Barbie Girl Identity

Identity as a Barbie girl is clearly female. The age rang for girls to join virtual Barbie I believe started at 6 and had a couple age ranges to choose from, such as 6-8, 9-12, etc, ending with 16+. I thought that stating your age might affect what age your avatar would look like, but I found this not to be true. My avatar is the age range 16+ and all the other avatars look to be the same age of mine. There are no distinct 6-year-old avatars running around, and with one of the girl's user name being "Dora lover" (I'm assuming that means Dora the explorer) most of the girls are probably younger, with avatars not resembling their actual identity. I would estimate the age of all the avatars to be around 17, based off of their bodies, which have hips and boobs. This one body type being presented to the girls playing Virtual Barbie is showing them a distorted identification with reality. It is pretty obvious that bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so this is not a good message to be teaching today's girls. The only people I noticed as looking older than the Barbie avatars are the 'employees' in the shops at shop-a-mallic shopping mall. The girl behind the desk appeared to be older, I’m guessing maybe in her 20s, but no social interactions was available to partake in with the mall employees, which was disappointing.

The identity created for the Barbie avatars is very feminine, almost to a point where it is exaggerated. The main activities you are able to do as a Barbie girl are: shop, play games, shop, decorate your room, and shop. These activities are also geared toward Barbie girl VIPs, because I cannot buy clothes and accessories as just a normal member. You can see a very huge distinction between the girls who have VIP access and the girls who do not. If I see a girl walking around with a purse, earring, or any accessory I know that she has VIP access, because I am not able to get any of those items. On top of the accessories, the over all appearance of VIPs is more unique and detailed than the few options given to regular members. When interacting with other avatars, you can click on them and it brings up a new screen with their picture, user name, and friend request button. You can also tell the VIP identity from their background of this screen, because they have options such as crowns, or other colorful designs, where as my background is just light pink and I have no choice in that.
The identity being created for the girls in Barbie girl world, is that of an 'ultimate' girly-girl. It is showing the girls who play this that they need to go shopping constantly and be up on the latest trends and fashions, and even try to out do those around you (VIP vs. non-VIPs). I found the activities to be pretty shallow and view the Virtual Barbie world as being pretty behind the times. When I think about the Barbie World it really does not provide much value in learning or doing anything unique. It makes me feel like all theses girls are destined to believe in the idea of finding a rich man to marry so you can shop and be a house wife through playing in Barbie World. I feel that the actual Barbie dolls have had a societal development closer to that of a modern day view, over the virtual site, which is ironic. When I think of some of the Barbies I had, their identities were made up of many more options than there are available for my Virtual Barbie. I had a: rollerblading Barbie, veterinarian Barbie, and a doctor Barbie. These roles of being athletic or a working doctor go much more in depth than virtual Barbie, which I find to be very strange since it is the 'new' thing for Barbie girls to do.

Class Question: How closely do you feel your virtual world resembles the real world? (State your virtual world, and some information about it) What messages does your virtual world give to the people involved with it?