Mattel, the maker of the Barbie doll, is suing Seal Press, the publisher of Adios, Barbie. Mattel is charging that the publisher infringed on Mattel’s trademark by using Barbie items in the cover illustration and also of trading on Barbie’s recognition for book sales.
Faith Conlon, publisher of Seal Press, stated that the suit was “without merit.”
Adios, Barbie is a collection of essays by female authors on self-esteem and body image. “The women writing in the book are challenging culture’s beauty standard, and coming up with a definition that makes them feel more positive about themselves,” said Conlon.
The book was published a year ago and has sold over 10,000 copies. Adios, Barbie is used in women’s studies courses to analyze the affect of pop-culture on body image and eating disorders among young women.
