Nude Barbie Photos Are Free Speech
 

(submitted by gekkogecko)


Oddly Enough - Reuters to
My Yahoo!

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal appeals court has
upheld a Utah artist's right to make nude photos of
Barbie dolls being menaced by kitchen appliances.

Noting the image of Barbie dolls is "ripe for social
comment," a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court
of Appeals on Monday rejected toymaker Mattel Inc.'s
appeal of a lower court ruling in favor of lampooning
the popular doll.

The San Francisco-based appeals court ruled that naked
photos of Barbie made by Kanab, Utah, artist Thomas
Forsythe were meant to be a parody and could not
affect demand for Mattel products.

Holding that social criticism was protected by the
First Amendment, the court affirmed a 2001 federal
court ruling for Forsythe, who had produced photos of
nude Barbies in danger of being attacked by vintage
household appliances.

Mattel had argued the photos infringed on their
copyrights and trademarks. Forsythe had used Barbie
dolls in absurd and often sexualized positions for his
"Food Chain Barbie" photos.

The artist had argued that the photo series, which
also included a photo of Barbie dolls wrapped in
tortillas and covered in salsa in a casserole dish in
a lit oven, was meant to critique the "objectification
of women" and "beauty myth" associated with the
popular doll.

My guess is that the art works benefited greatly by Mattel's lawsuit. Might never had heard of the art had it not been for this.

Now ... where's my camera? :D :D

But...but...Barbie doesn't turn me on!

;)