Ooh boy. Here's a quote that speaks volumes, from Reuters' article about Iran's morality police "cracking down" on the sale of Barbie dolls, which is forbidden. Stores have been instructed to sell Iran's specially-designed, ultra-demure Sara and Dara dolls instead, to the disgust of the superficial girl tykes of Tehran:

"My daughter prefers Barbies. She says Sara and Dara are ugly and fat," said Farnaz, a 38-year-old mother.

To Farnaz Jr.'s credit, Sara and Dara aren't "fat" so much as "children." They're more American Girl than Barbie, which is admittedly not as glamorous. American Girl was always the "bookworm" of the toy box.

If I were in a more ruminative mood, I'd note that the Barbie vs. "fat doll" dilemma is one all little girls face, how to integrate characters from the "wholesome" side of the toy box with those on the "sexy" side. You could say it is the central dilemma of all of girlhood—nay, all of freedom—but these are issues perhaps more treacherous than I am willing to bite off in a post about Barbie dolls written before lunch. [Reuters, image via AP]