Y’all Are Really Mad at Barbie?
The girlies are reaching across the isle to find reasons to be mad at a doll… and its weird.
Spoiler warnings for the 2023 Barbie film
As a woman in her late twenties who was born and raised in the United States, I have a very long and storied history with Barbie. I grew up in the the 2000’s during a time where Barbie had stiff competition in the form of Bratz dolls. While I did (and still do) prefer her competitor, I did own several Barbie dolls as a kid .
I decided to see the film during its release week. The movie certainly had a few flaws, but overall I enjoyed it. Much to my surprise, there were many who did not share this sentiment, and backlash can be seen all over the internet from both conservatives and progressives. All of this chatter about the movie opens up an opportunity for discussion, as the film sheds an interesting reflection back on the viewing public about its perception and expectations of media created by and for women.
What is the movie even about?
Barbie (2023) stars Margo Robbie in the role of the titular character. Viewers are introduced to Robbie’s Barbie as she moves through her perfect life in Barbieland with her Barbie friends played by Issa Rae, Hari Neff, Sharon Rooney, Alexandra Shipp, and Dua Lipa. This version of Barbieland is presented as a feminist Utopia where woman rule and all of societies problems are solved.
When disaster strikes, Barbie suddenly must leave her home and venture out into the real world to help a wayward girl find happiness again. Barbie is joined by Ken (played by Ryan Reynolds) on this adventure. There, the two are confronted with a reality that shows how imperfect life is for women due to a patriarchal society. Ken takes the lessons from the real world and its concept of ‘patriarchy’ and back to Barbieland to gain control. To put a stop to his antics, Barbie must enlist the help of her real world friends to bring order back to Barbieland and unpack what it really means to be woman.
The film does a good job of being self-aware (of its choices and the brand Mattel has developed over the years). We get acknowledgements of the lack of depth in the feminist ideals presented by Barbie as well as the foolish nature of patriarchy as a whole. All of these themes come into play while keeping a fun and light tone as we pay homage to many of the iconic dolls made throughout Barbie’s 64 year history.
So Y’all are Mad?
Conservative Outrage
Though the film is receiving much praise from critics and a large portion of the viewing public, backlash has begun to surface. Politically conservative figures had many negative (and unsurprising) things to say about the film. A site created and frequented by Christian conservatives called Movieguide was one of many platforms slamming the film for its inclusion of trans talent and for pushing “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender character stories…” even though none of the aforementioned ‘themes’ were discussed in the film. Ginger Gaetz, wife of Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, also critiqued the film and noted that it neglected to “address any notion of faith or family.” Gaetz also noted irritation with Ken and his “beta” male presentation.
While I cannot wait to unpack this silly and baseless commentary, there was also chatter from progressive spaces that noted strong disappointment in the film.
Progressive Annoyance
Progressive communities online have been home to discussions noting that viewers were left wanting more out of the adaptation. The anti-racist educational organization Race2Dinner reposted a series of tweets on their instagram made by Dr. Crystal Flemming on Twitter. One of the tweets reads as follows,
“ Like.. after we lost our reproductive rights.. as trans folks, women included, are being scapegoated and attacked across the country.. THIS is the silly ass fake feminist move white women are celebrating and right wingers are demonizing??????”
Other criticism online called out the films lack of accountability for the doll’s contributions to body image issues in women as well as the lack of intersectional perspective in the stories highlighted in the film.
Let’s Unpack all this “Controversy”
Revisionist Barbie History
Some conservatives may ‘remember’ Barbie as the picture perfect symbol of a budding wife, mother, and All-American Girl, but those of us who are a bit more perceptive understand that has never been who Barbie is.
Historians and journalist have long been documenting the origins of Barbie. A 2019 article published by the History Channel notes the first Barbie was modeled after a European sex doll once Ruth Handler noticed that her daughter had a preference for paper dolls with similar figures. In addition, Barbie lore (developed and documented by Mattel) notes that the character has never married her long-time boyfriend Ken or had children because of Handler’s insistence that the character remain independent and open to exploring life.
Ken’s image has stayed semi-consistent over the years a non-toxic and supportive masculine figure. Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse (2012) is an animated series following Barbie and her friends as she navigates everyday challenges. In the series, we see a depiction of Ken very similar to the one Reynolds gives us in the live action film. The animated Ken is a supportive (and comedically enthusiastic) supporter of Barbie and all of her hopes and dreams. While all film and TV depictions of Ken do not follow this trope as closely, all of the ‘Ken’ figures in Barbie films are shown as non-threatening and supportive partners to their ‘Barbie.’
Noting all this history, it’s astounding to think that anyone would expect anything outside of this framework in a PG-13 film created about the doll. Mattel has always been forthcoming with the progressive stance of Barbie and women in the workforce. Adding that to the changes the brand has made in its marketing, toy releases, and charitable endeavors, its laughable that folks were expecting ‘Barbie: The Traditional Conservative Housewife’ and ‘Alpha Male Ken’ to be present in Gerwig’s adaption.
And Maybe Some of Us Should Lighten Up a Little…
As someone who does identify as a progressive, I am taken aback at how seriously some are taking this film. Barbie has predominantly been presented as a cis white heteronormative woman. That is a fact I am now extremely aware of as an adult. BUT she is still just a doll, and this is a movie about a doll.
Mina Le recently interviewed Dr. Jillian Hernandez on an episode of the High Brow podcast. The episode unpacks some of her research on the importance of play for young children, and the differences between children and adult perceptions of dolls, certain toy brands, and play time.
As I saw more and more ‘liberal’ women discuss the film, I was really alarmed at the lack of cognitive dissonance surrounding the topic. I wish more progressives would reflect on how unproductive and self-righteous it can be to admonish people for having fond memories of their childhood and media that taps on that nostalgia. We can have good memories of our past while also acknowledging the work that still needs to be done and why we cannot return to how things were on the macro and micro level. We do live in a society that has much work to do, but when I look back on my Barbie experiences I cannot deny that I got to enjoy the fruits of my predecessor’s labor. I lived in an era where Black Barbies, Christies, Nolees, and Teresas were all over the shelves. Those who fought for that representation would want women like me to remember those experiences fondly and remember that feeling when seeing Issa Rae and Alexandra Shipp on screen.
I think its also relevant to acknowledge that the film never promised us the most nuanced and detailed take on feminism and womanhood, and I certainly do not want to sit through Mattel and Gerwig’s interpretation of what it means to live in my intersectional identity as a plus-size Black woman. I would imagine others feel the same. Considering the space that the company and director occupy, I got exactly what I was expecting. A fun and light-hearted “after-school-special” type of exploration on womanhood that was meant to be universally enjoyed.
What Can We Learn From All This Barbie Backlash?
For better or worse, Barbie is a permanent figure of western womanhood. The doll is not perfect. As a product produced by a for-profit company in a capitalistic society, anything produced for and about Barbie is going to have flaws. In the film, Barbie’s creator says one of the most impactful lines in the entire movie,
“We mothers stand still so that our daughters can look back and see how far they've come.”
As we critique the film, I think its wise to keep this very quote in mind. Barbie was created in the 1960s and capitalistic structures like Mattel will never be able to keep up with the progress being made in society.
As adults, we can keep this in mind as we help the next generation of girls and femmes navigate their relationship with dolls and Barbie. As we do this, we should also give ourselves and each other some grace. There was a time in most of our lives where all we wanted to do was play with Barbies, and now some of us just want to take the film for what it is and reminisce on a time when things felt simpler. It’s ok to be critical of the film. It’s ok to be critical of Barbie. It’s even ok to dislike both. But sometimes as BIPOC femmes, its important for us to pick our battles and give one another space to enjoy things as they are.
Have fun. Wear pink. It’s not that serious.
