Barbie & Ken were real-life siblings and 7 other unknown facts about Barbie

The highly anticipated Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-starrer Barbie finally hit theatres last week. Director Greta Gerwig's film, based on the Barbie fashion dolls by Mattel, is the first live-action Barbie film.

Read also: Barbie: An Exploration of Identity  

Starring Margot as Barbie and Ryan as Ken, Barbie follows the two on a journey of self-discovery following an existential crisis. Although it received mixed reviews even before it hit theatres, with people slamming and applauding it in equal numbers, Barbie has received overall positive reviews, grossing around $382 million worldwide.

The film has no doubt sparked a lot of interest in Barbie and what she symbolises. This led MyHeritage to dig up some captivating historical records about Barbie and the people behind her.

For example, did you know that Barbie and Ken, who are in a romantic relationship, were actually named after real-life siblings, Barbara and Kenneth Handler, in tribute to the creator's children?

Here are 7 fascinating facts about Barbie that may just redefine her legacy:

Barbie and Ken were real-life brother and sister
Ruth Handler, the brain behind Barbie, who fondly referred to herself as 'Barbie's mom', named Barbie and Ken after her own kids. The name Barbie is a loving tribute to Ruth's daughter, Barbara Joyce Handler, while Ken is named after Barbara's baby brother, Kenneth Robert Handler.

Mattel's founders were high school sweethearts
Ruth Marianna Mosko and Isadore Elliot Handler, founders of the toy giant Mattel Inc., which makes the Barbie dolls, were high school sweethearts who had been together since age 16. Ruth Marianna Mosko (Moskowitz, 1916-2002) was the youngest of 10 children born to Jewish Polish immigrants who settled in Denver, Colorado, USA. Isadore Elliot Handler (1916-2011) was born in Chicago to Jewish Russian immigrants who later moved to Denver. The two married in 1938 and moved to California.

Barbie soon became a popular name
Records from the American Phenomenon Official data from the US Social Security Administration indicate that Barbie's name made it to the list of the top 1,000 most popular girls' names from 1961 to 1968. It was most popular in 1964.

Barbie and feminism
Barbie became a focal point for critical debates about body image, gender roles, and consumerism during the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1970s. While women's organisations criticised the doll, 'Barbie's mom’ Ruth Handler, stood firm in her support, choosing not to alter her creation's essence. When addressing the issue in mid-1970, Ruth clarified that “Barbie has no immediate plans to pin a women’s liberation button on her fake furs”, as noted in the Toledo Blade article above.

'Barbie's Mom' on trial
Ruth Handler faced a challenging period in 1978, when she, along with former Mattel officers, was indicted for conspiracy and fraud related to false reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission. This led to her resignation in 1974, followed by a fine of $57,000 and 2,500 hours of community service.

Ruth reinvents her legacy
Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. After this profound personal experience, she embarked on a new path, founding Nearly Me, a line of silicone breast prostheses. Her journey of resilience and innovation transformed Barbie's mom's ‘brand’ into an inspiring force, championing the cause of women facing breast cancer.

Barbie's Pink Jubilee anniversary party
For her 30th birthday, a Pink Jubilee gala was thrown for Barbie at the Lincoln Center in NYC. A pink carpet was rolled out at the Lincoln Center, where celebrities wore pink roses and sipped on pink champagne. And the guest of honour was none other than Barbie, one of the most popular American toys at the time.

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