Wendy Tsao is a Canadian artist transforming “Bratz” dolls into inspirational role models girls can truly look up to.
What is a Bratz doll? For those of you who are unaware of the criticism Bratz dolls have received, Bratz dolls have long been considered by parents, and the media, to be oversexualized. I’ll let you make that decision on your own by looking at some of the old versions of the dolls.
Tsao was inspired herself by another artist Sonja Singh who first gave what Singh calls a “make-under” to the dolls, turning them into nature-loving young girls. Check out photos of Singh’s dolls here.
So then Tsao had the idea to transform Bratz dolls from racy to role model. She got rid of the heavy make-up, clothes and big hair (probably full of secrets just like in “Mean Girls”) and gave them the best make-over possible.
What female role models did Tsao choose?
She chose Malala, the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize.
AMAZING! Artist Wendy Tsao made dolls for female icons -- including Malala. http://t.co/dRTyz5IPD5pic.twitter.com/lyawX0gpEj
— Malala Fund (@MalalaFund) October 16, 2015Jane Goodall who is a global conservation heroine.
Love these dolls honoring female icons like #JaneGoodall, @jk_rowling & @MalalaFund@micnewshttp://t.co/g4QcOpO1aupic.twitter.com/SdxciEDDSX
— JaneGoodallInstitute (@JaneGoodallInst) October 19, 2015Waris Dirie, who escaped child marriage and fled Somalia when she was 13.
Jane Goodall, Waris Dirie, and Roberta Bondar reimagined as young girls in doll form by Van artist Wendy Tsao. (CBC) pic.twitter.com/8lwOzeXECl
— Fun Stacey (@yarnsalad) October 18, 2015@waris_dirie you are an inspiration to a lot of african girls around the world.you are my inspiration
— Josie (@josie_gh) September 20, 2012Roberta Bondar, Canada’s first female astronaut and the first neurologist to venture into space. Talk about bravery and brains!
Mighty dolls! ❤️ http://t.co/0bxgmMz4Z1
— K (@aflaner) October 10, 2015And…
JK Rowling, the empowering female author of the Harry Potter Series who inspires children to create magical worlds every day.
Artist recreates Bratz dolls into Malala Yousafzai, @JK_Rowling and more: http://t.co/djCVpX75qXpic.twitter.com/x2gZDysFCW
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) October 16, 2015Learn more about Tsao’s heroine’s here. You can also bid on the dolls on Ebay.
What’s the best part about all this?
What I personally find to be the coolest aspect of this transformation goes back to how I used to play with dolls as a girl. When kids play with dolls, action figures, stuffed animals or any toy they create an imaginary world with scenarios based on the toys they’re playing with.
For example, as a child of the 90s, I was definitely guilty of spending a large chunk of time imagining Barbie dolls talk to each other. Did I have Barbie’s solving gender inequality, exploring STEM and rocket science, conserving a species? No. My Barbie dolls were super basic. They pretty much went to the mall and talked to Ken. The most progressive doll was the “Dolphin Trainer” Barbie who talked to her dolphin (which was sadly entrapped in SeaWorld.)
So, the best part about having a Malala, Jane Goodall, J.K. Rowling, or Waris Dirie doll is that it provides all children (especially young girls) SO much more to imagine, play, create, and dream about. It can help them develop into the strong, empowered men and women the world needs every child to strive for.
Imagine the gender barriers society can break down if girls and boys identify with incredible role models like these women at a young age. I hope all children in the future have the chance to imagine scenarios where Malala and J.K. Rowling are having tea together while writing a book. And where Jane Goodall is exploring the jungle saving animals in precarious ecosystems, while Waris Dirie and Roberta Bondar figure out how people can live on Mars.
Those are the kind of dolls I wish I had as a kid.
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