White Barbie did not help my self-esteem
she deceived me into thinking I had status
I needed
Korean Barbie
my other Korean dolls
to tell me the truth
that I am beautiful
I wish my dolls had looked like me
not blonde, white
Barbie was banned from my home
until a school friend brought her to my birthday party
excited to finally own this coveted toy
I now feared repercussions
for having Barbie
worse yet, have her taken away
she meant status
Years later
white Barbie moved on
to her white sorority sisters
too good for me
my white sister-in-law gave me
Korean Barbie
complete with doll stand
collector’s box
traditional Korean clothing
My Korean dolls
destined for the shelf
not allowed to play with them
dusted them each week
began to resent them
they created work
prevented me from playing
with white Barbie
Korean Barbie would have been my friend
her destiny the shelf
in her collector’s box
with her stand
clearly meant only for display
Dolls of color silenced once again
The status I thought white Barbie gave me
was a setup, false hope
smoke screen
that I could be like the cool white kids
I’d never have their status, privilege
her plan from the start
white Barbie betrayed me
when she moved into my toy box
Korean Barbie oppressed
confined by white Barbie’s empire
not allowed to speak the truth.
If she did
Korean Barbie sales
would exceed white Barbie sales
how does white Barbie have so much fucking power?