
Popularly known for bell bottoms, tube socks, and peaceful protests, the 1970s were more than just outdated fashion trends and frustrated hippies. The 1970s marked the beginning of the minority’s fights for equality. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays and lesbians continued their quest for equal opportunity. Although there were several equal rights movements occurring during the 1970s, second-wave feminism is one of the more popular developments. The most important goal of feminists during this time was to obtain equal pay and earn a chance at jobs that are dominantly reserved for men. Marge Piercy, a writer who focuses her work on social and cultural issues, helps us better understand this historical time period through her writing. Most of her works are products of 1970s feminism. In particular, her poem “Barbie Doll” focuses on the issues of gender roles, beauty standards, and cultural expectations of women. In Marge Piercy’s “Barbie Doll”, she uses a fairytale-like story, sarcasm, and dark humor to help her audience better understand the historical period of second wave feminism. 

To start, Piercy pokes fun at the assumed gender roles of women in the common household. She states “The girlchild was born as usual, and presented dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy” (p. 348). The woman in the story is given common household items, and common beauty items from birth to emphasize the idea that women had little to no option when it comes to their role in an American society. The author writes in a noticeably sarcastic tone to contradict society’s opinion versus her own. To put it simply, women, like the one in “Barbie Doll”, were thought to be born into society to stay home, cook, clean, and care for children. Thirty-eight percent of American women who worked in 1970 obtained jobs, as teachers, secretaries, and nurses. The remaining women spend 55 hours per week on domestic household responsibilities. Second wave feminists fought to change society’s idea of a woman in the 1970s because women were primarily thought of as mothers and wives. Thirty-eight percent of American women who worked in 1970 obtained jobs, as teachers, secretaries, and nurses. The remaining women spend 55 hours per week on domestic household responsibilities (Deslippe 147). In other words, males dominated the work place. Second wave feminists were looking to be defined by their talents and accomplishments, and not by their assumed gender roles gender roles. Second wave feminists directed their energy towards succeeding in the work place, gaining equal pay, and obtaining jobs generally reserved for men.

The girlchild in “Barbie Doll” seems to be out of touch with the harsh reality written about in this society. The Barbie doll written about in Piercy’s story is a product of the unfair treatment of women and therefore leads to the second-wave feminist movement. Marge Piercy creates this unconventional character to express the idea women are placed under immense pressure to convert to social norms. Not only does Piercy’s poem poke fun at assumed gender roles of women in the 1970s, she also humorously criticizes the amount of importance society places on the physical attractiveness of women. The author uses dark humor to raise questions about beauty standards during the time of second wave feminism. For example, she writes “She was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back, abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity. She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs” (Piercy, p. 348). Men are guilty of placing more importance on the physical attractiveness of women than women place on men. Therefore, women’s social opportunities are greatly affected by their physical beauty. Just like the main character in “Barbie Doll”, Women are commonly put under immense pressure to conform to an ideal of beauty. Even though the girlchild in the fairytale was “healthy, intelligent, and obtained an abundant sexual drive” (Piercy, p.348), the society only chooses to focus on her flawed physical attributes. Second wave feminists encourage their audience to look deeper than the skin, because they believed that women should be viewed as more than just a pretty face and a sexy body. In 1972, The Education Amendments were passed, stating that no person in the US, shall be denied or discriminated against from an education program or activity based on their sex. The passing of this act was a huge victory for the second wave feminists because it forced society to accept all women as they were, since they could not be discriminate against based on their physical appearance. 

Lastly, the society presented in “Barbie Doll” has indirect control over a woman’s body. The immense pressure placed on women to conform to a physical idea shapes the way women think about themselves. The girlchild in the story continuously apologizes for her physical appearance even though she was strong and intelligent. Piercy uses a fairytale-like aspect of the story when she writes that the girl child cuts off her nose and legs. Although the circumstances of the poem can be viewed as extreme, female readers can relate to the idea that they will go to extreme lengths to get their body to match society’s standards. In other words, society obtains power to make decisions concerning a woman’s body. The poem “Barbie Doll” presents ideas that contradict this belief to show the ridiculous opposition that society preaches. Although the fairytale doesn’t directly discuss the issue of abortion, the victory of the Roe Vs Wade court case can assist the audience in understanding the story of “Barbie Doll”. In 1973, the Roe vs. Wade court case granted women the right to an abortion. This court case was another huge victory for the second wave feminists because these women fought to take control over their own bodies. 1970s women tended to give society the power to determine how women should use and beautify their bodies. After the character removes her nose and legs she perishes, she is given a putty nose to enhance her physical features as she lay in the casket. The audience surrounding her casket asks “Doesn’t she look pretty?”  Piercy uses dark humor in this poem quotation to emphasize the point that women tend to give society the power to determine how to dress, how to present themselves in public, and what jobs are considered feminine. Second wave feminists aspired to take back the rights to their own lives and bodies. 

In conclusion, Piercy uses a fairytale-like story, sarcasm, and dark humor to help her audience better understand the historical period of second wave feminism. The absolutely ridiculous story about a perfectly normal girl who cuts off her legs and her nose to please the people around her, does more than produce a giggle from its reader. Piercy addresses a range of social and cultural issues in “Barbie Doll”. The point of Piercy’s poem is to completely contradict everything a second wave feminist believes in, so that the audience is able to focus on the sheer ridiculousness of society’s morals. Piercy creates the girlchild as a symbol of second wave feminism, so there is an obvious contrast between the protagonist (the girlchild) and the antagonist (society). The point of the poem isn’t to encourage the readers to adopt the same ideas as a second wave feminist, but to help them better understand a feminist’s point of view. 

The fairytale-like story captures the reader’s attention makes it easier for the audience to see these ideas through the eyes of a second wave feminist. Piercy strategically uses elements like sarcasm and dark humor to captivate the reader and help them better understand the historical period of second wave feminism. 
