Shelley Howells: For or against, it's a Barbie world online

A while ago I scoured the net for all things Lego, and came across a mad assortment of sites plastic and blockish, which prompted a reader to suggest that Barbie get the same treatment. Not surprisingly, Her Pinkness inspires even more online oddness, from fans who live to crochet for her to academics who love to bang on about her, the vintage Barbie obsessives to entire Governments who'd have her banned.

Younger fans should probably stick to the official site, though prolonged exposure may induce sudden and violent reactions to the colour pink. Many of the following sites might not be appropriate for junior. Or anyone, for that matter.

Remember the Visible Human Project? Scientists sliced a couple of human cadavers into millimetre-thin bits so all the world could see the inner workings of the human body. Well, a Barbie died for the Visible Barbie Project, leaving scientists a valuable research tool, and the rest of us some rather disturbing images.

An 8-year-old budding scientist decided to use Barbie for her science fair experiment titled "Does skin colour make a difference?" Her display lasted all of an hour before the school had it removed. Good old mum and dad made a website about the project and the drama surrounding it. And, in another close shave with science, a Barbie suffered third-degree burns when Miami Herald humorist Dave Barry reproduced an experiment involving inline skating Barbie and a can of hairspray.

There's lots of Barbie humour on the web. Save Barbie is a parody site starring Barbie as a debt-ridden shopaholic, and includes her current level of debt (US$52,723.82 / $93,265.82).

Then there's the "fan" who creates artistic, intricately detailed alternative dolls such as Medusa Barbie, Nun Barbie, a goggle-eyed Marg Simpson Barbie - even Neo Nazi Barbie. And brace yourself for the creepy flash encounter with Tourette Syndrome Barbie.

The Decline of Civilisation Barbie page has links to Barbie satire on the web, including pix of Barbie compared with a real woman and some ideas for Barbie commemorative stamps (celebrating 35 years of teaching anorexia!).

Body image and Barbie is the theme of a site called Adios Barbie, which aims to encourage girls to have a positive view of themselves, with help from games such as Feed the Model, in which you get to hurl food at a scrawny catwalk stalker. It's also home for such useful Babs trivia as "Every second, two Barbie dolls are purchased somewhere in the world".

Anti-Barbie sites abound, such as the Barbie Liberation Organisation, who tinkered with a number of Teen Talk Barbies so that, instead of saying "Maths is hard", and "I love shopping" she yelled "Vengeance is mine!" (while GI Joe cooed "Let's plan our dream wedding!"). Their site also points to the Barbie Disinformation Organisation, which alter Barbie Packaging with stickers so, for example, Barbie's Stylin' Salon becomes the "Barbie Lesbian Barber Shop".

The Anti Barbie Club was formed by recovering Barbie collectors - Aussies, who talk of "melting Barbies on the barbie!"

On a slightly more serious note, a few years back Salon.com took a good look at Barbie and it's still a top read. There's Camille Paglia recalling "intimate moments" with the leggy blonde, and an essay on how Babs is a role model for hookers.

But for the final word on Barbie online, we must turn to her blog in which, at last, we become privy to the day-by-day intimate details of her life and in which she blends life skills tips for girls ("Decided shopping was the fastest way to lift my spirits and was absolutely right") with product endorsement ("Bought the cutest blue boots EVER at My Boutique. Mads is gonna die when she sees them - they're classic!").

As part of the official Barbie site the blog has me thinking that, quite possibly, Medusa Barbie and her pals are much more appropriate for little girls.

* Email Shelley Howells

Official Barbie site

Crochet for Barbie

Deconstructing the Barbie Myth

Vintage Barbies

Barbie is banned from Russia, without love

The Visible Barbie Project

The Barbie Science Fair Project

Dave Barry

Inline skating Barbie experiment

Save Barbie

Alternative Barbies

Tourette Syndrome Barbie

The Decline of Civilization Barbie Page

Adios Barbie

Barbie Liberation Organisation

Anti Barbie Club

Salon.com Barbie feature

Barbie blog