Should Dora Grow Up?

Throughout the weekend, I spent much of my time with my younger four year-old cousin. Her favorite cartoon icon is Dora the Explorer. Tons of her toys, clothing, and materials have Dora the Explorer on them. She was wearing a shirt with Dora and Boots on it and even her tennis racket had a picture of Dora painted on the side. This morning I was looking at the Chicago Tribune newspaper at a funny illustration called "Recessionista Barbies." Below this, the title, “Just what is new Dore exploring,” caught my eye. The author discusses how the spunky shorts, backpack, and purple t-shirt wearing “childhood fixture for millions” is being transformed into a “tweenage Dora” that wears short skirts and pointy shoes. A mother of two young girls, Stephanie Raleigh states that, “Dora ‘growing up’ in the stereotypical way just reinforces the issues that young girls face today.” Personally, I really liked this doll because she didn’t follow the typical long hair, stick thin, mature doll motif that is so common today. This doll is such a large part of many children’s lives, such as my cousin, that it will change the way they see their role model. I would rather have my cousin look up to the nature loving explorer than this “tweenage Dora” model that can push kids towards the wrong path. James Oliphant closes the article asking, “And what’s in store for Dora’s animal loving cousin, Diego? Perhaps he becomes a hip-hop star with plenty of bling and an appetite for gunplay? Or a rough-around-the edges street-racer?”

What do you think about this topic? Should Dora follow through with this transformation?