Created by Ruth Handler in 1959 for Mattel, Barbie was inspired by the German adult novelty doll, Lilli. Since her creation she’s courted controversy, initially due to her generous breasts and tiny waist, but in following decades from scholars, researchers, and children’s experts who caution that Barbie’s homogenous appearance may foster unrealistic and damaging appearance norms. The concern? That Barbie’s singularly inaccessible façade, coupled with versions of the doll that comment “Math class is tough!” and include a booklet on weight loss tips advising, “don’t eat!” (circa 1963) or a bathroom scale permanently set at 110 pounds (c. 1965), will negatively impact or pigeonhole girls’ development.

Despite these missteps, Barbie has been at the forefront of promoting women’s careers outside the Dream House. In 2010, Mattel conducted an online vote to choose two Barbies for the series, with the aim to “ignite a national movement to inspire girls.” The winners? A news anchor and computer engineer (a far cry from the 1997 Barbie proclaiming “Math class is tough!”).

Yoga Teacher Barbie has lit up the blogosphere. For some, it’s “just a doll!” while for others, it’s an exercise in projective orchestration, an easy target for how far yoga has diverged from its spiritual and philosophical roots and seamlessly blended with western consumer norms. Barbie is beautiful, if “plastic” and uninteresting; her bendiness, blondness, and canine companion hearken more to Paris Hilton than most western yogis. Yoga expert, Kathryn Budig, saw little harm in Yoga Teacher Barbie but commented that she is “a bit done up for yoga…That make-up is gonna run straight down her face after 5 sun salutations!”

While many find Yoga Teacher Barbie triggering, yoga’s stereotypical spokespersons in most media outlets—tanned, lithe, gymnastic, captured in exotic locales around the globe—are not much different. Sure they aren’t portrayed doing yoga in their pajamas (YT Barbie’s surprisingly chaste attire), but neither are they representative of most yoga practitioners.

Thus, while Yoga Teacher Barbie may be triggering for the materialist, narcissistic, appearance-obsessed schema she represents for some, these are aspirational values for our culture, and frequently draw yoga practitioners with promises of “yoga butt” and eternally youthful appearance who might not otherwise practice. In the end, of course, Barbie is just a doll. Ultimately, more awareness of and exposure to yoga is a good thing, although we can hope that one day yoga has more diverse and interesting spokespersons.

What are your thoughts on Yoga Teacher Barbie? If you were a yoga Barbie, what would you look like?