Opinion: It wasn’t quite Kenough for me
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When I turned 10, my mother bought me a giant box of Goldfish crackers. The box held around 30 servings, so it was quite a shock to her once the box was empty after about three days. I sat and listened as she talked to me about other foods that may feel more fulfilling than fish-shaped crackers. What she didn’t know was that, in combination with the other gifts she had given me, my sister and I had to eat the Goldfish.
On that same birthday, my mother had given me a Barbie convertible and a Ken doll. So naturally, my sister and I had eaten all of the Goldfish while playing “Barbie Bachelor” and sending my Barbies on dinner dates with my Ken.
I kept my dolls in a bucket. Most of them were off-brand dolls and I didn’t have many fancy accessories to accompany them, but I liked that I could act out any kind of storyline for them. So, when I heard that there was going to be a Barbie movie, I wasn’t sure how to feel.
I was excited by what I had heard about the film’s potential content. I was hopeful to see a movie that would lovingly convey feminism and that would possibly lean away from heteronormativity — especially after seeing several openly LGBTQ+ actors in the cast list and seeing fan rumors of a queer Barbieland. After watching the film, however, I was disappointed. In fact, I left feeling a bit angry.
The first half of the film was fun, hilarious and reminiscent of all the Barbie accessories I once wished I had. The second half of it seemed to provide a crash course into patriarchy, feminism and a definition of self-acceptance. While I am aware of gender inequality and the importance of self-love, the “Barbie” movie covered these topics with a lack of depth and inclusivity.
Much of the story was based around Stereotypical Barbie, played by Margot Robbie. Robbie exhibits the white, pretty, skinny and young doll we are familiar with. But the issues she encountered after experiencing life in the “real world” were those simply dealing with patriarchal obstacles and self-acceptance. There was no awareness of intersectionality.
Elizabeth Cargile Williams wrote, “The Barbie movie sidesteps intersectionality, which is one of the core underpinnings of contemporary feminism.” She continued in explaining what contemporary feminism now looks like writing, “The feminist struggle against patriarchy, then, is explicitly an intersectional project that goes beyond feminism for white, cis women.”
The movie preached inclusivity and yet the only topics discussed in the storyline are those from an individual with very stereotypical and Americanized beauty standards.
Not to mention that the Kens were my favorite part of the movie. It feels like something must have gone wrong when I enjoyed the screen time more when any Ken was present.
While I didn’t appreciate the approach “Barbie” took to tackle important topics, the conversations and positive reactions “Barbie” sparked are paramount to the film.
A review on Letterboxd reads, “it hit me right where I needed it the most.” The statement followed with adoring language about womanhood and growing up.
“Barbie” also allowed for a generation of young girls to see a message that represented empowerment and self-liberation. The most special part of the movie, for me, was watching others around me become moved by the statements and values expressed throughout its duration. I wasn’t as moved by the parts that struck them, but I was reminded of the subjectivity of it all.
Movies are art, just like all other forms of media. Art is intended to be interpreted differently; that’s the best part about it. When I want to feel female empowerment, I’ll gravitate towards things such as “The Queen’s Gambit,” or even “Wonder Woman.” I’ll appreciate that “Barbie” resembles to others what some media does for me.
My Barbies will stay in their box for now. But I’ll always look back fondly at their graceful reenactment of my favorite TV shows. With a new season of “The Bachelor” coming out, maybe it’s about time I bought some more Goldfish.