Hey, Barbie!
We’ve all heard about the top-grossing female-directed movie following the life of a stereotypical Barbie as she goes down a journey of pondering her existence and finding her purpose. The highly anticipated Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, hit the nation and its popularity spread like wildfire. You might have even flooded the theaters with your friends all dressed up in different shades of pink to celebrate the release, but beyond the glitter and sparkles, what was the significance of this film? Why did it face backlash, and how did it inspire girls all around the world?
One of the biggest themes explored in the film is self-discovery. Barbie portrays a seemingly perfect life so when that all comes to a halt in the form of her fake shower stopping, her graceful float no longer being graceful, and her iconic arched feet becoming flat, she heads on a journey to find her purpose in life. Barbie is then forced to acknowledge that life is full of imperfections and challenges. Director Gerwig framed this as a satire on society, which has allowed the iconic plastic doll to become a serious contender in the feminist movement. Gerwig poses the question; Why do we keep pushing the narrative of perfection when we know that nothing good comes from it? While this idea encouraged others to reset their minds, others did not like this perspective.
A lot of the Barbie movie backlash comes from its portrayal of the patriarchy. Barbieland flips our normal world upside down and creates a society where women are in charge. This idea caused many Barbie movie critics to call the movie “anti-men” and “woke”. However, these critics seem to be missing the true message of the Barbie movie intended by Gerwig, whose goal was to encourage women of all ages and backgrounds. Not to put others down. Tensions have also risen around the world as some countries such as Vietnam, Kuwait, and Algeria have banned the movie due to its themes being “alien to the society and public order” (Sacric.)
A forever feminist icon, Director Gerwig has taken a plastic doll that has been with us since childhood and found a way to let her influence continue to encourage women all over the world. The bright pink and sparkles serve as a reminder that girlhood is an important part of growing and shaping who you become and that more importantly, girls stick together and look out for each other no matter what.
Don’t forget to grab a group of friends and dress up in your Barbie attire for LVA’s very own Barbie-themed Homecoming on Saturday, Oct 21, 2023.
