Two years ago, the world was introduced to the cinematic iteration of “Barbie,” the world-famous Mattel doll that’s been selling big since its March 1959 debut.
The movie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling, was a record-breaker. Its opening weekend, the film grossed $155 million domestically, the biggest U.S. debut in recorded history for a woman director. In all, it netted $1.447 billion worldwide, making it the biggest film of 2023 and one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Its release, which wound up ironically tied to that of heavy historical drama “Oppenheimer,” was a cultural phenomenon that even came with its own name – “Barbenheimer.” People showed up to theaters resplendent in shades of Barbie’s signature color. It was heralded by critics and audiences alike as a feminist breath of fresh air – for all its flaws, reviews called it “brilliant, beautiful and fun as hell;” “eccentrically imaginative;” and “easily the comedy of the year.”
But not the comedy of this year, apparently. Indeed, on the second anniversary of its smash debut, the tone of the discussion around “Barbie” has changed significantly. Though some continue to see its merits – actor Randall Park recently pointed to it as an example of why more films should be made by and for women – scores of others have come to mock, even revile it.
Users took to social media to mark the anniversary by saying the film “has aged like milk on a hot summer day,” and to ask if we can “finally admit the Barbie movie was trash.” Others added that it was a “weird-*ss movie with such a bummer vibe,” and that it’s “only effective if you’ve never heard of feminism.” It has become Schrödinger’s feminist juggernaut – simultaneously too woke, and not woke enough.
To be fair, there are critiques worth weighing in hindsight – in particular, that the movie often deals in “white feminism,” or feminist discussion and expression that centers white women. Though Gerwig did make efforts to weave in diversity – casting actresses Issa Rae and Alexandra Shipp as Barbies and making Ferrera’s character, Gloria, a grounding focal point – much of the movie centers on Robbie’s journey as the “Stereotypical Barbie,” a tall, blonde, white avatar. One can see how that alienates women of color, as some said it did for them.
That said, much of the belated backlash feels forced, cynical and unearned.
For starters, dismissing “Barbie” as “Feminism 101,” like many have, implies that we are somehow not in dire need of Feminism 101 on a societal level. Gerwig asked us to behold the ridiculousness of the patriarchy head-on – the bravado, the unregulated emotions, the power-grabbing of men already holding the societal and financial reins. But the very sort of forced swagger and unearned confidence she spotlights has now become a defining trait of our most powerful leaders. (They are also quite literally erasing women’s achievements and information resources with that power.)
And rather than being used to introduce the masses to broad feminist concepts, white womanhood is once more being weaponized to spread hate.
Plus – Gerwig made a damn hit, but in the time that’s gone by since, representation for women behind the scenes of Hollywood’s biggest movies has gone down.
More than finding fault with its introductory-level feminist politics, people appear to have decided they retroactively hate “Barbie” because they simply can’t hold it for what it is: A single step in the right direction.
“Barbie” was never intended to cure sexism – yet we seem to have expected this one offering to solve everything. That’s too much to place upon the shoulders of any sole thing. As I noted earlier this year when I spoke in conditional support of “slacktivist” engagement, our work to better this world has always been, and will always be, part of an ongoing, ever-growing effort.
It feels worth noting, too, that as with the creators of “Barbie,” far more pressure is placed upon marginalized people to “get it right” instantaneously, while those with far more social privilege – namely, white men – are patted on the head for even the most menial of efforts, and given ample room for error. As Ferrera’s Gloria noted at the start of her famous, two-and-a-half minute missive on the gendered unfairness of the world: “It is literally impossible to be a woman.”
Plus, we’ve forgotten the best part of the phenomenon: Even if it didn’t turn out to be a cure-all, “Barbie” undoubtedly succeeded in getting people talking and thinking – especially about the wholly unrealistic pressures we place upon women to work twice as hard in a society that makes achievement twice as elusive. And it positively excelled at bringing people together – girls and women, in particular.
For Ms. Magazine, writer Jill Filipovic said in 2023 that, while phenomena like “Barbie” are not “perfectly feminist,” it matters “that a lot of girls are … shaping popular culture for the better, and their choices tell us something important about friendship, connection, and how to forge joy in this world – and maybe we could learn something from them.”
“Barbie” is not an end point in disseminating feminism to the masses – just as attending one protest, or sharing one informative post, isn’t going to move the needle against sexism (or racism, or capitalism, or authoritarianism) on its own. But it’s a bright, optimistic, imperfect, heart-filled beginning, with beautiful merits and legitimate foibles all worthy of discussion – if only we can hold and move with it as such. ◼️
(Featured Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)