Campaigners plan to 'Occupy Barbie'

Protests planned if massive Barbie Dreamhouse goes up in central Berlin.

Franziska Sedlak a 24-year-old student and left-wing activist first heard of Austrian businessman 

Christoph Rahofer’s plans to erect a lifesize pink Barbie doll's house when she attended a debate about sexism at the end of last year.

Sediak and her friends in the Left Party's youth organisation and Socialist Alternative decided to organise a campaign against it.

The doll's house, to be situated on a 26,000 square-foot site in Berlin’s central Alexander Square, was due to open on 26 March, but this was put back to 16 May.

Sediak and her friends are using the time to organise a broad-based campaign.

They have set up the ‘Occupy Barbie’ Facebook page, which already has over 700 followers and are organising leafleting sessions and meetings to talk about role models, sexism and the economic situation faced by women.

They plan to organise a demonstration in the run-up to the opening in May.

Sediak said the Barbie Dreamhouse would consist of ten rooms full of clichés.

Young girls will be offered catwalk training, styling advice and a photoshoot.  The highlight of their visit will be to choose whether they want to be a superstar or a top model.

“Barbie is pushing a completely unnatural beauty.  If she were a human she would not survive, she would break in two.

“What is being suggested is that the only role of the woman is to be beautiful, to wear high-heels and at the same time have a fresh cake in the oven.

“These childhood role models will shape their whole lives,” she said.

“The Barbie Dreamhouse is a symbol of women’s oppression. Women are paid less than men, women must always be beautiful and well made up, as well as working and cleaning.

“It’s about sexism, and the Barbie Dreamhouse is a symbol of this,” said Sediak.

Rahofer plans touring the house round Europe when it has finished its stint in Berlin.

Sediak is clear that if the house comes to the UK, feminists and political activists should use it as an opportunity to educate society.

“Start a campaign against sexism and use it as an opportunity to engage people in a conversation,” she said.