Barbie hits the news for the wrond reasons

This week there was a double whammy for Barbie!!

1st up:
Barbie makers to sue over lesbian calendar

Barbie manufacturers are to sue artists who have created a nude calender of the top selling doll showing her in lesbian poses.

Creators Breno Costa and Guilherme Souza, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, claim they made the bizarre calender with the co-operation of toy-makers Matchbox, owned by Barbie's creators Matell.

Some months show the doll simply nude, while others use shots of Barbie posing intimately with another female doll.
Artists Costa and Souza claim the calender is a comment on how sex is used to sell everything in society.

But Matell's European spokeswoman Dr Stephanie Wegener said: "We have nothing to do with these pictures.

"We don't want Barbie portrayed in this way, especially with our logo. We will be taking legal action against the creators."



And then:

THE FBI IS WARNING THAT a new Barbie could facilitate child pornography, according to Boing Boing.

The new Video Girl Barbie, which has been available since July, comes with a camera and microphone built into the doll’s chest.

The video feeds to a small screen at the back of the doll.

It also comes with editing software, and has a USB port at the back to the recording can be played back on a TV or computer screen.

CNN reports that Barbie manufacturer Mattel has released a statement emphasising that the FBI has not reported any incidents and says child safety is one of the company’s priorities.

After conducting an in-house test, CNN said some people were unaware the doll actually had a camera in its chest.

The doll was first presented to the public at the American International Toy Fair in New York last February, and can be bought for about €56.