied strongly but were unable to find a way past dominant Blues keeper Jamie Farmer. Instead an unfortunate late own goal from fall-back Ben Hartridge wrapped up the win for Balliol.
Yet again a big name fell by the wayside as last year’s beaten finalists St Catz lost 3-2 to Keble. This upset surpised many, given that St Catz beat their opponents 2-1 in the league in 3rd Week, whilst Keble have also struggled with top-tier football so far this term, losing all three of their league matches. Instead though, this victory sees a continuation of the good cup form they showed in their 6-1 first- round victory against St Hilda’s.
Most recently, Pembroke, who narrowly missed out on promotion last season, replicated their 4-0 demolition of Brasenose by dismissing St Hugh’s by the same scoreline. LMH, meanwhile, saw off the challenge posed by Queen’s, winning 2-0 with goals from James Tunningley and Thomas Brown.
Expect plenty more twists and turns: Cuppers is back.
Union President facing disciplinary hearing over poll
Following the approval of significant rules changes in a poll of members earlier this week, a complaint has been made against Mayank Banerjee, President of the Oxford Union.
Ronald Collinson, a former Returning Officer, formally accused Banerjee of misconduct in an email to the Union’s Returning Officer, Thomas Reynolds, stating, “I do hereby allege that the President, Mayank Banerjee, St John’s College, did commit disciplinary misconduct under the following headings.”
Collinson followed the disciplinary procedures from the Union’s Rule 71 to make the complaint.
According to him the President is guilty of ‘Dereliction of duty: serious failure by an Officer or member of any Committee to carry out the duties required of him under the Rules, by virtue of holding his post’ as well as ‘Other action liable or calculated to bring the Society into disrepute.‘ [Rule 71 (a), (i), (5) and (12)]
The complaint stems from the President’s decision to hold a poll on the rules changes instead of delaying them by a week to the debate on Thursday of 6th Week.
Collinson alleged in his complaint that “Mr Banerjee failed to fulfil his duties as President and Chair of the Public Business Meeting by totally disregarding a requisition posted to the notice-board…. Mr Banerjee instigated, promoted and publicised an illegal poll, purportedly taking place on 13th November 2014.”
Speaking to Cherwell, Collinson commented “I have launched this complaint with a heavy heart, after a great deal of thought. I like and respect the President, who has undoubtedly had one of the most successful terms in recent history, and works very hard for the Society. However, I believe that, in this matter, he has clearly both overstepped his authority and compromised the Union’s most fundamental democratic procedures.
“The SDC is the only body in the Union now able to remedy this situation. I am hopeful that the result of this complaint will be great clarity: that the President’s misconduct will be appropriately recognised and addressed; that there will be certainty about the electoral rules currently obtaining; that the Members will be able to vote on all aspects of a rules-change motion which has been thoroughly debated and publicised.”
As the complaint is against a senior Union official it will automatically be referred to a Senior Disciplinary Committee (SDC). The SDC must be summoned by the Returning Officer within seven days of the complaint, which in turn will meet within twenty-eight days of the summons.
All members of the SDC shortlist must have been members of the Union for at least 18 terms, and in principle at least one member of the Committee should be a qualified lawyer.
If the President is found to be guilty of misconduct, the SDC is able to issue a fine not exceeding £500, suspend or expel him, or disqualify him from serving on Standing Committee.
Banerjee declined to comment on the complaint.
Student hunger strike in solidarity with Egypt
More than twenty Oxford students are taking part in a rolling hunger strike as part of the Egypt Solidarity Initiative’s 1,000 Hours of Hunger campaign. The campaign is protesting against the repressive laws used to criminalise dissent and detain activists, destroying the freedoms that the Egyptian people fought for in the 2011 revolution.
During 5th and 6th Weeks, students are taking 24 hours of symbolic action to express their anger at the loss of basic human rights of free speech and free assembly for political activists and Egyptian citizens alike. There are over 140 political prisoners currently on hunger strike in Egypt and the 1,000 Hours of Hunger campaign is showing solidarity with them.
The strike started on 22nd September at SOAS and has already proved that solidarity — according to the Egypt Solidarity Initiative website — “makes a real difference” with three activists, including Alaa Adel Fattah, who launched the hunger strike campaign in August, being released on bail on 15th September.
However, according to Egyptian human rights activists, around 40,000 people have been detained since July 2013, many without charge or trial. For example, Sanaa Seif — a 20 year old student — was arrested on 21st June whilst peacefully protesting the jailing of her brother and 23 others for 15 years. Those that remain incarcerated, in often appalling conditions, are evidence of the assault on civil liberties being conducted by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration.
Amelia Cooper, an Oxford University Amnesty International member taking part in the hunger strike, told Cherwell that she is taking action out of a “shared sense of dismay [which] is rooted entirely in the audacious manner in which the Egyptian administration is abusing the rights of its citizens.”
She added, “The object of the strike is twofold — we want to raise awareness, as well as demonstrating support and solidarity to the strikers in Egypt.”
Alex Marshall, who is also involved in the Campaign to Close Campsfield and Oxford Migrant Solidarity, said he was striking because of his disappointment after seeing how the achievements of the 2011 Egyptian revolution have been “gradually and viciously crushed” in the intervening years.
He explained, “There is dirt behind the daydream of peaceful and democratic societies such as ours that we take for granted – part of any expression of political principles is a willingness to look at that dirt, or briefly experience it in solidarity”.
However, the campaign has been questioned by some members of the University. An anonymous second year told Cherwell, “Although I can appreciate what the campaigners are doing at the moment, I don’t exactly see how effective a group of Oxford students going hungry for a few hours will have any impact on events in Egypt. Maybe I’m just being cynical though!”
The campaign is also attempting to show solidarity with prisoners of conscience such as Mohamed Soltan, who is currently in intensive care after slipping into a coma, having been on strike for over 280 days. Along with numerous others, the hope is to reverse the trend towards an ever increasingly damaged civil society in Egypt, and the release of arbitrarily detained political prisoners.
OUSU hustings move to accessible venues
Husts for this year’s OUSU elections have been moved to accessible venues after candidates from the For Oxford and Right to Education slates refused to hust at Hertford on Sunday.
Oriel, which held hustings on Thursday evening, and Univ, due to hold them on Sunday, confirmed this week that entirely accessible venues have now been found after candidates and JCR Presidents voiced their concern.
Will Obeney, For Oxford’s presidential candidate, explained his slate’s decision to not attend any hustings at inaccessible venues, telling Cher- well, “We’re running on a platform of accessibility and we don’t think it’s fair to attend hustings that not all members of our community – and not even all members of our team – can attend and hear the points we raise about accessibility.”
“We think it’s important for every student to be able to fully participate in university life, regardless of background, gender, sexuality, or any specific need, and if elected our team will work hard to ensure this.”
Emily Di Dodo, running for the Disabled Students’ Officer position as part of Right to Education’s slate, told Cherwell, “Immediately after finding out that some of the venues for hustings were not accessible, we decided that it would be against our ethos to attend, as we believe that education is a right and should be accessible to all.”
“I am very pleased that this prompted both Oriel and Univ to change their locations and I hope that this will translate to more consistent awareness that accessibility is important and needs to be addressed for each and every event they run, not just the events where they specifically know disabled people will attend. To avoid something like this happening in the future I want to ensure that we have Disabled Students Officers in all colleges.”
Lindsay Lee, the rival candidate for Disabled Students’ Officer, told Cherwell, “My team, For Oxford, decided against attending hustings held at inaccessible venues because no one thought it made sense for us to attend a husting that not all our candidates could go to, not to mention our entire voting base, considering our entire platform is based on improving accessibility in all its forms.
“I’ve been really happy to see that some colleges are making a real honest effort to make their venues as accessible as possible despite the unbelievable access issues there are at all colleges. But unfortunately I think people still need educating about what physical accessibility actually means before they can label their events ‘accessible’.”
As a result neither For Oxford nor Right to Education were at Hertford on Sunday 9th November. Hertford JCR President Josh Platt told Cherwell, “Will and his slate have taken that position which they have every right to do. Hertford is far too inaccessible and it’s something I’ve told College about, and which they’re aware of. It was a shame Will wasn’t able to come to our husts and make the point that the status quo is unacceptable, but I understand that he felt it would have been hypocritical of him to attend. I’m delighted that accessibility is at the forefront of the election campaign.”
Husts at Oriel — which happened on Thursday — and Univ — due to happen on Sunday — were subsequently moved to apparently accessible rooms. Will Obeney told Cherwell, “We’re really pleased about the response our move has had, from the positive messages to positive action, with all remaining venues being fully accessible. My thanks go to the JCR Presidents and the Returning Officer for their work on this.”
Presidential candidate Becky Howe told Cherwell, “Team ABC are really glad that this election is being made as inclusive and accessible as possible. It’s great news that the hustings at Oriel and Univ have been moved to accessible venues, so that all students wishing to attend can do so.”
Meanwhile, Adam Roberts, the independent presidential candidate, remarked, “Some colleges are absolutely awful for accessibility, and a lot of hard work has gone into trying to make every hustings venue accessible. All of the events I’m personally organising will be. I’m attending all husts but not because I think the status quo is anywhere near acceptable.”
Oriel’s husts on Thursday were attended by all candidates after the College managed to find an accessible room following booking difficulties.
JCR President Kit Owens told Cherwell, “Oriel has a number of rooms that have disabled ac- cess but the booking system makes them harder to obtain, especially when the event includes people from outside Oriel. I had intended the previous venue to be a stopgap whilst I tried to find a more accessible room.
“However (thanks to a very helpful Decanal team), I have managed to source an accessible room for Thursday night and all three candidates will come along as before. I would like to take this opportunity to make it clear that Oriel JCR is dedicated to providing a welcoming and accessible environment for any and all disabled students and I offer my unreserved apologies to any affected.”
Meanwhile, Univ’s JCR President Josh Richards described the difficulties faced in finding a suitable room for husts, explaining, ”I originally indicated that Univ’s venue was not accessible because both common rooms — the two venues that the student body would have access to regardless of what husting time we were allocated — are not accessible.
“I’m really glad that we’ve been able to find an accessible venue for the husts. The College and the JCR are working to improve Univ’s accessibility and I particularly look forward to hearing from the candidates for disabled students’ officer as to how best Univ and colleges like it could be made into more accessible, welcoming environments.”
All candidates attended central hustings at Wadham on Wednesday. OUSU could not be contacted for comment.
Trinity keeps heteronormative marriage system
The controversy surrounding the Trinity College student marriage system continues as efforts by the College’s JCR Council to reform the system were comprehensively defeated.
A motion, which was put before the Trinity JCR on Sunday 9th November, specified, “This JCR would introduce a ‘free marriage’ system instead of the current marriage ballot,” aiming to reform a marriage system labelled “antediluvian”, “past it” and “no longer fit for purpose” by students speaking to Cherwell.
The current Trinity marriage system operates through a random ballot. In effect, every marriage is ‘arranged’, with the JCR President responsible for drawing names from a hat. The system is designed to promote an inclusive college atmosphere so that no-one feels ostracized by the college marriage system.
This term, however, students have criticised the ballot system, calling it “heteronormative”, “thoughtless”, and “oppressive”. One Trinity student told Cherwell, “This system seems to me far too rigid. There isn’t enough flexibility — what if I end up with someone I can’t stand?”
Another explained, “This actually makes me quite angry. The college assumes we have no social skills and have to be forced together — it’s all very medieval.”
In 3rd Week’s JCR meeting, one student reported not having met his college father for two years, whilst others pushed for the introduction of an opt-out system, arguing a sizeable bloc opposed college marriages altogether.
Tensions flared over whether it was better to have college parents who were friends or for them to be chosen randomly so as to be more diverse. Another claimed that he had never met his wife before their ‘forced’ marriage, and one man claimed his parents had never met.
The marriage ‘opt-out’ system was adopted 30 votes to seven following the meeting.
However, subsequent attempts to reform the system have come unstuck. On Sunday 9th November Eleanor Roberts proposed that Trinity JCR switch to a ‘free marriage’ system.
They issued the following guidance, “Every member of the JCR will be free to marry whomever they want, with marriages arranged solely by the prospective couples. Marriage proposals may be made at any time from the start of Hilary Term of first year onwards.
“Each second year who has not opted out of the college children system will then be assigned, independent of marital status, one college child from the same subject.”
However, the motion failed with 18 votes for and 39 against. The defeat seems to suggest that the agitation expressed by some quarters of Trinity is far from representative of its entire JCR. One first year student present at the vote informed Cherwell, “This is a victory for democracy — it just goes to show those who shout loudest don’t always win.”
Eleanor Roberts, Trinity JCR President, told Cherwell that she could not “comment on the opinions of JCR individuals regarding the results of these motions”.
The motion’s failure was met with consternation amongst LGBTQ campaigners across Oxford. Annie Teriba, co-editor of NoHeterOx**, which campaigns for gender and LGBTQ equality, told Cherwell, “I would like to think that opposition to the proposal was based on the concerns raised in the 2nd Week meeting that an opt out system will leave students with apathetic parents.
“Still, gendered marriages force non-binary people to be mis-gendered; that is not okay. They still contribute to a heteronormative culture in which queerness is seen as beyond the realm of the acceptable. Trinity, at the very least, please de-gender your balloting process.’
An anonymous Trinity student suggested, “Many members of Trinity JCR are frankly outraged by this decision. It’s oppressive and suggests that a mixed gender family is the only viable unit.”
She added, “Many of my friends were stuck with people they didn’t particularly like as spouses — I feel like our complaints have just been railroaded.”
Merton freshers forced to relocate following gas leak
Merton College was forced to evacuate students from some of their first year accommodation on Thursday night, as a result of a gas leak. Merton College’s Warden, Sir Martin Taylor, was also required to temporarily relocate.
Some students were later able to move back into their rooms, although the College decided to move students from one house into other rooms for the night. These students were housed in other college-owned properties or, according to the manager, in the nearby Eastgate Hotel. The Warden was the last person to return to residence, after being given the all clear at about 4:30 on Friday.
The gas leak was reportedly detected early on Thursday, but the seriousness of the situation was not realised until later on.
Merton College told Cherwell, “We understand that the Eastgate Hotel reported the smell of gas to the National Grid; this had also been noticed by the Warden and housekeeping staff.
“Engineers attended and under their instructions we evacuated Nos. 20, 21, and 22 Merton Street, and the Warden’s Lodgings. Residents were initially allowed to return to these buildings, but after a further build-up of gas we were instructed to re-evacuate these properties; temporary accommodation was provided in vacant rooms within the college.
“We believe that some University College properties were also evacuated.”
Merton Modern Languages fresher Olivia Williams told Cherwell, “There was a gas leak – I’m pretty sure it was a burst pipe because they had to dig up the road to fix it.
“The smell of gas was taken gradually more seriously as the afternoon progressed. First there were tiny signs warning people not to smoke, and then a few hours later a whole fleet of gas vans turned up.
“The Warden spent the night in the new 750th anniversary room.”
Porter Tony Richardson explained that, “the gas vans turned up, they went up and down the street with their sniffers and determined there was a leak”.
The SGN gas network later confirmed that the gas leak had been fixed, but that Merton Street would be closed until Sunday whilst repairs were undertaken.
It is understood that a new gas main is scheduled to be laid in next summer. Merton College added,” The management of the situation by the engineers in attendance, and their communication with us, was excellent throughout.”
A Mertonian fresher told Cherwell, “It was potentially a bit of a pain, but at least I’ve got an excuse to turn next week’s essay in late now”.
Review: Pitcairn
★★★☆☆
Three stars
The premise of Richard Bean’s latest play is promising; an imagining of what really went on when a raggle taggle group of sailors mutinied on the Bounty and set sail for the tiny island of Pitcairn, along with a cohort of Tahitian women and a few Tahitian men.
The audience take their seats before an interpretation of a rocky outcrop and cliff-face, with projected waves and sounds to match. It’s a good set, and the idea that Pitcairn is a godforsaken rock in the middle of nowhere, despite its appearance as a prelapsarian paradise, is a good one. However, the idea doesn’t really follow through, and at times this harsh rock seems rather out of place with what we’re told is such fertile and pleasant land.
Arriving on Pitcairn, the idealistic, revolutionary master of the mutiny, Fletcher Christian sees the opportunity to start afresh in this “garden of Eden”, scrapping tradition and class division and living in harmony with Reason and Nature. Inevitably, through the course of the play the mutineers descend into infighting and civil war, and the play ends, as we know it will from the beginning, with all the men dead bar one. It’s difficult not to think of it as a sort of Lord of the Flies with grown ups.
That said, the performance is energetic and slick. The audience participation is done well and avoids the awkwardness which it could so easily fall into, even if the narrator of the story is at times a little irritating in his mournful delivery. The character of Tahitian Menalee is genuinely funny and executed very well. The story is a good one, and despite perhaps seeming a little dull and predictable in the first half, the action picks up after the interval and introduces a clever twist at the end.
The real criticism, though, is that the play ultimately failed to be exciting. It veers between comedic and philosophical, without ever managing to really combine the two. One moment it’s bawdy jokes from a rough talking seaman, and the next it’s a comment on the violent nature of humanity from a refined enlightenment man. The characters are rather more pastiches than fully fledged human beings; said bawdy seaman and enlightenment man being the two best examples.
Pitcairn is a play which is upheld by a good idea and a strong performance, but which lacks the originality to make it truly engaging. Essentially a Lord of the Flies set up with women, sex and a few good jokes, it’s entertaining, but nothing more.
Watch the Globe’s trailer here
Milestones: Barbie
Avery good indication of how we view female beauty is the way we portray it to children. For over fifty years, the consumer market for toys has been dominated by the Barbie doll, so recognisable it doesn’t need description. Barbie has become such a cultural icon that she is the inspiration for a Barbie-themed restaurant in Taiwan, the subject of an Andy Warhol painting and a character in Toy Storys 2 and 3. The fashion show celebrating Barbie’s 50th birthday included designs by haute-couturiers from Diane von Fürstenberg to Vera Wang, Calvin Klein and Christian Louboutin.
So what’s Barbie’s story? Barbie was first invented in 1959 by an American businesswoman, Ruth Handler, after she saw her daughter playing with her dolls and noticed that she was giving her infant-bodied dolls adult roÌ‚les. Realising that there was a gap in the market for dolls with adult physiques, she created the prototype for Barbie, named after her daughter, Barbara. Apart from her actual biography, Barbie also has a fictional one.
Barbie (full name Barbara Millicent Roberts) is the daughter of George and Margaret Roberts, born in the town of Willows, Wisconsin. She is in an on-off relationship with Ken Carson: in 2004 they decided to split, but rekindled their romance two years later after Ken had a makeover. Barbie has had over 40 pets, including a lion cub and a panda, and owns a large number of vehicles, such as convertibles, trailers and jeeps. She’s also had an endless list of different careers. Her comprehensive fictional life story means that each of us can relate to her in one way or another.
Within a year of her invention, over 350,000 Barbies had been sold. Ever since then, millions of little girls (myself included) have played with Barbie dolls and, whether we like it or not, been subconsciously influenced by her body type. It is stating the obvious to say that Barbie’s figure is a ridiculously disproportioned representation of an actual female body. But here are some facts. Barbie is six feet tall with a 39-inch bust, 18-inch waist and 33-inch hips. If she were a real woman, her proportions would mean that she would have to walk on all fours and would not be able to lift her head. Her tiny body mass would also mean that she would have severe anorexi and not be able to menstruate.
In 1965, the highly controversial Slumber Party Barbie was created. The doll, clad in a pair of wavey pyjamas, came with a number of accessories including a set of weighing scales permanently on 110lbs and a book titled How to Lose Weight with one single instruction: ‘Don’t eat’. This weight would be 35lbs underweight for a woman of her height. The manual advocated total starvation as a way of achieving Barbie’s level of supposed beauty. Sure, the vast proportion of women do not try to base their looks on those of their childhood dolls. But some do.
“Barbie Syndrome” is a term that has been used to depict the desire to have a physical appearance and lifestyle representative of the Barbie doll. The Ukrainian model, Valeria Lukyanova, has forged a career from emulating Barbie’s looks. She claims that apart from a boob job, her looks are entirely natural. I am not one to pass judgment.
