An American Icon in Puerto Rico: Barbie, Girlhood, and Colonialism at Play

Since her creation in 1959, Barbie has become an icon of femininity to girls all over the world. In this study, author Emily R. Aguilo-Perez focuses on a group of multigenerational Puerto Rican women and girls, exploring how playing with Barbie dolls as children has impacted their lives. By documenting the often-complicated relationships girls have with Barbie dolls, Aguilo-Perez highlights the ways through which women and girls construct their own identities in relation to femininity, body image, race, and nationalism through Barbie play.