'Where's dad bod Ken?': Men react to Barbie's new look with body demands of their own

After 57 years as a tall, leggy blonde, Barbie just underwent her most dramatic beauty transformation ever by getting not one, but three new bodies.

Mattel unveiled petite, tall and curvy versions of its iconic doll on Thursday, saying that they "represent a line that is more reflective of the world girls see around them."

Indeed, with seven skin tones, 22 eye colours and 24 different hairstyles available for each body type, children have more options than ever before when it comes to what their Barbie dolls look like.

But what about adults? And, specifically, adult men?

Women, many of whom grew up playing with Barbies, have been raving over the changes on Twitter all day, praising Mattel for finally responding to decades worth of criticism over the doll's original shape and its harmful effect on body image in young girls.

Many are also giving props to Mattel, and perhaps rightfully so, for doing something to help boost its bottom line after years of flagging Barbie doll sales.

But being that this is 2016, some people are saying that Mattel hasn't done enough to represent the diversity of all people on Earth.

When can we expect an overweight, transgender or postpartum Barbie? What about dolls that represent people with disabilities? Or muscular figures? Or natural hair?

And where is #DadBod Ken?

While Mattel and similar companies have been taking steps to combat criticism over their "gendered toys," Barbie is still marketed almost exclusively to girls (and, of course, parents with female children.)

It may seem odd to some, then, that masses of grown men are demanding a more realistic-looking male companion for Barbie on Twitter right now.

Does the world really need a hairy-chested, beer-drinking Ken doll with something other than a smooth patch between his legs?

Maybe, but most of the people talking about it on Twitter seem to find the idea more funny than inspiring.

"Just like OG Barbie, Curvy Barbie is problematic," wrote Kelsey Miller of the new dolls for Refinery29. "First of all, she's curvy, a somewhat dated euphemism for all plus-size women, implying that if you're not thin, then you'd better be a voluptuous hour glass."

Despite problems like these, however, Miller argues that the volume of conversations about feminism and body diversity revolving around Barbie today is good thing. 

"Today, she's groundbreaking, but when she becomes a normal toy, what ground might be broken next?" she asks. "There is so much difference among us and so many words we're scared to say out loud. If Curvy Barbie gets us saying some of them, who cares how big her thighs are? The point is, we're talking."

Jill Filipovic had a different take, which she shared in a Time magazine piece titled "Barbie's Problem Is Far Beyond Skin-Deep."

"The Barbie of my childhood just got an extreme makeover," she wrote. "It's a feminist victory, especially for parents who want to allow their kids the creative fun of playing with dolls but don't want to send the message that looking like Barbie is something to which girls should aspire."

"One pointy-toed step forward, though, is hardly a giant leap for womankind," Filipovic continued. "Barbie is a literally objectified woman, not a superhero or an action figure but a plastic lady notable because she's pretty."

Many on Twitter expressed similar opinions today as news of Barbie's new bodies spread.

Curvy, petite, tall, or anything else, it's not the doll's shape they take up with, but the fact that Barbie's appearance is of so much importance to so many people.

The new Barbie dolls are available for preorder online now and will ship in February, according to Mattel. 

Beer-bellied boyfriends not included.

Yet.