Comment by Tony on July 14, 2008 at 6:21am

I think we all hear the whispers now and again. Most days I can't be bother even though, truth be told, it does get to me on occasion. Eleanor Roosevelt once said "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. " Barbie and company undoubtedly fall into the last category.

Comment by Carol on July 14, 2008 at 12:16pm

I have encountered this too many times to count! I grew up in a posh little neighbourhood and there were Barbies everywhere! Because they were always right and you were wrong just for being you, trying to just talk to them about having alopecia was completely pointless. As a child this resulted in many brawls however as an adult I've learned to deal with this differently:

I was on a city bus one day without my wig on and I overhead two women sitting behind me talking excitedly in french. Living in an english community they must have assumed that no one could understand them and they went on and on about how ugly I was. They even had the nerve to assume I was a lonely woman with a housefull of cats. I held my tongue and shortly before I rang the bell to get off the bus I approached them and spoke in perfectly clear french "Perhaps I am ugly to you but my hair can grow back, your stupidity and ignorance will stay with you for ever. And I am certainly not lonely!" Which was just enough time before the bus stopped. I may have lowered myself to their level just slightly but I felt better for saying something and giving them something to think about if nothing else. You don't have to hold you tongue, just don't get arrested LOL :)

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