A note from the authors of this tool: This tool was created for a specific purpose and should not be used inadvisedly. We co-wrote "Barbie Savior" to be part of a presentation entitled "Empathy: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" at the WISE Conference in 2020. The session asked participants to consider how sympathy, empathy, and compassion are used in everyday speech versus how intercultural empathy is defined by the AAC&U Intercultural Knowledge and Competence VALUE Rubric. We also discussed briefly the difference between the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule, especially in intercultural contexts. Then we showed the Barbie Savior post on Instagram, included in this tool, and asked the audience to use the vocabulary--sympathy, empathy, intercultural empathy, compassion, Golden Rule, Platinum Rule--if they were to have the opportunity to mentor Barbie.

We found the tool to be effective in this type of train-the-trainer context but realize extra levels of debriefing would be needed to export this intercultural tool to another context. Because of this, we would ask that you use this tool with caution, knowing that your intent and the impact of its use could be vastly different and that this tool could have a polarizing effect upon participants.

The image provided in Links was originally chosen because it is less condescending than other images in the account. However, the facilitator may select a different image if they would like.

Participants do not need an Instagram account to view the photo.