On this day: Barbie’s first appearance

Ruth survived breast cancer in the 1970s and became an ambassador for the illness, working to help create and sell prosthetic breasts. She died in 2002, but Barbie, forever young, remains one of the world’s most popular and identifiable toys.

Of her creation, she once said: “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices."

What the JC said: Earlier this year, a Jewish woman called Ruth Handler died, aged 85. She is not someone whose name will mean anything to many children, yet she created one of the most popular dolls the world has ever known... Barbie…The doll became a worldwide success, and little girls everywhere suddenly had an inspirational role model, but made out of plastic. Barbie could be anything in her amazing selection of outfits, from astronaut to veterinary surgeon. Generations of girls received their first ideas about different careers from playing with their Barbie dolls.

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