Nude Barbie -- It's Art

A Utah artist has the right to make nude photos of Barbie dolls being menaced by kitchen appliances. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected toymaker Mattel's appeal of a lower court ruling in favor of lampooning the popular doll, noting the image of Barbie dolls is "ripe for social comment." Forsythe's Food Chain Barbie photos had a noble purpose. The series, which included a photo of Barbie dolls wrapped in tortillas and covered in salsa in a casserole dish in a lit oven, was meant to critique the "objectification of women" and "beauty myth" associated with the popular doll. Apparently, social criticism is still protected by the First Amendment.