The Skinny Minnie

I was watching the Today show the other day when they showed a clip about Barneys New York and the new Electric Holiday Campaign. Barneys is giving classic Disney characters (Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy, etc.) a makeover--their displays feature these characters dressed in high-fashion apparel and have made each of them stick-thin. These characters look more like sickly models than signature faces of the happiest place on earth. Here's a clip of the story: 

I do not agree with this at all. I think it is putting the wrong image into the heads of children, giving them the idea that they are not "fashionable" if they are not stick-thin like these characters. It also sends the message that they weren't good enough at the size they were before--so, in order to display them in New York City, they have to change how they look. What kind of messages is this sending children? And, on top of that, how many children actually believe the messages that are conveyed to them? I'd say it's probably quite a few, considering all the emphasis on media and technology that we have these days. Through replacing average-sized characters with extremely skinny ones, young girls (especially) become vulnerable to feeling like they aren't good enough if they don't look like these models, no matter how harmless Barneys meant for them to be. Anyway, I just found this really interesting so I hope you do too! Enjoy!