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Let’s Vote to Get Mattel to Create a Funeral Director Barbie!
From:
Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, Funeral Expert Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, Funeral Expert
For Immediate Release:
Dateline: Albuquerque, NM
Friday, September 15, 2023

 

There are at least 70 career Barbie dolls. They range from teachers to politicians, photographers to zoologists. But there is no funeral director Barbie! Funeral director Sarah Brown-Derbah is working to change this.

“What I’m trying to do is convince Mattel to create a funeral director Barbie doll. Within the last 15-20 years, women have been representing over 70% of the classes in the mortuary science schools. I want little girls to see that this is an option, this is a career path, there is a place for women in this field,” said Brown-Derbah.

“As far as Barbie the brand, I think a funeral director aligns perfectly. We’re the last profession that still dresses professionally and classy. And what is Barbie known for? Helping in the community. That’s what the doll represents now. So I think now is a great time for Mattel to create this doll, to bring awareness to women in the funeral service profession, and to show little girls that they can truly be whatever they want to be.”

If you’d like to sign the petition, go to Change.org and search for “Funeral Director Barbie petition.”

Here’s a video with Sarah Brown-Derbah at the 2023 National Funeral Directors Association Convention, talking about her campaign.

Vote for Funeral Director Barbie!

About Gail Rubin (not Barbie)

Vintage Barbie artWhen I was a little girl, I had a Barbie with a black bouffant hairdo. I never dreamed I would grow up to be The Doyenne of Death®. But, here I am, making videos with exhibitors at the National Funeral Directors Association convention and expo.

I’m a pioneering death educator who uses humor, film clips, and outside the box activities to encourage people to plan for our 100% mortality rate. You can see my books, videos, T-shirts, The Newly-Dead® Game and other products in the To Die For Shopping section of AGoodGoodbye.com.

I’m also a professional speaker on a range of end-of-life topics. Get in touch if you’d like to book me for your next conference!

If you’d like to see more videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel, @Gail Rubin.

Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die and The Before I Die Festival in a Box™.

Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.

Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival and author of a guide to holding such festivals. Her podcast is also called The Doyenne of Death®. She produces videos about the funeral business and related topics. Her YouTube Channel features hundreds of videos!

Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.

Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV,  and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.

Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.
News Media Interview Contact
Name: Gail Rubin
Group: A Good Goodbye
Dateline: Albuquerque, NM United States
Direct Phone: 505-265-7215
Cell Phone: 505-363-7514
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