In 1992, Mattel released Teen Talk Barbie, who spoke the now infamous phrase, “Math class is tough.” Or as she says in so many memes, “Math is hard.”
I doubt that the Mattel company was attempting to brainwash girls into thinking they were bad at math. (Not only does research show the exact opposite, but the Mattel executives aren’t that stupid). In all likelihood, they had listened to what girls were saying and were trying to meet them where they were. They were trying to relate. Instead, they ticked off a whole lot of people and were forced to recall the doll and publicly admit that they had made an error.
For me, Mattel’s mistake wasn’t the phrase, “Math class is tough.” Their mistake was stopping there. They used a period when they should have used a semicolon. Barbie professed that math was hard. Done. End of story. That’s just the way it is.
What kids needed was a character who said, “Math is hard for me; but I’ve got this.” Or, “Math doesn’t come as easily to me as it does for my sister; but I’m not giving up.”
Barbie needed to face her giant with her bedazzled calculator in hand. It didn’t have to be quick or easy. But in the end, she needed to win. Why? Because she was talking to kids. And kids don’t need a voice whispering to them that they can’t do it, that they’re a failure waiting to happen, that nothing will ever get better. They need hope.
And as people who speak into their lives, through conversation, books, or plastic talking dolls, we have a responsibility to remind them that things really can better.
So grab your AP Calculus book, Barbie, and show them how it’s done. High heels are optional.