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| 1967.12.20 Utica NY Observer Page 6C |
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| 1967.12.20 Utica NY Observer Page 6C "'Anatomically Correct' Doll Shakes Up Some of the Mothers" by Erma Bombeck Article |
Anatomically Correct' Doll Shakes Up Some of the Mothers
By ERMA BOMBECK
It didn't look much like a sex symbol.
It was a small baby doll, no bigger than a bread box with a wrinkled face and a $19.95 price tag dangling from its arm. The buyer told me a doll had not caused so much excitement in toy circles since Ken ran away with Barbie's best friend, Midge. The doll is called "Little Brother" and is "anatomically correct."
Little Brother in addition to raising the eyebrows and the ire of many suburban housewives, raises another question, "Are dolls becoming too realistic?" In the beginning, they didn't do anything but sit and stare out of their glassy eyeballs. Then, the eyes began to move. So did the arms and the lips. By bending them forward they would bleat rather apologetically, "Ma, Ma." Dolls were still a lot of fun.
Designers moved one step farther. They began to add parts. First, a plumbing system whereby you feed a baby a bottle and within seconds you could be assured of a wet diaper. Then, a string in the back of the head which, when pulled, had the rotten kid nagging constantly for something. "Where are we going?" "Comb my hair." "Where's my bottle" "I'm hungry." "I want my Daddy." "Do you have another headache?"
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THE TREND WAS SET. Babies cried, belched shamelessly, talked, giggled, ate, chewed, splashed in the bath, kicked and screamed, experienced gas pains, had human hair and soft bodies. It was like having another baby around. Said one young mother. "Either that doll is growing or I've got to get out of the house more."
When dolls could do everything but own General Motors stock, manufacturers had nowhere to go but to create new dolls. Thus, came the teenage line, which, if not "anatomically correct" made the three and a half inch bustline a real conversation piece.
With them, motherhood experienced a real kick in the head. In place of imitating mama by caring for an infant, youngsters were now playing around with an unmarried drop-out with a $600 wardrobe, a steady boyfriend, a jazzy apartment-house, a car and three wigs!
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On the heels of the mature female, naturally followed the adult male: Captain Action, Matt Mason (astronaut), and G. 1. Joe, complete this year with commands."
IT IS NOT surprising to me that "Little Brother" has made the scene. Whether you approve of his detailed anatomy or you protest his place in the toy department is not the big issue. Just don't be surprised if your child discards any doll in favor of a bag of clothespins, an old shoe box, a few raw potatoes and a saucepan. With them, you can pretend and have imagination. With a doll? What's left? What can you possibly do to them that they cannot do for themselves?
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