OTHER NEWS - Oct. 22, 1992

Mattel Muzzles Grumbling Barbie: Barbie will no longer grumble, “Math class is tough,” an utterance a women’s group considered sexist. El Segundo-based Mattel Inc. has agreed to redesign Teen Talk Barbie and offered to swap the math-averse doll for another talking Barbie. Earlier this month, the American Assn. of University Women blasted the math comment as sexist and called for a recall, saying Barbie’s trouble with arithmetic could undermine girls’ confidence in the subject. The group’s president, Sharon Schuster, said she was satisfied with the toy maker’s offer.