Mattel has introduced a more progressive Barbie (as if a doll that imposes archaic  body image issues on girls could ever be progressive). The plastic girl with the impossible figure now has electronic components – she’s a real working video camera. Barbie Video Girl has a camera embedded in her necklace, a video screen in her back, and a USB port in her hip. It’s like Stepford Wives meets Toy Story.

The Mattel shops says the camera is “hidden discreetly in her necklace” – if you call a hole half the size of her face discreet. Sporting trendy pink short boots, capris, and a glittering pink hoodie, Barbie Video Girl keeps in style with other Barbie dolls. Her hair is swept up so you can see the video screen easily when you’re making videos. When playing old-school, the hood can be used to hide the screen .

Retailing at $49.99, Barbie Video Girl might more realistically be an option for the Christmas list, rather than an impromptu purchase. She comes with a pink USB cord and software that will allow girls to edit videos with music, graphics, and special effects. The camera itself is Windows/MAC compatible, but the editing software is Windows only. Specs say that Barbie requires two AAA batteries, though I can’t figure out where they go.

Frankly, I think Barbie Video Girl will be a short-lived product. Once the novelty of the video camera wears off (and parents’ patience with allowing their daughters to spend hours on the computer editing videos), it turns out to be a very expensive your-figure-will-never-be-right propaganda piece.

Check out this behind-the-scenes video introducing the “progressive” Barbie: