girl roles-playing princess, etc.

[OakLeaf]

What did, however, is the still present curse of disapproval--the things that I valued as a child were disapproved of by my parents. As a child, that translated into them disapproving of me.

YES!!!! And, their disapproving of my peers, and my learning to ape that disapproval. A constant bizarre dialectic of "I'm so much better than them" and "I'm completely worthless."

[VeloVT]

The Barbie itself did not have a negative effect on me. What did, however, is the still present curse of disapproval--the things that I valued as a child were disapproved of by my parents. As a child, that translated into them disapproving of me.

YES!!!! And, their disapproving of my peers, and my learning to ape that disapproval. A constant bizarre dialectic of "I'm so much better than them" and "I'm completely worthless."

Oakleaf & Tulip, well put. I can really relate to this, unfortunately.