Barbie has always been ahead of her time, breaking barriers and stereotypes with her diverse and ambitious professions. She first became an astronaut in 1965, four years before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. She was a surgeon in 1973 when few women were applying to medical school. She was a CEO in 1985, just as women began to enter the C-suite. And she ran for president in 1992, before any female candidate ever made it onto the presidential ballot.

Barbie has also explored many creative and cultural fields, such as fashion designer, artist, musician, photographer, and film director. She has been a ballerina, a circus performer, a rock star, and a game show host. She has traveled the world and learned about different cultures and languages. She has also been a teacher, a journalist, a veterinarian, a firefighter, and a pilot.

Barbie’s career line reinforces her purpose to inspire the limitless potential in every girl. She recognizes girl-relevant careers in which women are traditionally underrepresented, such as STEM fields. In recent years, she has been a computer engineer, a video game developer, a Mars explorer, and a robotics engineer. She also collaborates with influential women who are making a difference in their fields, such as National Geographic explorers, NASA scientists, and Olympic athletes.

Barbie’s careers are not only fun and exciting but also educational and empowering. They show girls that they can be anything they want to be and that they can make a positive impact on the world. Barbie’s careers are a reflection of her evolution as a doll and as a cultural icon. She is not just a toy, but a symbol of female empowerment and possibility.

Some of Barbie’s Occupations–Traditional and Unusual

• The first Career Barbie was Fashion Designer Barbie, released in 1960. She came with a sketch pad, a pencil, and a dress form with fabric and pins, although the first Barbie from I959 was referred to as a Teenage Fashion Model.
• In 1973, Barbie joined the U.S. Army as a medic, with a green uniform, red cross, and carrying a first aid kit.
• In 1975, Barbie became a professional tennis player (white tennis dress with a matching visor and racket).
• I980-Barbie became an aerobics instructor. She wore a pink leotard with leg warmers and a headband.
• In 1986, Barbie was a veterinarian, with a white coat, a stethoscope, and three animal patients: a dog, a cat, and a bird.
• In 1996, Barbie became an Olympic gymnast, wearing a red, white, and blue leotard, with a gold medal.
• I998-Barbie was an archaeologist. She wore khaki pants, a brown jacket, and a hat, with a map, a shovel, and a dinosaur skeleton.
• 2000-Rapper Barbie debuted. She wore baggy jeans, a crop top, and a gold chain, with a microphone and speakers.
  • 2002-There was art teacher Barbie; she wore a denim skirt, a colorful blouse, and an apron. She came with an easel, paints, brushes, and canvases.
• In 2004, Barbie became a Sea World trainer. She wore a blue wetsuit and came with three dolphins.
• In 2006, Barbie became an architect. She wore black pants, a white shirt, and glasses. She came with blueprints, a ruler, and models of buildings.
• 2008-anchorwoman Barbie debuted (pink suit with a microphone). This Barbie also came with a camera and a TV screen.
• 20I0-There was FBI agent Barbie, with black pants, a black jacket, and sunglasses. She also came with handcuffs, a badge, and a gun.
• In 2012, Barbie became an entrepreneur (jeans, a blazer, and heels). She came with a laptop, a smartphone, and a briefcase.
• 20I4-Eye Doctor Barbie debuted. She wore glasses, scrubs, and white shoes and came with an eye chart, glasses frames, and lenses.
• In 2016, Barbie became the President again (and also the Vice President). She wore matching suits with her running mate (another Barbie doll) and came with American flags.
• additional Barbie “work” includes:
• an Executive ‘Career Girl’-I963
• Business Executive-I999
• Computer Engineer-20I0
• UNICEF ambassador-I989
• Marine Corps Sergent-I992
• Paleontologist-I997
• American Idol winner-2005
• Sea World Trainer-2009
• artic Rescuer-20I2
• Desert Storm medic
• Canadian Mountie
• Cat Burglar
• International Space Station astronaut-2022
• Panda Caretaker and Rescuer-20I4 and 2022
• a Showgirl
• Chicken Farmer-20I9
• Game Show Host-I987
• TV Chef
• Game Developer-20I6
• Robotics Engineer-20I8
• Food Truck Operator-2020
• Tina Turner-2008
• Elton John-I997
• Elvis-20II
• Frank Sinatra-202I
• David Bowie
• Boxer
• Miss America
• and Mars Explorer, among many others
• Did You Know That…..
• In I986, Mattel tried to introduce a Barbie clothing line for real girls from 7-I4 years old.
• The slogan was “We Girls Can Do Anything.” The clothes were marketed in stores like J.C.Penney and K-Mart, but it didn’t work.
• Did You Know That Source: “What a Doll” from Uncle John’s 4-Ply Bathroom Reader by The Bathroom Readers’ Institute, 2003.