Frida Barbie

Frida Barbie

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When Mattel announced the release of a Barbie inspired by late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, a flurry of tweets ensued. Many felt that Mattel was harming the legacy of the radical leftist painter who may not have wanted to be associated with one the greatest symbols of American consumerism. But while Frida Kahlo and Barbie may seem like antithetical symbols, their backstories have very interesting parallels—the main one being that both have played a big role in how we view what it means to be a modern woman. Producer Antonia Cereijido breaks down the history behind Frida and Barbie and how we got to a world in which such a doll exists.