Meet Benign Girl

Benign Girl, a Chinese Barbie knock-off, does exist.

I’ve heard from two blogging friends who have spotted her, either in dollar stores or flea markets. (Amorette sent me the photo at right.)

If you do see one, please buy it for me and I will reimburse you.

But in the meantime, I’ve found my own Benign Girl at a second-hand store in Vancouver, B.C. Paid $2 for the little darling and she is going to join my “Wall of Shame” as Breast Cancer Barbie’s little sister.

You can see from the photo how much Benign Girl resembles me as a child—the photo in the background is me at age 6—the same freckles across the nose, the same red-brown hair with thick bangs, the same chubby cheeks.

I haven’t played with dolls for decades, but I’m going to enjoy dressing this one.

The other night I gave Benign Girl a bath and washed her hair. Dried it with the hair dryer that I no longer need. Then I knit her a little white hat and a dress.

The Benign Girl Story
Benign Girl tries to live lightly on the earth. She doesn’t buy things she doesn’t need, and doesn’t buy products that come with packaging that can’t be reused or recycled.

Diet and Exercise
Benign Girl only drinks milk that is hormone- and antibiotic-free. Ditto for other dairy products.

She eats as low on the food chain as she can, meaning no meat or fish, lots of fresh produce and whole grains, and healthy proteins like soy and (hormone-free) eggs. She grows her own fruits and vegetables and buys locally grown produce.

Benign Girl exercises for an hour a day, rain or shine. She knows being overweight increases her chances of getting breast cancer.

Cancer
Benign Girl hates pink ribbon cause marketing. She thinks it exploits women with breast cancer. She wears a Boycott October button, even though she can hardly carry it.

When Benign Girl gets a little older, about 20, she will talk to her doctor about being tested for the genes that cause breast cancer to run in some families. But she knows most women who get breast cancer do not have one of these genes.

Benign Girl has joined the Sister Study.

Benign Girl loves her big sister, Breast Cancer Barbie, but she doesn’t want to grow up to be like her.

Join the Sister Study

Meet Breast Cancer Barbie

Meet Prostate Cancer Ken

Support this blog:

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Comments

[Sara]

"Benign Girl loves her big sister, Breast Cancer Barbie, but she doesn’t want to grow up to be like her."

hahahahahaha

She certainly does look benign, except for that red dot on the bottom of her left foot. She should have that checked out.

In spite of her healthy lifestyle, if she's from China, she's probably been exposed to a lot of pollution. Hopefully if she does get cancer in spite of her good habits, she'll be strong enough to kick its ass for awhile because of them.

[Amorette]

If she was Malignant Girl, the hole in her foot would be in her hip. Bone saw sold separately.

(I'll refrain from my aspiration rant now, but it should be required of anyone graduating from medical school wanting to perform that procedure under anything less than general anesthesia)

[Jacqueline]

I went to a couple of 99 cent stores here in NY and all I could find were "accessories" for Benign Girl (her picture was on the package)- a pink plastic toy calculator and a phone. Although it was cheap I couldn't bring myself to buy the piece of crap. I'm not convinced that "Benign Girl" actually exists- only the stuff she would have if she did. But I'll look around- those stores are EVERYWHERE.

[jeanne]

Jacqueline--thanks for making the effort. I would like to have one, but my Benign Girl is much cuter anyway.

[Amorette]

She does exist, but it's kind of funny that you mentioned it.

I found Benign Girl in one of those "cardboard box" flea market booths that specialize in Chinese imports. It was before I'd heard of this blog and I just sort of picked the doll up and laughed, then put it down and walked away. Later, I wanted to go back and get it, but I couldn't remember which booth it was in. I've never seen her since.

The funny thing about the actual "benign girl" is that it's not Barbie. The box is basically the same design as the cellphone; it's identical to all of the other cheap Barbie ripoff boxes, only it does actually have that picture of Barbie on it. Her head and shoulders, anyway, if I remember correctly, near the logo.

However, the doll inside looks nothing like a Barbie. She's cheapo plastic, with all of the not-quite-right features and cheapie clothing typical of the knockoffs.

I plan to check a few places today. I'd love to find one and send it.

I have a Benign Girl notebook, although it doesn't have the Benign Girl swirly logo. I've been meaning to scan it for a long time.

There are also "Benign Girl" stickers.

[Amorette]

Here she is (in different packaging):

http://cgi.ebay.com/BNWT-HUGE-BENIGN-GIRL-BARBIE-FASHION-COLLECTION_W0QQitemZ170124237164QQihZ007QQcategoryZ19251QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

(I can't believe someone is asking almost $18!!!!)