Just when you thought she was whore enough, Mattel is releasing a My Scene Barbie aimed at the pre-teen market. This new Barbie features “crop-tops, low-riding jeans and bare midriffs” to appeal to girls who are ditching their Barbies after they turn 7 due to the influence of images in music videos and on the internet. Some scary quotes:

The images they soak up are often of scantily clad women for whom female empowerment is all about sex appeal, [Debbie Gordon] said. Mattel is trying to harness that trend with the launch of My Scene, she said.

And the generic marketing quote of the day:

“They’re cool and edgy,” [Angela Scardillo] said. “They have the street credibility and a look that tweens recognize in their real life through movie stars, in magazines and in their high schools.”

To those who can’t believe that I am writing about Barbie: I have a 5-year-old niece and so this trend concerns me greatly.