Barbie Girl Scout Patch Causes Uproar; Two Consumer Organizations Boycott Collaboration That 'Idealizes Impossible Body Type'

Two consumer organizations are urging the Girl Scouts to remove a Barbie emblem from its patches.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has linked up with the Center for a New American Dream to protest the famed doll's tie-in with the Girl Scouts of the United States, according to a report by USA Today.

Although the patch does not bear the image of Barbie herself, representatives from the two advocacy groups said the doll's sexualized, unrealistic image is outdated, and doesn't align with the Girl Scouts' main message.

"Holding Barbie, the quintessential fashion doll, up as a role model for Girl Scouts simultaneously sexualizes young girls, idealizes an impossible body type and undermines the Girl Scouts' vital mission," director of the CCFC Susan Linn told USA Today.

Both groups have said their main issue concerns raising a society of children who have been commercialized. According to USA Today, the CCFC and the CNAD are trying to remove children growing up in the age of the Internet from the clutches of marketing influencers, who attempt to reach a young audience and obscure the lines between industry and real life.

But the fact that Barbie was featured in Sports Illustrated's latest swimsuit issue pushed these two groups to take their cause public.

"We waited to give them time to respond because we have so much respect for the Girl Scouts," Linn told USA Today. "But Barbie's recent appearance in the highly sexualized Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue really drives home how inappropriate the brand is as a model for young girls, particularly by an organization which is so respected as a leader in promoting girls' healthy development."

But Girl Scout officials maintained this week that the criticism was unfounded, saying that their partnership with Barbie "teaches girls about inspiring women in a fun way."

"We stand behind this partnership, as it helps us bring to over two million Girl Scouts the message that they can do anything," spokesperson Kelly Parisi said.

According to Mattel execs, Barbie and the Girl Scouts' tie-in is an essential collaboration.

"Aligning with the Girl Scouts mission, Barbie has inspired girls' imaginations on their journey to self-discovery, allowing them to explore a world without limits," senior vice president of Mattel marketing Lisa McKnight wrote in a statement.