We were pretty disappointed when we heard that Mattel was planning to release a "Kentucky Derby Barbie." Barbie has a long history as an animal defender (she's been fur-free for years)—why would she get all, ahem, "dolled" up for an event that centers around animal abuse?

Then it occurred to us that Barbie could very well go to the Kentucky Derby (or, as we say in Louisville, "the Derby") and still maintain her animal-friendly image. How, you ask? By protesting the Derby, of course!

That's why PETA sent a letter to the CEO of Mattel asking him to provide Kentucky Derby Barbie with two special items to take with her to Churchill Downs. She should have her very own to-scale protest sign—reading "Horse Racing is Horse Abuse"—as well as a memorial wreath commemorating Eight Belles and all the other horses who die every day on race tracks. In addition, Kentucky Derby Barbie's box should come with a sticker that explains why Barbie is on her high horse about the dangerous practices that are rampant in the horse-racing industry, such as pumping horses with steroids and other drugs to enable them to run with injuries, breeding horses to have fragile legs, running horses too young (before their bones have fully formed), and racing them on hard dirt tracks.

Barbie's a smart girl. After all, she has been a surgeon, an astronaut, and President of the United States. Surely she knows that there are better ways to spend a Saturday in May than at a "sporting event" that is all too likely to end in tragedy.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Barbie turns 50 this year, so of course sista-girl had to come correct with a groovy new vibe. Ever the trend-setter, the Queen of Pink is sporting a new look called Totally Stylin' Tattoos Barbie. That's right, as the perpetual 18-year-old reaches the dawn of her golden years, she's steppin' out inked up, tattoo gun in hand.

Barbie's a girl after our own hearts, not only for embracing ink over mink (Barbie is officially fur-free, after all) but also for her knack for attracting media attention. Even though some parents are miffed at Barbie's new look, she's still flying off the shelves. So to congratulate Her Plastic Highness on selling out in stores across the U.S., we humbly suggest that these ridiculously adorable tattoos would look stylin' on Barbie, or even you for that matter. You can click here to get a PDF file that can be printed on clear-label paper to create "tattoos" for Barbie and click here for a kid sized version.

Out-of-control cute, right? And just in time for the International Day Against Seal Slaughter.

And who knows? Now that Babs is showing her friskier side, maybe she'll even be interested in taking a cue from a few of her virtual sisters and baring some plastic to save animals' pelts.

BARBIE is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc. Mattel has no affiliation with PETA and does not endorse, sponsor, or otherwise support PETA's activities.

Posted by Missy Lane

Model and designer Kimora Lee Simmons, whose Baby Phat ads and clothes were once disturbingly furry, has had a big change of heart over the time we have known her. Contact Music published an article yesterday about Kimora’s reasons for giving her branded Barbie doll a faux-fur coat accessory. Kimora says wants kids to know that faux fur is both compassionate and stylish, saying of the doll:

"She has a faux-fur chinchilla coat, because I want to show kids that synthetic fur can be fabulous, too. She's everything a Barbie is supposed to be."

So, thanks to Kimora for helping to spread the word. In the meantime, I’m trying to come up with some other Barbie dolls that will be equivalently effective as educational tools for kids. So far, I’ve got “Seal Hunt Protest Barbie” (artist’s rendition below), and “Runway Takeover Barbie”. If anyone else has any suggestions, let me know.

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