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Are bigger and smaller Barbies better for the self-image of girls?

Mattel announces the release of a diverse group of new Barbie dolls.

Like many women, Barbie was so tired of hearing people talk about her weight that Mattel decided to change it dramatically.听

Mattel actually expanded more than Barbie's waistline by introducing dolls that strive to mitigate the impact of body and ethnic听听with dolls that are more diverse in height, skin tone, and hair texture as well as realistic proportions.

Some say the change is aimed at helping redefine beauty, and help free future generations of women from self-loathing. Others see it as a that now allows Mattel to make money on accessory and clothing lines as little girls buy into the new dolls that have different body shapes.

The dolls received a mostly celebratory response on Twitter.

鈥淣ot being a soothsayer I can鈥檛 say how this will affect future generations,鈥� says Adrienne Ressler, a Florida body image expert at the听听in a phone interview. 鈥淏ut this is not new.听听soap had a beautiful campaign about body image that was very well done. However, from听听this [Barbie] is different in that it came about because Mattel was losing money. So it鈥檚 more than about seeing the good about helping girls with self-image and diversity. Mattel also wants to make some money on this.鈥�

Ms. Ressler says, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like to sound like a cynic, but for Mattel this is a chance to sell a whole lot of doll clothes because traditional Barbie dresses won鈥檛 fit on a curvy Barbie and tall Barbie clothes are too long for short Barbie and so on. Parents are going to be shelling out a lot more money.鈥�

鈥淚 think the basic idea is very well intentioned, but I think that the message that goes along with it is very important,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 more to body image than a doll.鈥�

Ressler adds: 鈥淭he doll we play with, the friends we have 鈥� are just one dimension of body image ....听Body image boils down to the way we perceive ourselves. The way others perceive us and how we feel living in our bodies.鈥澨�

For those considering buying one of these new Barbies for a child, Ressler urges them to consider 鈥渢he delivery system.鈥�

鈥淧arents do not need to not be constantly making a point of something like weight,鈥� Ressler says. 鈥淚s this a doll the child really wants and relates to or are you sending a message with the doll?鈥�

叠耻迟听, fitness expert who worked as a trainer in the international modeling industry for over 18 years, says in an interview that the diversity addition is just as important a stride to celebrate as Barbie鈥檚 new shapes.

鈥淚 have witnessed how听much body image and the need for body perfection can impact a person, especially those that are female,鈥� Tapp says. 鈥淪eeing today's news about Mattel offering additional Barbie dolls with different body types, hair color and skin tone made me happy.鈥�

The first time Mattel issued a diverse Barbie was 鈥溾�� in 1967.

Ms. Tapp adds, 鈥淚 believe that diversity is divine and that everyone should strive to look and feel their personal best regardless of听size or age. 鈥榊es You Can鈥� Barbie!"

, author of听听says in an e-mail that, 鈥淲e grow up believing that a 鈥榖eautiful body鈥� is tall and slender, with a tiny waist and large breasts. It's not just the typical Barbie doll. It's also the overwhelming images of 鈥榩erfect鈥� women's bodies in the media.鈥�

鈥淭his is the first change to the familiar Barbie we know,鈥� Ms. Shomon says. 鈥淥ther dolls have tried to present more realistic body types, but none as popular and iconic as Barbie.鈥�

One example of a doll that may have led the charge toward more realistic body image icons is听, created by Nickolay Lamm of Greenfield, Penn.,听in 2014听via a crowdfunding effort.

In a phone interview, Mr. Lamm says he is not concerned about Mattel鈥檚 new Barbie line cutting into his business, which produces realistically proportioned African-American and Caucasian dolls.

鈥淚 take it as a great compliment that Mattel followed us with both a realistic body shape and racial diversity,鈥� says Lamm. 鈥淭he more diversity in dolls the better. Lammily is her own person and girls love her for who she is.鈥�

Shomon says, 鈥淭his change may not single-handedly change attitudes, but it certainly will help young girls to play with dolls that reflect back a far more inclusive view of beauty.鈥澨�

Ressler has one lingering question, 鈥淎re they doing anything about Ken and his perfect hair and six-pack abs? Boys have body image issue too, you know.鈥�

[Editor's note:听The first name of a Florida body image expert was misspelled in the original version of this article. The Monitor regrets the error.]