The Plastic Feminism of Barbie

[@verilybitchie]

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[@dayegilharno4988]

This is the take I was waiting for - Great job! :)

[@cinnamon9390]

I would loooove to hear your take on The LEGO Movie, which, at least on the surface, did seem to actually criticize capitalism and copyright

[@sadem1045]

I'm still looking forward to seeing the movie BUT I appreciated hearing your criticisms.

[@evelienheerens2879]

But verily, you don't understand! The body image issues the dolls give girls are part of giving them the real experience of life as a fashion model. It just makes the play more immersive!

[@dayegilharno4988]

@@cinnamon9390 :) After decades of neoliberal devastations to the very foundations of our societies, EVERYTHING is a critique of capitalism and the rules it accommodates itself with - Even if it isn't trying to be!

[@kekoakaawa8879]

“Women truly can have it all….as long as they’re incredibly beautiful, of course.” That always seems to be the punchline in movies.

[@ProfessorFish]

woman can overcome struggle and inspire... as long as she beautiful - mostly everything visual in entertainment

[@shesokayiguess]

That's the punchline in real life too

[@marielaberge8236]

​@@Pokemaster-wg9gx In fairness, the target demographic for the dolls is children so the issue people have with it is that it's skeevy that Mattel markets itself as inspirational for generations of young girls when no grown woman would ever credit a doll for setting anykind of realistic expectations.

[@geckopecko]

@shesokayiguess lol i was gonna write that word by word... sad but true

[@WaaDoku]

Same with men. Ken literally sings about this in a huge musical number.

[@yur1ck361]

Living in a conservative country where even this "basic level feminism" is seen as extreme, I genuinely appreciate the movie for at least creating a talking point here, but also love your critiques, a point of view that I did not think about. Thanks!

[@floffy2695]

Yes! I also come from a conservative country and this basic feminism was so violently hated on by so many reviewers and while I am not a fan of shallow feminism myself, those reviews left me feeling drained and hopeless. My country produces terrible and bland male-led films with extreme misogyny, but even a small amount of feminism is completely shit upon, it's tiring. But atleast it was a fun movie I suppose.

[@luizagriebeler]

Exactly my thoughts! This shallow girlboss feminism of Barbie is already a big deal for Brazilian whites and it truly made an impact in me, but is good to see good criticism too.

[@piretiris8223]

What country?

[@ga75]

yes.this.

[@emilianazuckerberg5955]

exactly

[@loulou1339]

I liked the movie, although it isn‘t a feminist masterpiece. I also knew that it won’t be anti-consumerism or anti-capitalism (Mattel as a brand was involved). I just enjoyed watching a well made hollywood movie. A pleasure I allow myself once in a while.

[@Orynae]

Agreed! The movie was a very fun watch, and the message wasnn't _bad,_ it was just very incomplete, which was kind of expected. Actually it was a lot less "cringe preachy feminist that says things execs _think_ are woke" than I was afraid of XD

[@GeteMachine]

It wouldnt be possible for a barbie movie to be anti-capitalism or consumerism, when that is pretty much the Doll's concept. It was mostly just female opulence from first wave feminism after women had the right to buy their own things. Capitalism for women. A modern feminist take on Barbie would have been intersting considering millenials and Gen Z aren't interested in that anymore as a value anymore. But its not perfect, it was writen by an older generation from first wave feminism. Though it would be hard to write a Barbie movie that was, because it contradicts the existence of Mattel unless it wasnt that form of social commentary.

[@Whatever94-i4u]

@@GeteMachine I'm not so sure about that... Capitalism and consumerism are still pretty rampant. Sure, now it's kind of mingled with concerns for the environment but the immense popularity of social media and influencer culture (and let's not even talk about the business-oriented girl power and onlyfans movement) tells me that capitalism with all its nasty friends (consumerism and elitism) is still pretty much well and alive.

[@TheFiteShow]

same, it was the first good hollywood movie since like 2008 or something, i cant topple capitalism so im gonna use my consumerist vote to influence the world in a little way

[@kialo6790]

It is a masterpiece The exchange of ups with downs to describe womanhood, the equivalency between Ken in Barbieland and women in the real patriarchal society while extending a core reflection of the manosphere cultural irl out of it, and the refreshing advocate for reality check activism, really make this film stand out as a masterpiece with a fantastic balance between nuances and funs!

[@BlahLab]

"You can't girlboss without a bit of labor exploitation" is A+

[@maazkalim]

Breaking some, to make some..

[@craycrayaura6868]

@21:07

[@matthewmoran1866]

Barbie puts the Boss is girlboss.

[@qriofficial1769]

I read your comment at the same exact time as she said that 👍

[@ZombieDeathProof]

beyonce would agree

[@paulinemoira8442]

Since i study sociology I sometimes have to remind myself, that most people don't think about social hierarchical structures like sexism as much as I do. During the scene in which Sasha's mom complains about all the expectation placed on women I seriously cringed, because of how obvious and well known those problems are. My mom and my sister cried during that same scene and afterwards talked about how cathartic it was that someone had put into words what they always felt like. And I'd rate at least my sister as relatively socially aware. That this kind of shallow feminism is to so many people groundbreaking is almost incomprehensible.

[@Coastpsych_fi99]

Brilliant comment and very insightful.

[@parrotreble8355]

I know right?? I had heard people describe this movie as feminist before watching, so I had expectations of the movie confronting and possibly offering in-universe solutions to the sexism and misogyny within it. We got both Sasha's and Sasha's mom's vents about Barbie's influence on developing girls and the cognitive dissonance of being a woman, but the former was mostly ignored afterwards and the latter was watered down into "deprogramming" as if just hearing that the problem existed would give you the power to fight it. And honestly with true feminism, I was expecting an ending where the Barbies and Kens (etc) figure out a way to live in their world more equally. The goal of feminism isn't turning misogyny into misandry, turning Patriarchy into Matriarchy, it's making a world where people aren't treated worse or better because of their gender. It was a very fun movie to watch, but it left me feeling kind of disappointed.

[@Imallwrite212]

Yes to this whole exchange! I really wanted to see them work toward a more equal society, as that is the goal...@@parrotreble8355

[@Imallwrite212]

I also cringed! Plus they gave the mom such little development, that by the time she had her speech, it fell so flat to me, and made it pretty clear that this movie was for people who haven't really unpacked much yet.

[@ronaldreaganhater6982]

I also feel like it was shallow but I didn't cringe quite as much, i feel like the movie could have done better but those things are such common things to mull over and deal with that treating them like serious complaints almost feels relieving. I do think Barbie being a literal doll and the constraints of being seen as a woman should have been explored more together. Maybe have a part where instead of the existential meltdown Barbie tries to fit in the new Kendom and realizes it's impossible to be what they want.

[@kingrix]

How refreshing to see valid, legitimate criticism of the Barbie movie that isn't coming from an anti-woke dude bro. I loved every second of this.

[@elnorface]

Exactly. Barbie used to be criticized for setting unreasonable beauty standards and causing body image issues in young girls. And now it's being hailed as a feminist icon?! What happened to the criticism of shaving, makeup, and fashion, or the establishment's enforcement of femininity as a way to be an ideal woman? Of course, you get your dream life if you're attractive enough. I'm so glad to see a feminist critique of Barbie and not just more angry misogynists attacking it.

[@EverythingLvl]

Every feminist doesn't have to parrot the same things as others to be considered a feminist, who cares if les&ian feminists thought the most important thing was to be les&Ian's and not try to look pretty for men ever? You should read more and dismiss all of feminism less lol

[@EverythingLvl]

If the problem is you're anrgy at other women for being blessed by nature and having more than you, that's completely efed up. Feminism isn't for being angry at other women for daring to get benefits in the patriarchy, it's about tearing down the patriarchy. Don't hate the player, hate the game literally set up by MEN

[@Nothermainacc]

@@EverythingLvl that is very much not what feminism is about. More Butler, less Barbie.

[@TheAmazingSpiderPunk]

@@EverythingLvl Why are you singling out lesbian feminists specifically? Speaking as a lesbian woman, we might not try to look pretty for men, but we still can be highly femme and try to look pretty for both ourselves and for other women. i doubt anyone thinks that not shaving or wearing makeup is the most important thing.* Nor would any lesbian feminist blame or be angry at other women for how they look? I'm a feminist and all of my exes, friends, and current partner are, too. Ain't none of us ascribe to that as being what feminism is. That's a really weird strawwoman of what the "anti-SJW" crowd think feminism is. *As an addendum, any lesbian who is very vocal about how these things are emblematic of a patriarchal society and an important issue are NOT because we are saying they should just be banned outright or we should look down on those who choose to present themselves as such, but because modern patriarchal society dictates they **must** embrace these things and partake in this manner of presenting their femininity lest they have their womanhood questioned much in the same way you did by saying that she must be a lesbian or a tomboy or confused about her gender. Butch lesbian feminists don't hate femme straight or bi feminists, they just to be free to present themselves how they choose to without having their womanhood stripped from them. Likewise, there are valid criticisms to be had in regards to how greatly capitalist society pushes these now firmly established emblems of femineity as a means of driving corporate profits, influencing the cultural zeitgeist, and ensuring that women (as well as any specific demographic they can target to extort the fruits of their labor from) continue being good little consumers. hence, the criticism against Barbie presented in this video.

[@MK-ex4fe]

I’m glad you touched on the mean spirited portrayal of sasha. She’s the movie’s “feminist”/anti barbie mouth piece but she’s also a hyper feminine mean girl bully. Despite feeling harmed by barbie her only role is to realize that Barbie is important to her mom and that she needs get over herself and shut up. Terminal case of activist character.

[@amoureux6502]

The "Barbie is a fascist" line felt so shoehorned in, it was a fun film but it was pretty shallow.

[@rubybee2180]

@@amoureux6502 I think that was supposed to depict how superficial some activists are now, using buzzwords in the least appropriate situations

[@whenfairieshelp8034]

yes! I also found it v disappointing how little? we actually got to know about her. I was expecting her and barbie to bond but in the end Sasha was kind of a background piece lol

[@amoureux6502]

@@rubybee2180 that was certainly the intent (next scene had Barbie crying and saying something like "how can I be a fascist, I don't control railways or the flow of commerce") but the way the scene was written still felt weird and forced.

[@abbeyBominable123]

@@amoureux6502 teen activists are like that tho. It's realistic to me.

[@ggwp638BC]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="566">9:26</a> - I work in the toy industry, and this point here is one of the WEIRDEST things we see everyday. When you poll parents, the feelings towards diversification tend to go from neutral at worst, to really positive at best, negative perceptions are very rare. That said, diverse dolls do not sell. I mean, they do, but the gap is astronomical. Blondes are usually always #1, Brunettes are a close second. And then you have this major gap between those two and every other ethnicity that is white-looking, and then you have black dolls. So far, nothing out of the expected, except there is a very weird phenomena. If a store owner sees that Blondes sell more and they want to save shelf space, they might buy just the blonde ones. Result? Blondes don't sell, or at least at a much lower rate than the market medium. Weird right? But if the same store take away a few blonde dolls from the shelf and adds diverse dolls, the diverse dolls will still not sell, but the blonde ones start selling at a much faster rate. And even weirder, often people of other races will still pick the blue eyed blonde over their own ethnicity, even if both are available. Basically the current understanding is that either due to marketing, personal preferences, indoctrination, or anything else, people still prefer traditionally looking dolls, but because of the general awareness of the effects dolls have in girl's self-image, parents feel guilty about buying the product. But, when parents see that the brand is* socially aware (*we are talking about a very surface perception here), they feel more comfortable buying the product even though the doll is the same exact one they considered harmful. This even happens with other issues, for example, baby toys sell more blue and pink if there is a neutral color like green, yellow or white. A socially aware parent doesn't want to buy blue for boys and pink for girls, but if they see they have the gender neutral option, they will happily buy blue for boys and pink for girls. Basically, people want options to exist, but they still want the standard product. (This doesn't fully apply to products that have known characters, so something like disney princesses or marvel heroes will work differently to some extent).

[@ARGhostie]

That's really interesting!! Thanks for sharing!

[@MissMisnomer_]

This was so interesting and I've never even thought about it before but it makes SO much sense

[@thisrandomdude_]

That is INCREDIBLY interesting, holy cow, thank you so much for your insight!!

[@Soulessblur]

I think this is unfortunately true not just in the toy industry, but in basically everything involving consumerism. We don't want to feel like our preferences are being targeted to the exclusion of anything else, but we also don't want to change our preferences. Nobody likes targeted ads, but they only care about the ads for stuff they like. Nobody wants superheroes to all be white men, but they're the most popular. Nobody wants to buy clothes from a store that doesn't sell for very large or thing people, but they still buy conventionally accepted sizes, even when it doesn't fit them perfectly. People insult hooters for their hiring standards, but conventionally attractive female waitresses still get more tips. In fairness, I think in many instances it's the least bad of a plethora of solutions. Most of us can't control that our interests converge into a statistic majority, even when that interest is shaped by ancient society standards. But that doesn't mean we want those few who don't fit the mold not to be represented. I'd feel weird playing an RPG where I'm forced to be a white human male lawfully good guy. . .but in a game where I'm allowed to be whatever I want, that's what I'm gonna be. We don't want to support products that don't support people who aren't like us. The problem, I guess, is that's where tokenism comes from. The bigger Barbie in the movie with only 5 lines exists for the same reason the green baby toys do - it's not gonna make profit, it's not an important product, but it will uplift the other successful products by existing. I don't even think it's the socially aware parent exclusively responsible for this either. When a product has one shape and size, it's not personalized. Kids love expressing themselves, so they'll naturally be drawn to products with a variety. It's not "a" Barbie, it's "my" Barbie, because it's different from the ones I didn't spend my allowance on. It creates the illusion of uniqueness out of an otherwise standard item.

[@ToplessTopics]

my parents tell me i had a dark skinned barbie as a kid (i don't think it was supposed to be black, probably latina but I don't remember specifically) and apparently I never played it and said it was ugly, which I feel so bad about now, but that was what the world drilled into me as a child. My parents aren't even particularly racist (well, my dad tends to be quite uncharitable towards Mexicans, but he's a lot better than he used to be a tleast, thanks to my continued attempts at helping him recognize his biases) but just knowing that once upon a time I disfavored playing with a non-white barbie fills me with shame, even though I was so young I don't even remember any of it.

[@annaitsy]

On your note about them ignoring the factories and workers -- in the movie, directly after Ken begins living in the Mojo Dojo Casa House, there's a brief scene where the CEO excitedly says, "These are flying off the shelves!" and we see a warehouse full of already-packaged Ken houses being loaded onto trucks. There are no design meetings. There is no production. The CEO seems almost surprised by its existence. It's implied that the decisions in Barbie World just... magically make toys in our world come into being. When we consider how they're trying to turn the lens away from Barbie as a product made in factories, and make us not think about the labor issues and constant plastic pollution... that little scene gets really unsettling.

[@nelime3095]

I think if they really didnt want to highlight the labour issues and plastic, they would have simply skipped the warehouse scene. Instead, by making the situation so ridiculous, we are able to shine a lens on the reality of the situation by incorporating our own real world knowledge. I appreciate that you were able to feel unsettled that presentation since it may have been intentional!

[@gardengloop1060]

Yeah a safe white woman feminist movie would not dare criticize capitalism or its effect on the environment.

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

Very true.

[@charischannah]

I loved the Barbie movie, but I really appreciate your critiques. It features a surface-level feminism without digging deeper.

[@FreakigesSternchen]

I don’t think it wanted to go much deeper-it’s still a family movie released worldwide, many people will never have even heard the word “patriarchy” in their lives, so I think it’s not bad as a surface-level introduction to all of these complicated topics.

[@peachesncharlotte]

​@@FreakigesSternchen with all the adult innuendos and references, i wouldn't really call it a family movie 💀

[@jjonjjoe]

It's the barbie movie, ofc it isn't a deep dive into feminism

[@baydiac]

@@FreakigesSternchenOkay but it doesn’t change a point I’ve heard NO ONE talk about: Barbie apologizes to Ken (what? for not being interested in him? that isn’t wrong. Ken oppression yes, but it’s not _mean_ to not care about someone) but KEN DOESN’T APOLOGIZE TO BARBIE. EVER.

[@allastay]

It doesn't feature any level of feminism.

[@edeely698]

Its honestly mind-boggling to see all the hatred from people toward this movie dismissing it as "woke feminist propaganda" when it has such a shallow, inoffensive concept of feminism.

[@undeniablySomeGuy]

This is why it’s not worth “reaching across the aisle” in america to a political party not interested in compromise. It will only be us compromising our morals for no reward. We need to move the window ourselves

[@tlb963]

For me, I found it divisive when I thought they were building legitimate and meaningful threads to be more nuanced and showcase the complexities of both sexes. It also didn't help that they used a forreal slave revolt as their allegory to then put down the group that made up the slave revolt? I really liked the film otherwise, I can handle feminist beliefs, but I would have appreciated it if they had done more to play into some of the mental health issues and social stigmas around men that the patriarchy causes, as well; and it seemed like they were going to at the beginning, but they didn't pretty much at all.

[@Hannah-ds7qo]

exactly... it feels the same to me as how conservatives talk about "Biden's America" like Biden has done anything to further socialism or progressivism... he's such an unremarkable politician with middle of the road stances yet they lose their minds. it's laughable

[@K-Lowe]

​@derek96720 when will they learn its a problem then?💀

[@Alkeeros]

It's honestly a part of the strategy. If Shapiro and other right wing nut balls can convince their audiences that the Barbie movie is "too woke" then anything more subversive or actually woke will be met with more ire.

[@lias1762]

I remember sitting in the movie and thinking it was odd how they trivialized the higher ups of Barbie as “silly little guys” when in fact they’ve profited off of the commodification of little girls’ insecurities for decades, all while perpetuating harmful stereotypes about femininity and covering it up with appropriated “girl power”.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

And then they had the nerve to say "I just want to make little girls happy". 🤬

[@casi77]

Last dialog between Barbie and the creator of the Barbie(who is a woman btw) was insane. They were implying that their creation is not the problem, people perceiving Barbie as a bad thing are. They were literally trying to villify their customers for their bad reputation 😂 This was a typical corporate feminist film where the girls were awesome, guys were idiots and companies were naive little people. It was all about Barbie PR.

[@Azarilh]

And funnily they still pushed harmful stereotypes with the movie ( hyper femininity and heavy makeup ).

[@ebetg4191]

the bumbling board room of men at mattel felt almost like weaponized incompetence, like “haha mattel can’t possibly have had ulterior motives, they couldn’t even get through an automatic gate 😜”

[@littlemissmello]

It was very funny and I caught myself hoping during the movie that the realization that these men even are in that position is in itself part of the problem, but I should have known better as of course they went with the, "they are practically harmless and not worth getting upset over" angle

[@George2647g]

@@littlemissmellophew! No alterior motives from the filmmakers too im sure

[@awkward.anonymous]

Honestly the Mattel board was probably my least favourite part of the film when watching because I got the exact same vibe

[@csquared8215]

I was so disappointed with the boardroom of men. It felt to gentle on them. Too much like "Yeah it's a room full of men but they have good intentions and look at how silly will farrell is!"

[@ebetg4191]

@@csquared8215 exactly!!!

[@arlequinelunaire418]

The other funny thing about a Frida Kahlo Barbie is that a lot of Kahlo's paintings weren't child-friendly in the slightest. I'm also reminded of how the movie Coco treated her as a punchline

[@TheeKittyPie]

That’s exactly what I was thinking but I feel like that’s done with so many historical figures. I remember being in first grade making cute little Christopher Columbus dolls for thanksgiving because he “discovered America” Not to say Frida is like columbus at all, but historical figures are often sanitized so much for children

[@eloisaortega9596]

@@TheeKittyPieNo cause saaaame, I one asked my teacher if Christopher Columbus also participated in the genocide of natives and she said he had tried to stop as if he wasn’t the head of it. I was like in fourth grade I think I could have been able to handle the truth. Also my school was Christian so they try to paint the Columbian exchange as not TOTALLY bad and horrible because natives were finally able to hear the word of Jesus. Not saying Christianity is bad but what a way to simplify the sufferment of so many people.

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

Oh no! When did Coco do that? I haven't watched the movie in a long while, so my memory of it is hella hazy.

[@Nerdish-o6o]

@@imthebossmermaid3648 Frida Kahlo is a bit of a reoccurring background character in Coco, she seems to be a friend of Hector, allowing him to impersonate her to travel to the living world and later into de la Cruz’s party, she then asks Miguel for advice for her performance piece where actors dressed as her climb out of a cactus and drink the mother’s tears (the cactus is the mother I think) and the whole thing was supposed to be set on fire but I think that was dropped for Miguel’s advice of musical accompaniment. She is also the character who informs us that Dante (the dog) is Miguel’s spirit guide, this could be seen as a joke at Kahlo’s expense because spirit guides are supposed to be strong and useful and Dante seems to be just a stray dog and Kahlo is just being too imaginative. I just realized there could also be a joke in having Hector constantly dress as her, poking fun at her masculine features, but I’m less sure of that. But the punchline mentioned in op’s comment was probably that no one seemed to understand the piece, not Miguel when he sits with her nor the audience when it is performed during de la Cruz’s big party. It is always met with confused silence, portraying her not as a skilled artist, but as a silly girl just doing weird things. Tangentially related, but there is also an interesting parallel between Kahlo’s work of exploring a Mexican identity unbound by the constraints of colonialism and capitalism and Disney’s disgusting attempts at branding Dia de los Muertos through Coco merchandise. And by parallel, I mean diametric opposition. Regardless, it is a very cute film.

[@maruwu7614]

(As a Mexican) Frida Kahlo has just become too commercialized. She was a interesting woman ahead of her time I think she would hate to see her face plastered everywhere with a price tag on it

[@un0riginal539]

I feel like this movie did a better job as a critique of toxic masculinity and toxic male in groups (I.e. manosphere and similar) rather than the feminist extravaganza it was perceived and presented as.

[@esaelisa423]

I think it misses half of the entire critique of toxic male groups though -- they focus on how dumb it is and how misogynistic it is, but they don't look at all at how it harms *men*. Ken has a breakdown over his lack of personhood because of the matriarchy from before the Kens took over -- not from his adopted personality of dudebro stuff.

[@un0riginal539]

@@esaelisa423 Ken has a breakdown because he values himself on his ability to “get women” and he hasn’t developed the emotional maturity to take that without having a breakdown, it’s why when the Ken’s take over, they don’t replace all the Barbie’s roles, they just hang out and parade their new girlfriend Barbies, they literally don’t value anything other than examples of toxic masculinity.

[@tess_eract4832]

@@un0riginal539while I do agree with you completely, and even though I haven’t watched the movie yet, I think Greta was more closely trying to satirize the patriarchy and elements of misogyny within it. If this is true, the movie seems to have been a least a little successful with it because all the men commentating on the ways Ken is portrayed (the irony being that that’s how women are normally portrayed in any other movie out there) ultimately proves the hypocrisy in their arguments. Therefore, i don’t think toxic masculinity is what this movie is prioritizing even though the consequences of that may harm some of the dudes watching the movie

[@esaelisa423]

@@un0riginal539 But Ken values himself on his ability to get women because Barbieland only values Ken through their connection to women. That's not from patriarchy or toxic masculinity -- that's the direct result of the fake matriarchy.

[@un0riginal539]

@@tess_eract4832 I think a movie can have more than one message, although maybe the movie didn’t prioritize the toxic masculinity message and theme, those themes were definitely touched on intentionally and with the male audience in mind.

[@SorosPhuvix]

The movie felt a lot like baby's first feminism. So while shallow for those more well versed in the movement, for a stunning amount of individuals, the Barbie movie pried open their eyes for the first time. For that alone, I am grateful, for I hope those people keep following that feeling leading them into deeper critical thoughts on the world around them. For that alone, I am more pessimistic than I was before. Thank you for the video.

[@ella-sj8bu]

in my opinion i don't think it was good representation of feminism in any form. a good feminist story shouldn't have to rely on diminishing men

[@h444teligament]

​@@ella-sj8buit didnt... diminish men? there are a million things to criticise about this film and its fake white feminist narrative but it certainly didn't diminish men

[@legendaccount3247]

@@ella-sj8bu The movie doesn't diminish men though? It takes jabs at traditionally masculine things but Ken receives his own fully fleshed out arc about learning to be his own person separate from the women in his life. Literally his entire character journey can be summed up as "bros before hoes"

[@gemstone108]

Why is that pessimistic? Opening people’s eyes is a good thing!

[@ella-sj8bu]

@@legendaccount3247 i personally think it took jabs at men as a whole (the entire campfire scene being manipulating men, acting as if men can't be catcalled/sexualized in public when they first arrive in the human world, etc) but i understand how people can see the opposite, so to rephrase my original statement: i don't think a good feminist story should have to rely on men at all. plus in the end, the kens were still very mistreated and weren't equal with the barbies. that's not feminism. feminism isn't about being better than men or placing them lower in society to uplift women, feminism is being equal to men and those around us

[@KarishmaChanglani]

The fact that Barbie, an extremely popculture safe version of feminism is something considered so abrasive just because it acknowledge a system over individual makes me really upset how behind we really are.

[@Lora_Beolab]

it would'nt have been abrasive if it was real

[@LegoJunk128]

Yeah, as a kid growing up in the 2000s I thought we were so removed from the past but ignorance just keeps holding on for dear life

[@idkwhattoputheretbhbuthere]

It portrayed men as bad, when everything that happened in the movie, happens to men too.

[@3dmaster205]

@@idkwhattoputheretbhbuthere Actually, it ONLY happens to men, the only thing that actually happens to women, is done by women to women.

[@stalebread_666]

and this is exactly why is wasnt more feminist or more controversial - it probably wouldnt have even been made let alone have reached such a large audience

[@Alliebomba41]

One of the things that struck me as weird in the movie is that Ryan Gosling's Ken recognizes that he and the other Kens have been marginalized in Barbieland, which leads him to invert the social order and create a cartoon-stereotype of patriarchy. Then, Margot Robbie's Barbie and America Ferrera's Gloria restore the matriarchal status quo and put the Kens back into their place as second-class citizens (but also grant them token representation in minor political roles, dangling the carrots of self-actualization and eventual systemic change to placate them). It's weird to me because the movie acknowledges that a hierarchical gender-caste system is a major problem in this universe, but it doesn't actually aspire to systemic change. It just puts the Barbies back on top of the hierarchy and stresses the importance of individual fulfillment. I want to give the movie credit and believe that this was the satirical point they were trying to make (self-actualization as distraction from systemic problems), but I genuinely cannot tell if that's what the film creators intended.

[@TheBiggestMoronYouKnow]

society is good when white women rule -progressives, probably

[@Alliebomba41]

Also, just to rattle these off real quick: 1) Lizzo is heard in the movie, but not seen (too bad, because her narration was the funniest part). 2) "Weird Barbie" is Kate McKinnon but straight. 3) Hari Nef is there but is given nothing interesting to do in this movie about gender roles, authenticity, and self-expression.

[@aashnasaiyara4418]

@jj4l idk tho, the movie makes it seem like the ending with matriarchy in barbieland is all happy and stuff, when they are literally back to point 0

[@kid-ava]

@@aashnasaiyara4418 agreed

[@konpulsiv]

For me, the movie acknowledged that a simple gender reversal is not the answer to end systemic oppression (though I got to say, the Kens don't have it as bad as women and ppl who are read as female in the real world, cause they don't have to do all the unpaid labor). Personally, I'm still glad they didn't make the choice to have everything fine and balanced and perfect in the end. It was healing for me, to be honest. A lot of the times in feminist or feminist-adjacent works, it is expected that the women *of course* take on the job to create a perfectly-balanced equality for all genders in the end, after centuries of misogynistic oppression. While that is and should be obviously the goal in real life, a movie like Barbie is a kind of over-the-top revenge wish-fullfilment to me. I wish this task of being always fair and just after being mistreated for soooo long wouldn't always be relegated to women. I enjoyed that the Kens had to wait until true equaliy is reached, just like we have to in real life.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

1. Margot Robbie has been paid $12.5 million for her lead part in Gerwig’s movie. 2. The workers on the Barbie doll assembly line are paid $2 an hour. 3. Therefore, to earn Margot’s money, each worker would have to work 6,250,000 hours. 4. Given their 12-hour shifts six days a week, this amounts to 1,669 years of utterly tedious and repetitive labor.

[@yskmwest8534]

Cut actress's pay !!!!

[@gem3763]

@@yskmwest8534 how the hell is that the conclusion you come to

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

@@Geraltofrivia1012 Why does she? And why do the workers who enable Ms Robbie to accrue vast wealth have to be paid so little?

[@taracarlson992]

It wasn't just Gerwig's film, it was actually Margot Robbie, the producer, who hired Gerwig in the first place. Yes, Gerwig and her husband did write the Barbie screenplay and directed it. I would imagine Robbie put up all the money to begin production of such movie. I am also sure Robbie is the one who paid Gerwig and her husband first before they committed to such project. As for the "[Mattel] workers making $2.00/hr" that is Mattel's issue not Robbie's.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

@@taracarlson992 The film 'Barbie' is little more than a series of adverts for corporate products as well as for overpriced plastic dolls made of oil. To dissociate the principals involved - Gerwig, Robbie et al - from the exploited workers (many of them women) who enable them to earn vast wealth from the film is to condone the continued exploitation of women and men. That's up to you, isn't it?

[@78jujubs]

After watching the movie I was left a little disappointed in the message. I wish this movie was about aging because they set it up pretty well. Revealing that Barbie was actually the mother's toy made me cry like a baby because it meant that the mother loved Barbie because it was her connection with her daughter. That rant at the end? It would have been way more powerful coming from Sasha instead. As girls, we expect to get things like height, boobs, womanly curves and beauty. Instead, we grow hair in places we don't want, we gain weight really quickly, and we start to bleed and ache every month. We stop being innocent girls and become sluts and bitches. This is why Sasha is so angry, and she projects that anger onto her mother, who is seemingly happy living in a patriarchal world. It would have been beautiful to see a mother and daughter bond over womanhood and the struggles it brings with it. Also, Barbie telling the old woman she's beautiful would have just fit better in a story about aging.

[@cardenova]

Agreed. The age thing would have been powerful. Not sure why they chucked it to the side so quickly and thoroughly in place of that weird but cliched ending. As a side note I appreciated the homeage made to the Truman Show. They’re subtle but definitely not just my imagination 😂

[@yumeciide6256]

This is a really beautiful message and I totally agree

[@seronymus]

Why is it bad to gain weight if fat is sexy?

[@78jujubs]

@@seronymus it's not the fat its self, it's the fact that your body changes drastically, and you can't control it.

[@crazyowlgirlcncowner]

Ugh THIS! I HATED the focus on "Ahhh, cellulite!" In the movie. I feel like as a gen z I see my generation more worried about WRINKLES, not cellulite. I mean, the anti wrinkle straw, super emphasis on skincare, and not smiling to not get wrinkles? That's a thing people are worried about these days.

[@annaphallactic]

I would've loved to see you analyze the role of Weird Barbies and their queer coding in the film. They might've been my favorite part (along with Ken getting red-pilled within seconds of entering the real world, which was fucking HILARIOUS). The You Should See The Other Guy podcast also had a thoughtful critique of the film. I personally loved it as a theatrical experience but I also knew roughly the type of girlboss feminism that I was getting into with it.

[@personwhoisaperson7904]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO NOTICED THE QUEER CODING

[@personwhoisaperson7904]

LIKE MAGIC EARRING KEN? KATE MCKINNON? A L A N? AND IM SURE ITS NO COINCIDENCE ALEXANDRA SHIPP WAS THE FIRST BARBIE TO JOIN 'THE OTHER SIDE'

[@sagecrops7368]

And Allan! Is one of the girls! But also not really! And DEFINITELY not one of the guys! He hates everything they were trying to do and wants to leave! And he’s the only one that is different!

[@eg4441]

@@sagecrops7368haven't seen it and idk who allan is but he sounds real as fuck

[@jougjimmadome]

I'm not arguing because it's really both but I immediately read Weird Barbies/malfunctions strongly as disability coding, like that strongly matches the language used about them and the fact that it is physical deformities/changes in function that determine their "weirdness"

[@TashFizzy]

Thank you for validating the weird icky feeling I felt after seeing this movie. It was a visually incredible entertaining comedic movie that I did enjoy for the most part but there were just so many aspects that fell flat and felt off that I couldn’t quite explain and this video sums up my feelings perfectly.

[@sm79165]

It's nice to read multiple comments like this that I agree with, something was definitely weird about the movie. It tried to be feminist but ended up missing the mark because it's primary goal was profit all along.

[@cabbagecart-u3x]

yeah and seeing people defend it because "the movie is feminism! if people dislike the movie they dislike feminism!" is complete bullshit. sure its entertaining and you can like it but admittedly the social commentary was bad, if anything anti feminist and messy.

[@veronicaa4173]

@@cabbagecart-u3xno seriously like everyone I talk to puts me down for not liking it even tho I’m a woman, but it came off wrong to me, like how did they find that empowering? idk

[@Nirax3]

honestly the first act would have been a 5/5 imo just for the production design. Barbieland looks amazing, you can really tell it was made with love. I couldn't stop laughing because the visual jokes were so funny. ... But it should have stopped there. The plot tried to do something it could never do as the product it is and the mainstream audiences it's trying to reach. It was really awkward to watch at times. Overall I still think it's a pretty good comedy but I don't get why so many people think this is a feminist masterpiece.

[@bubblykoi]

​@@cabbagecart-u3xdefinitely agree!! I love the movie and I enjoyed it, it was fun and entertaining but I also felt something that just didn't sit right with me and when I saw this video I understand why I felt that way. you can love, hate, dislike the movie that's fine but if you're argument is bc "you hate this movie= you hate feminism" then that's the worst argument. have a civil conversation about it see each others points of view.

[@deepaws6755]

Weirdly I actually felt prettier after watching the movie. I think because it really helped heal my inner child with all the pink and glamour but I was very happily surprised that the movie took a feminist turn that I didn’t expect but was happy to see. It wasn’t perfect but touched on how so many women feel.

[@anny8720]

Yeah I feel like if you were in the target demographic of adult women reconnecting with their childhood and especially if you watched with your mom, the movie was kinda healing. Obviously 'girl power' of Mattel the company is a lot more overtly insidious than the movie but tbh as someone who's been very isolated and hasn't been to a physical theater since pre covid, dressing up in my all pink outfit that I cobbled together last minute from the few all pink clothes I already owned and wearing hot pink pants I hadn't worn in years and walking out after the movie ended was the prettiest I've felt all year as sad as that sounds 😭

[@joannelee5574]

Same LOL, and I’m pretty gnc so I was just giddy dressed like ken lmao I feel like this movie just resonated with me bc so many conversations I have with friends were just said OUT LOUD without worrying about being “too feminist” for a mega mainstream movie (which it isn’t lol, but blockbuster standards are on the floor) I definitely get why people have criticisms, but personally I just feel like there are SO, SO many pressures about the movie being too much, not enough, etc. and I feel like it’s alright it didn’t cover every facet of feminism/society. I personally just found it cathartic, not a super revolutionary feminist insight but just nice to see it talked in a sparkly movie with dance offs. A two-hour movie just isn’t enough to explore every aspect of capitalism, feminism, gender, especially in a movie that literally can’t exist without being signed off by the brand itself. For its limitations, I personally thought it was a fantastic time It’s just a little sad to me that the movie about the FATHER OF THE ATOMIC BOMB seems to have less baggage, but I get that the history of barbie and representations of women is just… so, so goddamn complicated. (Edit: my b for the essay, got carried away about the movie!!)

[@wrenclark4907]

same!!!! i felt so pretty

[@simbelmyne7767]

I agree with everyone in this thread. I can't fix global inequality but I can scrounge and borrow some pink clothes and go see a movie with my friends for the first time in years, and come away with something to talk about. Was it the feminist treatise of the century? No, but it was damn good and for lots of people, this level of feminism IS revolutionary. A baby step is still a step and I was impressed at the amount of good messaging they managed to get into a movie that was THIS fun to watch for such a wide demographic. People forget that "mainstream appeal" can be a good thing. I think it's worth celebrating.

[@joannelee5574]

@@EasyWater Omg, “feminist perfectionism” is the perfect way to put it!! It’s a very all or nothing take for such an absolute iceberg of a subject

[@mrbubbies_]

I heard “Kirby Barbie” instead of curvy Barbie and man I was so excited for a minute

[@goiabexp]

I would SO buy that

[@noodlesofrubber]

OMG SAME

[@PastelHime]

LMAO that would be the best barbie tho

[@naimvelasquez6079]

Honestly, Barbie was exactly what I thought it would be: training wheels for people who are just starting to get into actual feminism beyond the shallow girlpower commercials that are available for the general public. I felt so alone during the monologue because I could feel dozens of women having one-in-a-lifetime epiphanies around me, but I had already learned all that was said from random tumblr posts when I was 15. I had spent so much of my time reading article after article, book after book, thinking about all that I could experience in the world if only I wasn't bound by the identity of being a woman, that I felt like there was nothing for me to relate to. The movie was pretty, the message was cute, but I felt like I needed more nuance, more subtlety, something raw that actually encapsulated womanhood and girlhood, but I realized that a movie about a toy could never feature the amount of violence and rage that defined the experience of being a woman. It is a very necessary step, but it made it painfully clear how far behind the general public actually is when it comes to feminism. *Edit*: if you felt personally attacked by what I said, want to accuse me of whatever stupid delusions you have about my personal world view based on a youtube comment, want to accuse me of whatever oversimplified trope such as a pick me girl, don't like feminism, refuse to understand where I'm coming from, refuse to develop your own reading comprehension skills, or if you just feel like bothering someone; this is my warning for you before you come tell me all that: I don't care. Keep it to yourself, or keep in mind that you will not like my answer to your complaints. Keep scrolling and have a nice day.

[@elfodelputoinfierno]

Yeah! Though it makes me happy these women are having these epiphanies. If we are to really make change, their help will be necessary!

[@DrMandy]

Monologues like that have been in hundred’s of movies. I don’t feel it was supposed to be an epiphany. However, I liked that it ends with the “and thats just for a doll”. But for me, the moving aspect of Barbie was the nostalgia of girlhood, and all that could have been. I think it hit us Gen Xers differently.

[@naimvelasquez6079]

@DrMandy yeah I'm 21, my entire childhood revolved around barbie. I just donated about 40 of them, the whole collection of movies and three barbie houses to my local charity (since I'm going to college), they were my main toys

[@smerasingh6758]

I think it was because maybe in that moment Barbie herself was experiencing an epiphany? I think you articulated it very well though. I thought the movie was very well done, but it was definitely stuff I've heard before.

[@voidnoidoid]

I felt the same! I felt more when barbie was talking about how useless and hopeless she felt than during America's speech

[@mikeciul8599]

There was a scene where the Barbies try to defeat patriarchy by manipulating the Kens into fighting a war. I was ready to be super excited or super disappointed based on whether they realized that was in fact a key role offered to women in the patriarchy, and it would likely reinforce patriarchal structures of violence and control. In the end I was kind of meh - the Kens seemed to learn a bit from the experience, but the Barbies didn't do as much analysis of it as I hoped. But overall I went in without a lot of expectations and I enjoyed Barbie's emotional journey.

[@Mimim0n]

That's a super interesting take and not something I had considered. When I watched it my first association was that this was supposed to be an equivalent to how under patriarchy women are pitted against each other (e.g. Pick mes, nlogs, tradwives etc.). Because while the Kens went quite overboard with it, at the core of it they were banding together to get out of Barbiearchy, which is a legitimate cause. I wish it had been a Ken minority that went full redpill with the majority simply wanting equal rights and representation in Barbieland. And I wish they had been granted just that in the end, I think it would've made the ending a little less convoluted at least

[@tamamura9624]

@@Mimim0n I had the same interpretation as you, the barbies (which have the same power as men in the real world) pit the kens against eachother and maintain their own power. Only in their case, this was justified, because the ken solution was extreme (similar to early feminist movements, but with an easier rise to power). I do think that the kens only getting low ranking positions in the barbie government instead of proper representation and being ok with it is also relfective of the real world. women typically have lower positions and less power, so the slightest bit of it can make you proud and happy, and allows you to ignore the power imbalance, at least for a bit. it was just put a lot more blatantly in the movie

[@professorbutters]

@@Mimim0nI think that’s an important point, because the very first thing that Ken notices is that people look at him with respect. ANY respect, because in Barbieland, there is none. He can only bring back symbols of the manosphere: not patriarchy, which takes time to develop. He can only turn the tables, not build anything new.

[@abstractforest4546]

This is exactly how I felt! Have you read The Power by Naomi Alderman? It is essentially breaking down how *all* power structures are bad and the world wouldn’t suddenly be better if women are on top rather than men. The premise of the book is that women wake up one day with a deadly superpower that transforms them into the powerful ones using. Much like Barbie, they end up using tools of the patriarchy (in this case, physical violence) to achieve the aims. But the book actually critiques it.

[@mikeciul8599]

@@abstractforest4546 sounds cool! I think role reversal is a very tricky sort of commentary to get right. It's easy for the privileged to use the story to paint themselves as victims, which is missing the point in a really problematic way. I thought the movie did all right in that respect.

[@felixhenson9926]

As someone who's been collecting disabled Barbies, not only was Frida whitewashed and commercialised but her disability was all but erased.

[@LancelotGraal]

Yeah, everyone forgets she was disabled. And also queer.

[@kikikiller1153]

​@@LancelotGraaland that she was not a feminist at all, her boyfriend was sh*t and she kinda was too, but yeah, feminist icon woo hoo!

[@babyxblue]

​@@LancelotGraalwhat disability did she have?

[@Kaylisia25]

​@@babyxbluewhen she was young she suffered disabling injuries during a bus accident that included an iron rail puncturing her abdomen/uterus, making her infertile, and spinal damage. Some of her paintings were done during her recovery and a recurring theme in her paintings are pain.

[@JackyTMusic]

Presumably, Frida was suffering from CRPS post her accident. Fibromyalgia is also a term used when CRPS creates widespread dysfunction of the neuroimmune system and beyond; not just chronic pain in a regional area, but other middle brain dysfuction. I have Fibro and that's as basic as I get about it. Frida is amazing at conveying how Fibro feels through art and her ethos. Pity more people don't know what she was passionate about broadly speaking.

[@RADZina]

thank you SO MUCH for including citations when a fact is mentioned, not just when directly quoting something. working on a paper in this area and being able to find the articles is SO helpful

[@dorito4448]

I love that you highlight the worker's issues. That's so often ignored in today's consumerised feminism (and so much more important than some stupid girl power product).

[@SouravDas-vi1jh]

That's one of the deficits of today's rights movement. Workers' rights are just totally forgotten in the so called left wing

[@EverythingLvl]

Male movies: mass consumerism on an extraordinary level, adult men buying dolls, products, games, garbage, all of it mass produced One feminist movie: yeah bit did you consider before speaking on women that there are workers, the poor, the disabled, other ethnicities, religions, indigenous, the wartorn, the starving, nsjbdnckxjsnsb

[@StanleyNumber427]

"consumerised feminism" Why don't you just call it bourgeois feminism?

[@yeehawneehaw5215]

@@StanleyNumber427 not everyone reads theory and understands what that is, stop nitpicking and gatekeeping the conversation

[@StanleyNumber427]

@@yeehawneehaw5215 You don't need to read [much] theory to know what bourgeois feminism is. Although I'll point out that this aggressive opposition to reading theory is precisely one of the reasons we're still trapped in this capitalist mode of production.

[@beatafulop7213]

I never even expected Barbie to be particularly feminist. Nor did I expect to see myself represented, because I was never the kind of girl/woman represented by Barbie. So yeah. All of this criticism is 100% true, but, as you said, this movie was always going to be like this. On an artistic level, I liked it. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and is mostly just fun and a bit ridiculous. After a decade plus of "superheroes but without all the silly colorful parts" movies, it really did feel like a breath of fresh air. I wish we could have movies like this that are NOT blatant ads for giant corporations.

[@800Ms-k6n]

This and The Lego Movie proves that you can make movies based on toys without being too much of a giant product placement

[@ChelCM03]

I've loved Barbie ever since I was a little girl. I remember getting my first Barbie and dreamhouse for Christmas when I was 4 at Christmas. I really really really enjoyed the movie. I thought it was fun, theatrical, full of heart and a proper homage to Barbie's history. But I totally understand that this movie wasn't this big feminist masterpiece. Barbie, like literally everything nowadays, is a brand. Every TV series and movie is to sell tickets and merch, media corporations just want more money. Although Barbie was definitely made with waaaaaaaay more love and care than any of Disney's recent live action remakes no one asked for or any movie based on an already existing property, it doesn't escape this problem. However, where the movie lacks in "feminist" ideals, I feel like the Barbie movie does a way better job at talking about toxic masculinity and how harmful it is to both men AND women. Barbie experiencing sexual harassment and assault in the real world was jarring for her. She never experienced men being so disrespectful to her before, meanwhile Ken finally feels respected. In Barbieland the Kens don't have much if any power, and Ken felt like he wasn't being respected by Barbie. He goes to the real world and see men dominating the work force and athletics and stuff, and he finally feels understood and validated. Then when he brings the patriarchy to Barbieland, he does it to lash out at Barbie. He yells "You failed me!" in anger and frustration cause he didn't feel respected. The Barbie movie is a much better commentary on how toxic masculinity is harmful, and often a result of men being hurt and humiliated. Young boys find solidarity in the red pill community because their feelings are validated, and as a result they lash out at women, when the problem is their own standards. Ken brought all these specific rules for behavior because he thought it would earn Barbie's respect. But at the end of the movie, Ken says it was hard being a leader, and he's embarrassed to cry in front of Barbie, when she then tells him its okay. She apologizes to HIM. A lot of people have said "if this was TRULY a feminist movie then Barbieland should have been equal for Barbies AND Kens" and all I have to say is that it wasn't the point. The narrator even says "And soon one day the Kens will have just as much power in Barbieland as women do in the real world." Like thats the joke, its satire. Kens not having much power in Barbieland is a direct comparison to our world and how women STILL need to fight to be treated with respect in 2023. Thats the point of that ending. I could also say that the Barbie movie does a much better job at telling men AND women, "You DONT need to do everything in order to be worthy of respect. Simply existing as a human being should be enough. And there are many people happy with being ordinary, and thats okay" Stereotypical Barbie didn't want to be extraordinary, she just wanted to exist. She was happy doing normal things and simply being alive experiencing the wide range of human emotions. Being a human being is enough Anyway that was my take on the Barbie movie. Was it a feminist masterpiece? No. Did it excel in other areas? Very much. Was it a fun theater experience? Absolutely. I got dressed up and everything

[@simbelmyne7767]

Well put!!

[@Bluarlequinno]

I agree with this, I had all this thoughts but couldn't put them down, I agree with this comment very much, but at the end of the day is a brand so take away the positives, but don't forget it's a product at the end and be conscious I guess, still this comment embodies my thoughts of it in a way

[@katlyndobransky2419]

I completely agree, and a lot of people think that Barbie wanted to be human in order to be a mother. Which I think is beautiful. It connects with the mother character’s point that being a mother is enough for some women

[@SMACKADOOS]

good comment

[@Tralvan]

I think the film was great because the "feminist ideals" were a bit washed down, as I think the movie would never have its current success if it went a more radical route, so by still bringing up many "feminist ideals" albeit a washed down version, it still exposes a lot of womens issues in society not only to people who were already aware of those issues anyways because they've read feminist literature or something, but brings it in digestable form to many "normal" people including men who haven't really been exposed to those topics in a deeper way.

[@Axe-wieldingFox]

I remember as a child, my parents were reluctant about what barbies they gave me, sticking to academic barbies, like ones with medical degrees and such. And then one year, my aunt bought me a princess barbie. And I pretty much only played with her from then on.

[@citrus_sweet]

If your parents were more intelligent, they would've bought those science kits instead of dolls. I never got a doctor barbie but I did have those 3d books where you can pull the skin off of a skeleton and look at those plastic models of organs and muscle tendons with explanations of how the human body worked. A child who thinks space is cool would be more interested in a solar system set than a doll of Neil DeGrasse Tyson or something.

[@KD-ou2np]

@@citrus_sweetwell 😅 sounds like the clumsy missteps of some boomers trying their hand at gender equality. Sweet in a stupid way. “We should raise our daughter to be independent!…. Let’s see what do they have in the girls section..Um.. here’s doctor Barbie go play sweetie?”

[@_mister_midnight]

We all purposely blind ourselves to the fact that human nature is very shallow and superficial. And that's how we start as kids but people are stringy about admitting it. That shallowness follows us into adulthood but we try hard to make it seem like we aren't. The real reason why barbie is failing isn't because of it's lack of diversity or creativity, it's because kids are now more interested in phones.

[@emdove]

My mum bought me and my sister a doll from another brand, a black doll with natural hair and movable limbs, including all joints. In hindsight, it was so much better, but when she caved and got us actual (used) Barbie's, they took over. Just because everyone else had one.

[@agilemind6241]

@@emdove The social stigma is real and gross. I remember vividly how I felt like I was an alien as a kid because I was a girl who didn't like or want a barbie, and who felt horrified seeing the shelves upon shelves of pink junk in 'mainstream' kids toy shops. Even now, I avoid Toys 'R Us and the other big brands, and only go to small independent toy shops that actually have cool and interesting ungendered toys if I need to get something for a friend's kid.

[@myribunt5261]

Thank you for sharing about the real women making the toys :( I cant stand how aweful their conditions are :( This whole thing is so upseting and reflects most big buisnesses. I just feel so depressed about the world.

[@yachatta5997]

😢

[@madgds]

To me the movie isn't a feminist epic film, it's a satire that doesn't take things too seriously.

[@ofeliamarmbrandt9224]

This! ^^

[@Betra-fk8hg]

Agreeddd

[@sadlian3190]

My thoughts exactly

[@mediocreMayme]

This is a great take.

[@nyes4596]

THIS! people needs to wake up and see that not everything gas to be taken seriously!

[@TheQueenofNeckbeards]

agreed, the thing that sticks out most to me is that we know damn well most of the merchandise for this movie was made using sweatshop labor, not very girl power to exploit other people, including many women, in foreign countries.

[@bloodfiredrake7259]

I like how the fact that women are being exploited is more important than the fact that men are being exploited.

[@TheQueenofNeckbeards]

@@bloodfiredrake7259 only in relation to this movie focusing on female empowerment, can’t say i’m in favor of abusing humans of any gender.

[@puffena9013]

@@bloodfiredrake7259 You can reasonably argue that if female empowerment is all a person cares about that they could oppress men without contradiction. You cannot do the same if they oppress women too. It’s to point out the contradiction

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

@@bloodfiredrake7259 Who gives a fuck about men? We are talking about women here. Don't change the subject, and stop being an annoying ass.

[@Rapidlyapproachingmoth]

strong agree with this video essay. When I came out of the film i felt immedietly uncomfortable and icky. I didn't have the ability to put it into words to my friends who seemed to really love it, but I realise now that part of it was that I wanted and thought that the final message of the film was going to be equality... but it j u s t missed it, and i felt so awkward. the whole film felt awkward and plastic and fake.

[@BrandiG31]

I agree with this video wholeheartedly. I went to see Barbie expecting it to be a fun goofy movie with a feminist message, but I came out feeling... Confused. I wouldn't mind the film not being groundbreaking except that everyone is treating it like it is

[@clarkkent4665]

That's just feminism where they praise garbage produced by women because it's produced by a woman

[@goldjoyproducer]

This!!! Addressing Barbie’s shortcomings is important discourse as well, because understanding why Barbie fell short of expectations helps shed light on what an excellent, nuanced feminist film could actually look like.

[@beverlykrejsa5709]

Maybe what’s groundbreaking about the movie is not it’s approach to feminism. I came out a bit confused, but did not go in expecting a statement on feminism. I thought it was complex because of many things, but also fun from the humor, the sets! The way travel was presented, the costuming and how Barbie’s costumes became more human as the movie went on, how all parties grew, how I felt sorry for Ken, and uplifted by Barbie’s choices. The musicians and score!! Maybe not groundbreaking, but how so much detail was used, and what fun the cast had that was contagious. It was a good movie with good music and casting and detail. A quote I read was Mattel got comfortable with being uncomfortable, from Robbie, who thought Mattel would not go along with the script. Anyway, agree I came away with many feelings, but the movie made me think.

[@bunnywavyxx9524]

I agree

[@Kindlywaterbear]

Yes exactly how I was feeling. It’s less about a mainstream film not being radical and more that a lot of people made it seem like it was

[@telefonjoker23]

From what I've seen, the film does a pretty good job of deconstructing cis men's (toxic) masculinity through Ken (a lot of the praise of the film was more about him than Barbie), but it seems that in case of Barbie herself, the message is again "You can become anyone and do anything....as long as you keep up the appropriate amount of femininity"

[@gemmamoon5998]

It really felt like the Ken storyline was saying, “male identity doesn’t have to be defined by control over women and systems.” I thought that part was great. But yeah, Barbie’s storyline was pretty lackluster in its take on feminism, but I guess it was still relatable and fun. I’d watch it again, but it’s not a 10/10 for me :/

[@not_you_i_dont_even_know_you]

Huh. That's not the message I took away at all. Instead I walked with encouragement to be more human and enjoy every aspect of my humanity. America Ferrera's monologue about the expectations of women resonated. What were you hoping to see, or rather, what would've changed that message you felt?

[@gemmamoon5998]

@@not_you_i_dont_even_know_you Your description reminds me of Overly Sarcastic Production’s analysis of Pinocchio plots-that is, plots that explore what it means to be human. Barbie’s feminist critique might be shallow (as expected from Mattel) but its other themes and plot lines have lots of layers, which I enjoyed.

[@lajourdanne]

@@gemmamoon5998I agree to an extent. Barbie’s feminism storyline might have been lackluster but to be honest, seeing another whit feminism movie would have been really disappointing. She was stereotypical Barbie and as such she got bored and wanted the human experience in the end. She felt like her friends all had things going for them and there was nothing left for her there. I think throwing heavy handed white feminism on top would have diluted that message. So many stories explore the idea of human ideals coming in and destroying a society/community/planet (see Avatar, Pocahontas, Fern Gully, etc.) so simply replacing colonialism with patriarchy isn’t good writing. It isn’t creative and it boils down all conflict to us vs them instead of self exploration.

[@gemmamoon5998]

@@lajourdanne The issue is, I feel like it does have a sheen of white feminism, especially with America Ferrera’s monologue about the contradictions of being a woman, and the jokes about cellulite and cat-calling. But yeah, I’m glad it didn’t go any heavier with that stuff. Just hoped it would explore why people are so afraid of feminism and powerful women. BUT nevertheless, I had a great time and there are a lot of wonderful things about this movie, especially as someone who grew up on Barbie movies and Life in the Dreamhouse!

[@adventuretimeness222]

They didn’t even have Gloria (who’s job is will ferrell’s secretary I believe) get a promotion at the end of the movie. They made all these jokes about how the management at Mattel are all men and then at the end they *let* Gloria come up with her own kind of Barbie (who’s literally called “ordinary Barbie” and is implied to be based off of how she sees herself??) and frame her idea getting green lit as a huge feminist moment.

[@adventuretimeness222]

Along with this, they frame her as depressed and uninspired the whole movie. She literally starts playing with barbie again because she is lonely now that her daughter doesn’t talk or hang out with her. She’s married so why does the movie make her husband have less personality than ken and never highlight his failure to be a companion to his wife. Even ken can be a companion and the movie frames ken as annoying, but deserving of Barbie’s friendship basically, but this woman’s who is supposed to be affecting Barbie’s personality and thoughts is lonely so huh??? Gloria’s husband has no job, no opinions and does nothing in the movie but play duo lingo(which he does extremely poorly); he’s not even phased by a real life barbie going to her first gyno appointment???) he’s not even named despite his wife’s whole character is a depressed woman. They try and wipe that all away at the end but Gloria should seriously change more things in her life that saying an idea to the CEO and adopting this infantilized DOLL whose basically like a new stand in for her daughter. A daughter she relied on for friendship now replaced with a stand in daughter that is literally stereotypically perfect and meant to be anyone you imagine her to be. The movie is a mess! Edit: typos

[@jessefanshaw8948]

This was brought up in a tumblr post that said in the end nothing really changed in the real world and Barbieland. Yes Kens got an iota of rights and yes Gloria’s idea is going to be greenlit but that’s not revolutionary. Kens are still second class citizens and Gloria will not benefit from her idea and someone on the board will probably take credit for it. And that’s the point. Nothing changes because i guess gerwig expects the audience to be the onus for change. I don’t really know how to articulate it but you get the sense the the people behind the film are angry themselves at the state of the world and wants to audience to be angry with them so change can be made.

[@recreatio]

@@jessefanshaw8948 this is a really great take!

[@heiext]

@@jessefanshaw8948good take.

[@kuroshimeru2520]

I see it as an underlying criticism to Mattel, because the idea of the new barbie was only accepted, when another guy said it was a good one. I also like that she didnt get the promotion, bacause the real world still is infused with all these patriarchic ideas and its just not going to change that easily.

[@isabellagarcia2861]

This was such an eloquently spoken and non-cliché criticism of barbie, both the movie and mass-produced product. I cannot emphasize how much of an effect this had on me and I hope in my future writing I can try to do this topic a fraction of the justice you do!!!

[@cmgold00]

“It’s a mainstream film made for the widest possible audience trying to reach everyone at the same time without saying anything of any real substance” loved that and I also think the same thing could be said about Oppenheimer. Great video!!

[@ninagrace-lee8323]

Idk I feel like Oppenheimer was more of a mirror - self reflection. We become the main character trying to determine if the means justify the end. I got what I came for, and didn’t feel blindsided Barbie was too all over the place from a marketing standpoint, so no one knew what to expect. So we have conservatives and liberals missing the point bc there were too many points to make. Too much confusion about who the film was intended for and why

[@aliciacarreno5855]

trueeeeeeeeeeee

[@nicholaskatsikas4904]

Absolutely disagree about the Oppenheimer take. I think the film has a lot of substance behind it and a lot to ponder. Oppenheimer is also biopic examining a certain figure in history and often a good biopic gives a nuanced view of its subject without totally taking one side or another unless the actions of said historical figure were more often good.

[@camillecioffi5086]

i agree that this statement applies to barbie but when it comes to oppenheimer i completely disagree. oppenheimer was made for a wide audience, yes, but the message was absolutely of substance. it had one of the most powerful messages of a film that i’ve ever seen, with the critique of how we create our own destruction and how we give so much of our attention to relatively small issues (the whole third act with oppenheimer’a trial and strauss’ agenda against him) and how this takes so much attention away from the real issues (the creation of the atomic bomb and how that would forever change our society and the way we wage war). oppenheimer ABSOLUTELY has a message of substance, and more people should be taking that message and thinking deeply about it because of the ways it comes up in modern society.

[@ryanlocke1117]

what do u like good lord

[@kinpact6100]

It is hard finding a review about this movie that isn't just "Uhh feminism *spit* bad" but finally found the actual level headed, objective take I was looking for that can actually see the movie for what it really is, while showing me the injustices of mattel and a not public enough perspective on what barbie truly is. Glad I found this.

[@clarkkent4665]

But it literally is a feminist bad movie

[@gio3311]

No it isn't, you are watching the wrong side to see feminism.

[@user-rv7ge1tc4l]

@@clarkkent4665@clarkkent4665 I'd say it is a 2-hour-long attempt at improving Mattel's reputation, if anything.

[@catherineluk2414]

i watched this movie two days ago and the only word i could use to describe my takeaway was "underwhelmed". this video just read my mind and so constructively put together everything the movie was lacking. there was nothing new said in this movie, gloria's speech is a regurgitation of so many tiktok audios and i couldn't find a real lesson to be learned. i walked out of that theatre just realizing how little commentary they made on the real issues of women in the current society and played exactly into that.

[@johannesschutz780]

and yet this shallow commentary lead to soooooo much outrage

[@azules3435]

Yeah, I watched the movie weeks after it came out and given the medias reaction, I expected a way more in depth show of feminism. I mean really, the only thing that shocked me about the movie was when they pointed out pregnant barbie was discontinued due to being too "weird"

[@clarkkent4665]

What new could they say about feminism that hasn't already been said? I love how the complain of feminists now is that it wasn't feminist enough

[@clarkkent4665]

​@@johannesschutz780Perhaps because it IS shallow commentary

[@greenluxi]

@@johannesschutz780 Literally someone sneezing in the wrong direction could incite outrage in today's world. All those people making a fuss were trying to ride the coattails of the huge attention Barbie was getting. Attention the studios bought by pumping an ungodly amount of money into the marketing for this movie. There's a parasitic economy that has formed based simply on outrage content. Think of the amount of money Ben Shapiro made from going on his Barbie rant? I think people need to start putting these "outrage" trends into context. We no longer have a society where we share the same cultural spaces, people aren't just watching the same 3 network channels, there are just some many factions of people that it doesn't really make sense to say that just because one group of outrage content makers saw that there was money to be made by attaching their latest rant to a topical viral subject like Barbie---that doesn't mean that most people actually gave a fuck about Barbie, or that there was some big pushback against it. Barbie is the highest-grossing movie of the year, clearly, a small subset of people online did nothing to stop the success of the movie. In fact, symbiotically, the oppositional content probably drove more people to see it than otherwise would, that's why one of the more nefarious marketing techniques in modern internet times is to encourage negative content for whatever project you are launching because then it becomes an "us vs them" and people become more enthusiastic about your project because they feel like its success is fighting against the negative people, and then some of the negative people inadvertently also support the project by hate watching it. It feels weird that we've been in the thick of the internet culture for over 15 years now, and people still don't really pick up on this tactic. The producers of Barbie were happy there was backlash because it drove more sales, and the people doing the backlash were happy Barbie was made and was so popular so that they could get some money pretending to be outraged by it. A match made in heaven.---These are the kinds of strategies marketers get paid millions of dollars to orchestrate.

[@emi_no_yume1426]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1248">20:48</a> not the video cutting from the “curvy” Barbie to Margot Robbie and their bodies being exactly the same 💀

[@FTMdoom]

I often get scared to watch videos that are critical of movies I like because “what it ruins it for me?” But this video was awesome. You had a lot of good points and brought up things I wouldn’t have thought of. It’s great to have a new perspective, keep it up!

[@DriftPiss9000]

same

[@yachatta5997]

Ikr, I saw the thumbnail of this video before watching the movie, and while watching the movie I kept thinking, I wonder what my fave lefty critics think about this scene. It took away some of my immersion and enjoyment.

[@wthistreasureisummon]

that's how i feel too, i did enjoy watching the movie and really liked it but i'm scared that the critic videos are going to end up ruining it for me

[@agstinacueva1673]

Are yall like 14 or did someone fail to teach you critical thinking skills

[@titandarknight2698]

@@agstinacueva1673 Critical thinking skills got nothing to do with this. Sometimes people want to enjoy a story without hearing about all its criticisms. Let live

[@zenpie5093]

I think the movie was a good start to the topic of feminism for an audience that might not be that much into that topic. But sure it’s lacking in depth and I wish it would have had more time. Ps: of course it’s a capitalist movie that is trying to sell a brand so it can only get that critical and self aware. I still think it did the best it could.

[@gemmamoon5998]

It’s weird because it’s feminism felt so child-oriented, like “baby’s first feminist critique,” but the movie was definitely for middle schoolers and above, most of whom have already been exposed to these subjects. Edit: autocorrect is dumb

[@spookyho5994]

that actually describes it pretty well

[@BurnBluefireK]

My biggest hope for the film is that it hit people while their guard was down. I think this will be true for a lot of women in their late 30s and onwards who still haven't really recognized or internalized that their experiences are a systemic experience. I think a lot of people just went because they thought it would be a movie for their kids, despite the rating, and that's the exact audience I hope it does the most for.

[@gemmamoon5998]

@@BurnBluefireK That’s a great interpretation of it; I really like that viewpoint.

[@helenpetersen447]

@@BurnBluefireKme too!

[@ruplayinggame3080]

thank you for the little pro-labor rights treat!! 💝💖💗

[@lochlanhanham8308]

We get to have a little bit of labour rights... as a treat 😁

[@lily_doesthings]

I had to watch Barbie for a film class a month ago. I shared some of my frustrations with the film and I was the only one who saw it this way. It's refreshing to hear a perspective like this.

[@FruitBasketyay]

I was feeling this through the movie and no one else seemed to be able to see past the fun and hype for the movie. This is validating thank you

[@notaburneraccount]

I haven't watched the movie and don't plan to for my own reasons. I really appreciated this video.

[@WhenYoureAround]

Agreed! So freaking validating. Most people I’ve talked to defend it bc “it’s not serious, it’s just for fun”, but ignores the serious issues it has.

[@clarkkent4665]

Those people are called misogynists

[@moonunitrabbit]

@@clarkkent4665 ...for liking a movie?

[@paularubio2527]

Thanks for your video!! My sister and I both came out of the movie with a sense of disappointment we couldn’t explain, but when we started talking we came to this same conclusion: the film tries to say so many things and ends up saying nothing. Non of the problems have any kind of consecuences, not even in Barbieland -a fantasy world where anything could happen- where Kens are still considered inferior (and, of course, no changes or inclusion in the Mattel CEO team). It was a cool movie to watch, but I just wish they didn’t try so hard to present it as role-breaking and super progresive because it came out so flat it ruined the experience of a movie that could just have been fun. It seems strange to me everyone is loosing their minds over how good it is (i’ve read articles ranking it as one of the best films of the decade) and so little criticism about something that felt so obvious to both my sister and i

[@odiledrawsmessythings]

My thoughts exactly! The word that kept coming to mind was "flat" and I truly cannot understand the glorification of this movie

[@She_Sordid]

Ive watched a lot of reviews for barbie and everyone was saying it's progressive and a feminist movie while ignoring the fact that Kens are inferior and that there is a matriarchy. The whole point of feminism is for everyone to be equal not flip society on it's head the way barbieland is presented to us

[@karakanb3039]

Did they try to present it as groundbreaking tho? There was a lot of marketing, but I feel like it was mostly centred around being unapologetically girly - and how that doesn't disqualify it from being about something important. The part about the most groundbreaking piece of feminist media to date, that came from the internet and its expectations. And it *was* about several important things, regardless of how well we think it portrayed them. And it *was* fun and full of pink. There are A LOT of faults to this movie, but I don't think it's fair to judge it for expectations it did not set itself.

[@marte1376]

​@@She_Sordiddepends on what kind of feminist but equality is not the answer, since men and women are different historically

[@marte1376]

honestly, why are you all so disapointed, this movie is awesome, is an absolute masterpiece and I think speaks really well about so many issues people deal in theIr day to day life. Not because this movie is written about a feminist woman, is mandatory to Greta to find and give the ultimate solutions about mysogyny. A woman must not carry on her shoulders those expectations, that is the million dollar question, how do we transit to more empathethic societies not pursuing equality but equity. All of you that didnt like the movie and feel so superior in comparison to others who are less educated on the subject< ask yourself what are your contributions to a better world, seems you got all the answers and maybe should be doing your own movie

[@lex6576]

your commentary is spot on, I was unsure when I left the movie that I felt sort of unfulfilled. The watered down feminism, seems like they were just trying to hit quotas, they put 2 plus size barbies, one disable barbie and one trans barbie and that's all the representation these communities need. They tried to appear "anti-capitalist" with the goofy CEO and the executives but you also need to buy the barbie chatime tea, buy the barbie crocs, buy the new barbie clothing at cotton on and forever 21, buy barbie makeup at Ulta. This movie was made to make people spend money. They spit out broad feminist statements that essentially any decent person watching the movie would agree with as the movie can't tackle any real issues but only the looming idea of the patriarchy.

[@कनलदअ_गनगयव]

It’s basic feminism but men even in America (idk about western europe) freaked out about it

[@uniquechaos]

this , and even in the end it was still up to barbie (women) to make Ken (men) feel better about themselves & to validate his feelings & essentially made it to where ken had to take no responsibility for the way that he acted the entire film

[@ratatouisvuitton864]

THANK YOU! I don't get why people are giving it so much credit- All they did was throw around a bunch of miscellaneous buzzy feminist concepts that most people who aren't raging misogynists can agree with, without doing the hard work of properly applying them to the story and showing the real life implications, starting an actual conversation.

[@NicoleDSK]

I would have liked to see some commentary on the plus sized barbies... as it was it felt like they were glossing over the whole barbie body thing. The plus sized ones should have been named Happy to be Me and Lamilly.

[@thesevenkingswelove9554]

It was basic femininsm but still some are saying it's misandry.. Make it make sense

[@catherinejohnson2873]

I hate when I get got by marketing campaigns. I just wanted to wear sparkly pink clothes and feel empowered as a woman :( You’re so right though, I came out of Barbie both having an identity crisis and feeling bad about my body. I had no idea they had all those beauty industry partnerships!!! Terrifying honestly

[@milkingmatters8052]

I didn't watch the movie thinking it was going to be some kind of monumental commentary on anything. I didn't think it was supposed to be, so I guess seeing these criticisms about unmet expectations and stuff just throws me off. Barbie did make me cry, though. On three separate occasions throughout the film. Not because I felt "seen" or whatever during the speeches about the struggles of being a woman, but because of the scenes that made me think of my mom. Just made me appreciate her more, I don't know. I love my mom. I never really thought the Barbie movie was supposed to achieve all the things people are saying it failed to because it's Barbie. But all movies warrant criticism, and everyone receives movies, or any media, differently. I just thought it was fun.

[@majorjane1995]

I feel like this is what Greta Gerwig's movies are best at and I do wish she leaned into this aspect more for Barbie.

[@Otra_Chica_de_Internet]

@@majorjane1995 me too :( i feel like she bit off more than she could chew with this movie

[@Otra_Chica_de_Internet]

same! my mom picked me up after the movie and i was sobbing lmao i gave her the biggest hug

[@KookiesNolly]

Yeah honestly, learning how to do political actions IRL rather than jus treaction to media made under capitalism has truly helped me enjoy movies again. Like it helps divorcing the two by realizing that no amount of critiquing capitalists for not criticizing themselves enough in their products will have as much of an impact on the world than even helping one person eat today. Knowing that politics aren't about the moralities of the movies you watch and that the revolution will happen outside of movie theaters and the general theater of performative online activism helps putting things in perspective. When m walking into theathers to see big studio movies, I know I'm going to see a 2h ad, Im never suprised when they don't question capitalism and barely address the status quo bc even if the scenarists and directors wanted to, big studios would never let them go that far. At best they let huge metaphors slide bc, let's be honest, those guys in suits don't actually know much about art and don't realize what the metaphors are about half the time. But if a movie by a big studio wants to say something explicitly anti-capitalist or feminist or whatever that seeks to disrupt the status quo, it's piss easy to find ways in which the point is also undermined in the same movie. Barbie is a fine funny movie. But if you understand even the basics of capitalism, you knew that the mere existence of this movie meant it would never be a potent critique of Barbie let alone Mattel. IMHO the most useful political thing to do after complaining about Mattel is to help those exploited by them. I hate when people just stick to reaction and don't even share a meaningful call to action. Like at the very least you could go on the pages of SAG-AFTRA and support the striking workers who were exploited by Warner Bros. Constent reaction with zero action just makes you miserable long term.

[@funnylittlecreature]

well, that’s because it’s not about unmet expectations haha

[@09philj]

Barbie is an avatar of the American middle class consumerist woman herself repackaged as a consumer product and is a subject of constant fascination and controversy over her sexual nature. Therefore the correct director for the Barbie movie was actually David Cronenberg.

[@TyrannoNoddy]

ngl this sounds like a fascinating movie to watch

[@ivo8312]

that would be so epic

[@davidd4696]

It's called crimes of the future,dropped last year

[@SpecialBlanket]

oh my god

[@idrinkandiknowthings9738]

I loved this movie I think we could always do better but just to have a movie speak to the female experience and expose young women, at least even if it’s a little taste, it felt good honestly it left me feeling community with women

[@spookyho5994]

definitely agree

[@helenpetersen447]

I 100% agree!

[@Otra_Chica_de_Internet]

yes, i wish the movie was more about that instead of having the whole "ken takes over barbieland" plotline. The only times the movie was truly "great" was when it featured quiet, self reflective scenes. Like the bench scene or the montage.

[@CharlieTaggart]

I agree

[@ezdispenser]

One of the problems that I've often seen when people talk (or make media) about subverting stereotypes is that in doing so they also tend to uphold those stereotypes as the norm. They seemingly aren't able to phrase things in a way that isn't "Remember, it's okay to be weird and different from everybody else! That doesn't make you an ugly terrible person like they think you are!" Can't we just... exist?? Why do people feel the need to point out how different someone is and then reassure them that being different isn't wrong? Reminding people that they are different from societal norms, even if it's by attempting to "subvert" that stereotype, only reinforces the idea that those societal norms are.... normal. Something expected and unchangeable. It reminds people that they will be judged for being different, and that often prevents those people from being open about their differences out of fear or self-consciousness. A society cannot simultaneously say "We are all different and unique and we respect those differences because everyone is equal" and "People who are too different will be judged by everyone else, and that is something they need to 'overcome' to 'be themselves' " (This was brought on by the part where you commented on how the barbie movie made you feel worse about your body because it reminded you of how high the standards are)

[@fauxpolecat3456]

That reminds me of that one sonic boom quote. The one where Knuckles points out that calling attention to the fact that Amy is breaking gender roles implies that it’s an exception and not the status quo.

[@ezdispenser]

@@fauxpolecat3456 yeah!!

[@metetong2065]

Thanks I went out of the movie theatrer with a weird feeling of having been bamboozled and couldnt make critiques that the movie had not nullified while feeling that it was an empty shell, hinting at but never saying anything....your critique really helped me reorganized my thoughts

[@arodvaz1955]

Thank you for sharing your impressions, I would've felt the same way. I haven't seen the movie yet, because the prospect of of paying Mattel and Hollywood to take feminism, regift it and sell it back to me felt icky.

[@gingergreek]

I should be allowed to vote this video up more than once. I loved the Barbie film but the messaging felt hollow.

[@supergrasshoppergirl]

T H I S. I feel millenials are the first generation to be successfully coporation-ized. Our whole identities are tied to the products we consume, because we associate childhood wonder with the products we consumed when we were kids. And as generations go by, this seems to be becoming a bigger and bigger problem.

[@kerruhhh6954]

shoutout capitalism gotta love it

[@mrmcvittles1686]

Yes. And I’m sorry that happened, I feel like we GenX watched it happen- we fought it, rejected corporate consumer culture but the behemoth system and government coupled with corporate greed triggered a tidal wave that has been washing away substance and education and critical thinking for the masses ever since-Very few commenters in this feed seem to understand their place in history and the context of this movie.

[@sofiya7683]

Searched for this comment. Now I can rest😂 I had shivers running down my spine several times while watching this video.

[@YoungNaturalista]

Beautifully said

[@David-ww2sg]

so true. The way a lot of nostalgia and intimate memories of childhood are so closely connected to corporations and consumerism highlight the growing concerns we should have for these totalitarian entities.

[@totallynotafanficreader7850]

The movie really entertained me-- but not for the same reasons as my friends. I loved the dance choreo, and couple one-liners, the movie is gorgeous! ...but I couldn't understand why one of my friend's was crying during the big "feminist speech". It didn't feel like something to cry over; on the contrary, I was cringing. I've never had any sort of body image problems with Barbie, and I still don't, but I came out a little bitter about their idea of feminism. That speech about "men's expectations for women" felt so obvious, so shoehorned, like they had it in just to say they're progressive. Maybe I'm just a hater, but I really did like the movie! Regardless, there was a tiny seed of cringe inside of me by the end of it. Ironically, Ken's journey of mistreatment and his reaction to it felt more feminist. Still, the music is great and I've never felt negatively impacted by how Barbie looks, so I'll just be here singing along to more Dua Lipa.

[@danielmatson4209]

I thought it was super strange that Kens were supposed to parallel women's experience in the real world, and then the second they get power in the barbie world they abuse it (Something men say women will do if we let them have power) and then at the end they conclude that the Kens shouldn't have power because they just aren't capable of using it, but we can give them consolation prizes. At best it comes across as the "Men are naturally incompetent" trope in cartoons and TV, and at worst it comes across as a defense of how we treat women in the real world because the Kens are a stand in for the way they are treated.

[@romanepiquet1912]

I work in partnership with China Labor Watch, and worked on the French version of the 2020 Mattel report, that was specifically circling around gender based violence in the factories. You highlighting their incredible work is wonderful, thank you so much. On the GBV in the factories : for instance, one of the thing put up in place was a branch to receive sexual harrassment/violence complaints, which opening hours were afyer everyone had started their day until before everyone had finished. a few minutes walk necessary to go there, and the workers had to do it during their 10 mn break, which made the whole thing impossible. but, hey, on paper, there's this thing right ? for the 2020 report, Mattel gave out a response, saying they were going to do an audit with a "neutral NGO". they already do audits to review their factories, but with an audit firm made of toys companies. oh but hey, it's an audit, right ? It's been almost three years. We haven't heard of Mattel ever since. This "independent" (no one's ever heard of said NGO) audit ? Might as well never had happened. I understand the movie is a mainstream movie, so of course it will just gloss over feminism, it can't get all feminist theory, I get it. But I truly feel it could have been more obvious with its aim. Thanks again for the great amount of work and research you put in this, I have a whole new list of reading to do !

[@osperyrose2584]

I loved the movie and mostly see it as a good jumping point for a lot of interesting talks on gender and gender dynamics (I especially latched onto "weird Barbie" who felt like an accurate portrayal of the outsider feeling of being a queer woman in heteronormative woman spaces, but she was still a side character and small part). And ALSO I had some hang ups and am very glad to see a criticism that isnt misogyny or just "the feminism is preachy."

[@snowpocalypse69]

And Weird Barbie wasn't allowed to actually be queer in the movie. They carefully avoided directly portraying any queerness whatever. Even Earring Magic Ken's cock ring was replaced with a pendant that said "Barbie" (for the sake of distancing him from the gay undertones as much as possible??)

[@PrincessEowynn]

I personally had a great time at the Barbie movie, but it did kinda feel fairly steeped girl boss feminism or even an ad for how good Mattel and their products are, even while I was watching it. I’m super glad to hear your critiques of this, or even just any critiques that don’t mischaracterize the movie as violently misandrist

[@poocrayon4588]

It is misandrist. But in a way that felt intentional, like Mattels message was "hey remember the controversy about Barbie and girls body image? Well foget it and look at how much men suck!". And now it's given a generation of liberal women permission to buy their daughters Barbies. Mattel used Gerwig while she thought she was using them.

[@clarkkent4665]

Well it is misandrist

[@AuroniRahman]

@@clarkkent4665 damn i see you all over the comments saying barbie was misandrist, its bad because of feminism or something... it's one of the most inoffensive, sanitised portrayals of feminist themes there is. most of the man hating i feel came from 'haha ken stupid ken so so silly' but they kinda did that with barbie so idrk where youre coming from lol

[@liblib1597]

THANK YOU FOR THIS. I took my daughter to see the movie and we left feeling awkward. She (9yo) said "I thought it would be more fun but it was mostly confusing grown-up stuff". I couldn't shake the feeling that I must have missed something because the anticlimactic end felt like the "moral" was "Yes, it sucks to be a woman, but we put up with it anyways 🎉" not a very comforting takeaway, though I only heard others saying the movie moved them to tears and I 🤨 couldn't relate

[@kezia8027]

Thank you! It seemed like the moral was - just make men happy so they shut up and then go do things behind their back so you don't upset them! Because ultimately the Ken's having a meltdown is seen as the worst outcome, completely ignoring the very real problems the Barbies were having, not to mention stripping them of any agency because they've been 'brainwashed' and so can't possibly make a choice for themselves without the help of Barbie ©™® and they can't possibly be expected to grow up, so just go behind their backs and manipulate them! Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss Barbie!

[@oooh19]

at 9 you generally wouldn't understand a lot of that and be able to unpack it all you dont have the life experience

[@trashywifi]

First of all, the movie is being marketed to girls well under 13. There’s an entire line of Barbie dolls and accessories in the toy aisle, not to mention Barbiecore clothes and accessories in the children’s section

[@HusbandoCollector]

You're the weirdo for taking a9 year old to a PG 13 movie and then expecting the child to understand it...disappointed that you even got any upvotes, there truly are a lot of dumb ppl in this world

[@imthebossmermaid3648]

"Yes, it sucks to be a woman, but we put up with it anyways" yes, that is what I hated about the movie, too. Especially with America's monologue that just felt so bleak and hopeless, like women will always suffer and be tortured under the patriarchy's cruel, iron claws. Like we are nothing but victims. It was so pessimistic. I can't believe anyone ate it up and went "omg same!" and now I'll have to listen to bubblebrained white girls strut around parroting this movie like it invented women's rights and was oh so deep when it was literally nothing. Nothing but hollow, depressing slop. And then the latter half of the movie became all about Ken and Barbie apologizing for his male fragility. Ugh. Not a fan. 😕

[@swdsK]

Barbie's history as a doll is actually so much more complex. MJ Tanner recently did a video on the barbie mythos and how it erases other women entrepreneurs that pushed for a new kind of doll. In fact Lilli was NOT a "sexy doll made for men" those particular images are from a comic strip where she's rejecting a man's advances and said man harassing Lilli. She was a product of 50s humor, sure, but her whole sexdoll image was just a plot from mattel to tarnish Bild's image after stealing their product. Bild even tried to sue Mattel over this, but by the time they had learned of Barbie, her brand was just too big and easily overpowered them in the legal battle. Barbie was very important in its own right, but Mattel's erasure of women entrepreneurs and the tarnishing of the image of the people they stole from is not ok.

[@TheYesMan856]

finally someone said it, i'm tired of being told i just "don't have enough media literacy" every time i try to criticize the barbie movie. it mentions real problems, but it really fails when it comes to tackling them.

[@veronicaa4173]

honestly, everyone’s saying I’m missing the point but it’s all over the place and does a bad job of actually digging deep enough and executing it

[@sonofben3322]

it wouldve completely flopped if it went any further. even with how "surface level" the feminism is, people are still portraying it as some evil woke feminist propaganda

[@gem3763]

@@sonofben3322 I don't really think that's true. Anything even remotely feminist is going to be pushed back against with full strength, no matter how in-depth or shallow it is.

[@misssinisterseventy1553]

I’m tired of being compared to the alt-right men who wanna feel oppressed whenever I criticize this movie. I have basically complete opposite talking points to them, but for some reason people are so wound around this movie that they won’t listen to any criticism whatsoever.

[@clarkkent4665]

​@sonofben3322 well it IS woke feminist propaganda, no matter how shallow you consider it

[@Shlaps]

This entire film screamed "Look guys! We aren't misogynistic anymore and acknowledged our past! Please start buying our toys again!!"

[@Shlaps]

It feels a lot like rainbow capitalism. A lot of us hate it but its.. still better than no acknowledgement at all.

[@dumbartkid0156]

I disagree. To me and my sister (i'm afab), we felt the film let mattel apologise for their wrongdoings and recognised that while Barbie did empower women, they didn't save the world and also hurt women in different ways.

[@dumbartkid0156]

No hate though, a good movie is one that makes people think and it's nice to see a movie that the far-right deemed stupid to be much more profound

[@sanpellegrinolimonata]

I mean the board room scenes kinda disprove that. It’s not like Gerwig could overtly say anything too scathing about Mattel but i feel like she got the point across the best she could without getting in trouble w them

[@YumFit1]

@@dumbartkid0156 Ah yes. Empower women by exploiting bangladeshi boys who work in factories for 30 cents a day making those dolls

[@maddiemcgwire]

Barbie tells the old woman, "You're beautiful," and it's supposed to be revolutionary... But all I could think about was that it was reinforcing the idea that all women can ever aspire to be is "beautiful". Not wise, smart, generous, caring, vibrant. Just beautiful.

[@gemstone108]

I don’t think the takeaway is we’re supposed to “aspire” to be beautiful, I think it’s that EVERYONE is automatically beautiful, even if they don’t conform to standards or if they’re not young anymore. The lady says “I know it!” because she doesn’t need to aspire to it. Also, many of the Barbies and the side characters are shown to be smart and many other qualities! I liked the message of that scene because I too think everyone is beautiful and it’s your character and your actions that matter most in the end.

[@miyakakinshasa25]

Beauty means so much more than a pretty face in this context

[@rangoooo2312]

Yeah. Also Barbie calls herself and others ugly several times later in the movie, saying she has no worth now

[@rayesafan9628]

Ima gonna push back on this gently, even though I totally get what you’re saying. I think beautiful and attractive are two different things. Barbie is an unhealthy “beauty standard” but I think it’s really an unhealthy “attractive standard.” Beauty isn’t always pretty. The old lady isn’t “pretty”, and the “real world” isn’t “pretty”, but it’s beautiful. So when she said to the old lady “you’re beautiful”, and she said “I know”, because she was looking at real people at the park before, I think she meant my definition. Growing old is a beautiful, wonderful opportunity that not everybody gets. Reality is beautiful, because it’s real. I think that honestly should have been the message of the whole movie, and they should have taken out the whole patriarchy thing. Not because “gross, feminism”, but because that message fell flat. It had no chance. But the “plastic world vs real world” they slipped in was hitting home for me. And I really think they could have had a rounded out message with that.

[@lightofall]

Agreed

[@justk4929]

I felt quite conflicted at the end of Barbie for these exact reasons. I expected a bit too much whilst watching. But before I just wanted a fun glittery switch your brain off fun film. I wanted a Barbie in the real world. Simple film. Even with the same ending, which I still really enjoyed, but I wanted Barbie to realise the impact of herself irl. The ‘ideas live forever’ really stuck with me from the adverts and I thought we’d get a bit of a meta awareness of ideas being commodified. Also because the film still suffered from sexism, physicists can wear what they want, any world in which a gender has a domination of power sucks, Sasha was such wasted potential and an annoying part of the film. This comment is a bit of a mess but great video nonetheless.

[@GeteMachine]

I think if Barbie was just that literaly "barbie in the real world" nothing more, it would have been as bad as the 2010s live action movies that just did, that without a narrative.

[@ernie39]

I felt the same!!

[@aashnasaiyara4418]

i dont know if im missing something, but during the ending i felt like the barbieland had ended up like the real world, but now the men were in the women's place. there is an obvious matriarchy running barbieland, which is only sort of resolved in the end, the president saying the kens can only have lower end jobs. so why is this domination okay?

[@ernie39]

@@aashnasaiyara4418 my guess is bc, ideologically, it's less threatening to our irl systems of hierarchy (specifically patriarchy) for the movie to present the solution as Patriarchy, Except Opposite and Nicer instead of acknowledging that deconstructing/disregarding the hierarchy is an option.

[@ronaldreaganhater6982]

​@@aashnasaiyara4418the line about that says that one day the Ken's will have as much power as women do in the real world. I don't think it's supposed to be seen as better just a continued allegory

[@AllTheArtsy]

As soon as the story veered into Barbie and Ken going into the "real world," I think the movie lost its way. It would have been one thing, if perhaps the story was for Barbie to inspire America Ferrera's mom character into finding joy and inspiration again or something? And if Ken actually had found his own goals and a personality outside of Barbie? Instead we got a preachy, trite and banal "feminism" that's just.... so "duh" it made me question if I was a real woman with real woman problems lol. Was that all it took? Why were the Barbies even deprogrammed by that speech, when they have no class consciousness? They live in a perfect world where they rule all. They never had to contend with any of those things that the mom was talking about. I just didn't get it. It felt like the first day of Feminism 101.

[@kialo6790]

Ken turns the Barbieland patriarchal, aka Kendom, and so the Barbies experienced those things women face irl Also, that part should be peachy (it's extended to a fun kidnapping scene anyway) coz it is what you should DO--you should SAY the dilemma women face irl That is not only thing to do of coz but it's a very important thing to do and no one before thinks about it, this is the groundbreaking part of this film

[@hannahsmith4007]

⁠@@kialo6790yeah, it annoys me that people don’t think the messaging is complex enough, you’re living in an echo chamber of your own feminism of you think it’s banal. I took my friends to see it and some of them were just getting their head around what the message was. They don’t read any literature on feminism, or gender gaps etc, they just live their lives and think that that is it. It literally barbie, it doesn’t need to be complex in a way that hardcore feminist my find fun, it just needed to speak to THE WHOLE AUDIENCE. Men and women (and anyone else). The movie took shots at itself about capitalism, and as you said it used barbieland as a alternate universe to display a point about power, gender roles, belonging and self identity. Plus lots of deprogramming starts with a simple conversation, this ain’t dr who.

[@alejandrocervantes3624]

This is The goddamn coment that I was looking for!! THANK YOU! The whole movie past The second act just made me numb! In a was that just had me cringing on my seat thinking "how are they even gonna end this?" 😳

[@margoalex.]

Quick correction: Barbie actually wasn't the first non-baby doll to be successful in America and the Bild Lilli doll wasn't actually intended for men. The mjtanner channel on KZbin made a great video on this but basically, to simplify it, Mattel has rewritten history to make it seem like Barbie was the first and best of its kind. Also the point of the original Beauty and the Beast movie isn't that Belle learns to love the beast. It's that the beast learns to love her and therefore learns to put another person's needs in front of his own. Lindsay Ellis also made a good video about this.

[@Lily-nx5yd]

That’s really interesting, I’m gunna check these videos out too!

[@cynsational7225]

I believe the Beauty and the Beast movie is based on other folktales that represented arranged marriages

[@giselle_kvm]

Thank. You. There's a lot of things in this video that irked me.

[@samf.s.7731]

I have a confession, I like Disney's original Beauty and The Beast. Yes, it's not a movie about Belle falling in the love with the beast, it's the other way around 😊 My parents used to watch it with me when I was a child, my sister and brother were there too. I loved it 😊

[@ethansloan]

That Lindsay Ellis video is an absolute classic. I was reminded of it while watching Barbie, about how she talks about the remake specifically bringing up a bunch of bad-faith criticisms of the first film to create an air of progressiveness without actually addressing any genuine criticisms that may have existed. Like in Barbie, they have Gloria's daughter (name escapes me at the moment) give her little rant about how sexist and regressive Barbie is, and it's over the top and clearly exaggerated so we're meant to view all of those critiques, and any others that aren't stated, as incorrect and foolish. But the film doesn't address why she has these opinions. It doesn't address why her opinions change over the course of the film. While it does sort of talk about the sexist parts of her critique, I recall her saying something about capitalism or consumerism or something to that effect, and that certainly doesn't get addressed. Or does it? When the male Mattel exec talks about not caring if his company makes money, he only wants to empower girls, was that the film addressing the capitalist critique? I liked the movie, it was a lot of fun, but I went in expecting to absolutely love it, so I felt a little let down. I think it would have worked better had they not made token attempts to handwave every possible criticism of Barbie and just stuck with using Barbie and Ken to talk about patriarchy and sexism. Or they could have used Barbie to focus more on Gloria and her daughter and talk about things like body image, and female relationships, or traditional vs non-traditional femininity. The movie tried to do so much that it doesn't really focus on and nail down any one aspect, which results in it tacitly endorsing a lot of kind of problematic stuff. Still, it has possibly the best final line a Hollywood movie has ever had. That alone was worth the price of admission.

[@evervioletevening]

i truly love this essay. while watching the movie, i constantly experienced whiplash & the anti-climactic messaging was surprisingly underwhelming. i wanted more nuance to barbie's pink feminism. yes, ultimately weird barbie, allan, and the other discontinued barbies/kens help barbie un-brainwash the others, but they're not included in the celebration. they're barely thanked for helping, or even recognized for how they, too, are affected by the kens' oppression. there was so much room for intersectionality. i truly loved how we got to see barbie with the old lady, but the impact fell apart so easily with how clumsy or shallow the other messaging was. rambling now, but love this video so, so much, it truly voices things that i could not write myself.

[@lapinpuff]

I'm thankful for this video. I adored the film, laughed a ton and got so caught up in the pretty pastel wonderland of my dreams, but left feeling strangely lost after the ending... I expected an equal world where Barbies and Kens could be whatever they wanted and live in harmony...it felt kind of weird to play it off as a joke and push them back into boxes. I also couldn't quite understand why Barbie would willingly become a human woman after seeing and hearing of the horrors of it all. Well, I get it's because she wanted the full human experience which was sweet, but I still think that part was slightly underbaked. I don't know. I thought maybe I was just too much of a dummy, but it makes me happy that I'm not alone! Again, I like the movie a lot and it's a ton of fun. I just don't think it's quiiite the feminist masterpiece people are claiming haha

[@hannahsmith4007]

Barbie had been exposed to the real world, she felt more emotion in it, she connected to it in a way she didn’t in the barbie world. She also thought growing old was beautiful, in barbieland people don’t age. And in the end she wanted to be more than just a doll. It feels more like she had been enlightened as to the true nature of “women” (and humanity) rather than being caged by what a patriarchal ideal had instilled into her. There’s not really any room in barbie land to explore yourself further in barbie land, the barbie in the film is curious and I don’t really see barbie land as a thriving place for the curious

[@lapinpuff]

@@hannahsmith4007 No I totally get that, I thought it was a beautiful message but it just felt a little rushed imo!

[@hannahsmith4007]

The ending did seem odd, but o think it was purposeful of them saying to the Ken’s “ohhh you can work your way up” because we all know that the ceiling just gets a little higher and we all have to fight even more to break it the higher up you go, and less of us make it. It’s just a reflection of how the real world treats people who ask for equality. It’s given in drips and drabs and never as a whole package. Equality has never been reached overnight.

[@lapinpuff]

@@hannahsmith4007 Eh I guess. I still think it could have been executed way better. I appreciate your perspective though!

[@ernie39]

agreed!!

[@comfort-and-joy]

From what I’ve read about the movie, I’m curious if there’s a critique along the lines of Kyla Schuller’s “the trouble with white women” - the way white feminism elevated gender as *the only* axis of oppression or solidarity. And men as *the great evil.*

[@Carolina57685]

I can understand calling it white feminism, but a big point of the movie was that men aren't inherently evil and that patriarchy harms everyone

[@eajaros]

In other words the film never touches on even the concept of intersectionality?

[@TripleA_Battery]

@@eajarosSasha calls Barbie “White Saviour Barbie” if that counts

[@dollhauslibrary]

I'd say it's kinda yes and no. The film is certainly only focused only on gendered oppression, but it's a lot more empathetic to men and the way patriarchy fails them too than most radical white feminist writing I've seen. It feels to me like it lampshades intersectionality with president Barbie and Sahsa's "ok white savior Barbie" without saying much about the subject, but idk how much a film signed-off by Mattel and staring a pretty white stereotypical Barbie was ever capable of taking the subject to task while still being a functional film.

[@kataminedj]

YES!!!! I was thinking that! There’s no critique about how barbies are almost all blonde and white, with only token dark skinned dolls. Because that is the beauty standard, and non white women are told over and over they don’t fit that standard! They dont get the representation of a woman of colour in many different careers.

[@kid14346]

I get that this is a big product push by a capitalist film... but I really did enjoy portions of it. The big ones being the commitment to the bit. The absurdist nature of the architecture, the fact that the ambulance is a playset, and they all pantomime their daily actions. The way physics moved as if the characters were being played with like the car flips, Barbie just floating because her house doesn't have stairs, etc. There were also some lines in it that I really liked looking at if through a queer lens. The biggest one being "I don't need to ask permission to be a human?" For some reason that hit me really hard because it feels like a Pinocchio story but the solution isn't get someone else's permission/power to become real. I'm sure many queer people remember feeling growing up after looking for people of authority to give them permission to be what they want. Also just the Ken Battle musical number... it was soooooo gay so so so so so so so gay and I hope this film gives a lot of gay awakenings.

[@leogirl6695]

A lot of people felt that not just queer ppl.

[@kid14346]

@@leogirl6695 i said queer lense in the sense of Queer Theory Film Analysis. I know other people can relate to it without being queer.

[@leogirl6695]

@@kid14346 good for you to know that.

[@valmarsiglia]

Yeah, the same thing happened with Wonder Woman, which was also praised as some sort of feminist breakthrough. Because nothing says feminism like a protagonist who's beautiful by Hollywood standards running around in a skimpy costume, lol.

[@iferlyf8172]

The original German version was actually merchandise for a popular comic strip, not a weird fetish thing

[@acutelilmint8035]

Ya I saw a really good video about that and all the women before the Barbie doll. But like they said - history is written and rewritten by the winners.. and Mattel destoryed that German toy company,, and the legacy of all the independant women before Barbie - the mass manufactured doll aimed at the middle class.

[@stationarywanderer7910]

It was a lewd fetish comic strip for men. Do some research.

[@quinnsmith6092]

it was totally a weird sex thing! Bild Lilli was meant to be given to adult men as a gag gift because she's sexy-- the comics were about her being sexual toward men and being sexualized by men. I took a class where we covered this in uni for my German minor

[@AnarchistEagle]

I enjoyed the Barbie movie a lot. I'll probably watch it again with more friends when it comes out on digital. The first part of the movie did make me cry as it reminded me of how I would play barbies with my sister growing up. But yeah, in the first 5 minutes I said to myself "Oh, this movie is gonna have a lot of white feminism" but later the movie proved me wrong. It's actually *inclusive* white feminism. After all, what's more feminist than skinny beautiful women of all skin tones reenacting the same systems of oppression created by men in the real world? It's a very fun movie, but Barbie was never going to be a revolution.

[@LineOfThy]

what is your understanding of the film?@@alexbennet4195

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

It's so frustrating because even this mainstream, watered-down "feminism" is often targeted by sexists, misogynists, and general assholes. There are so many bad faith criticisms that it can be hard to find good takes that are critical of the work in question. Thank you so much for this.

[@clarkkent4665]

What would be the "extreme" version of feminism? Them calling them men pigs or something?

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

@@clarkkent4665 Historically, extreme feminism like the suffragettes and radical feminists participated in riots and led bombings, hunger strikes, and other forms of destructive demonstration, under the argument that because they were second-class citizens then they had no reason to NOT disrupt the social order. From a modern perspective, radical feminism focuses on abortion/healthcare rights and access, opposing war, getting protections for people leaving abusive relationships, making mainstream feminism revolve around intersectionality and trans-inclusivity, and opening discourse about rape culture. There's not a lot that's extreme about it unless you're actively breaking the law by helping people get abortions or things like that. I would say that the most radical feminists are the women leading movements like Black Lives Matter or other women who risk their lives to fight systemic injustice.

[@ShoegazeForever]

"There is no ethical consumption under capitalism" is a phrase that will never be proven wrong

[@qunituabastard1754]

i frankly don't understand this quote whenever it's brought up

[@amelieschulze7487]

​​@@qunituabastard1754I think it means that when you look behind the veneer of brands that market themselves as "ethically sustainable", you more often than not find that they will cut moral corners in the background (wages, working conditions) where their customers can't see, not because they're inherently malicious but because the system fundamentally incentivises placing monetary gain above human needs. The problem isn't malicious intent, it's disinterest in anything that does not provide a financial net positive. It consequently advocates for less consumption rather than "ethical" consumption

[@SeanHartnett-t8c]

@@qunituabastard1754 because everything we do, results in massive social harm and screws someone somewhere. Pollutes the 3rd world, slave labor in the 3rd world, sweatshops

[@SeanHartnett-t8c]

@@amelieschulze7487 maybe we simply don’t meed capitalism anymore

[@Kindlywaterbear]

@@qunituabastard1754 And also building off of what Amelie said, not only are a lot of individual companies exploiting people for profit, but entire countries (ahem ahem US) exploit other countries, especially those in the global south, for materials. Underdeveloped countries are often preyed upon by countries with more influence in order to gain valuable resources such as valuable minerals and, in a lot of cases, oil. Congo is currently a very good example of this. And aside from the exploitation of resources in other countries, the conditions of labor in other countries is also exploited. Companies will move factories and such to countries where it is easier to exploit people, whether because of a more desperate workforce, more lax labor laws, or really any condition that makes it easier. TL;DR No consumption is ethical because at the root of it, exploitation was used in order to make those products somewhere along the line

[@PlatinumAltaria]

When I came out of the movie I was wondering why they allowed it to be made when it so heavily criticises them. Now that I've watched this I realise that the only reason they allowed that criticism to be aired was so they could be seen on the right side of things.

[@ecksFamasecks]

When I was in university I took critical theory and we read some great writing on institutional critique. But the most important point our professor brought up was to think of our own institution's place within these structures and how they can be perceived as progressive for hosting this kind of discussion while being able to control the narrative. And it really hits home when we consider empty, performative gestures like land acknowledgements which recognizes this land was stolen but yet does nothing to rectify it because our school sits on one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the country.

[@Kindlywaterbear]

Yeah bc they also kind of get to control the way the critique is portrayed too. Like when Sasha was criticizing Barbie it was framed as a joke and her being over the top, especially with the fascist line kind of taking away from everything she said before and making her whole argument seem unfounded and she was just juggling buzzwords, even though most of her points were perfectly good arguments

[@KD-ou2np]

Knowing that in the back of my mind gave me this reaaally creepy feeling. Like I enjoyed the movie but I also had this sensation I was watching a long form toy commercial scientifically engineered to make me want to buy Barbie. And it worked! Even though I know it’s capitalist propaganda I still want to buy myself a Barbie for some reason now AND I obviously still want her clothes and to look like her. And yet it gives me chills the way they carefully sidestep issues Ike weight, and race, and the elephant in the room, income inequality just so as not to bother the audience with too many questions or draw too much controversy that would make doll sales go down. Capitalism and selling Barbie is a big part of the problems with Barbie and why Barbie is the way it is, but that message is a threat to the movie and company itself.

[@user-rv7ge1tc4l]

They literally disassociated their product from any negativity, making Barbie seem like a little poor victim when it is inherently a pretty messed up product. They are genius. It is just one big commercial for Mattel, and it has improved its reputation.

[@user-rv7ge1tc4l]

@@KD-ou2np this is literally what they were going for. I can't believe people don't see this. Nothing has changed, the product is still messed up. It is just that now Barbie is seen as some innocent victim that was wronged by society, when in reality, Barbie was the cause of a lot of it. This was a genius marketing move.

[@trinaq]

I liked this movie, but it was more moralistic and preachy than I was expecting. The ending might have worked better had it shown both Barbie's and Kens living in mutual harmony, but no, the Kens get barely a slap on their wrists, and everything is the Barbies' way again.

[@tariqthomas9090]

I feel the same. The movie was fun and at times hilarious, but it was veeeery didactic and lacking strong character writing. It’s one thing to have commentary, but the commentary isn’t really saying anything particularly groundbreaking. I feel like there were stronger ways to explore those topics. Also, not really a criticism, but I did NOT enjoy watching Margot Robbie cry so many times.

[@trinaq]

@@tariqthomas9090 Great to see you this side of KZbin, Tariq. We were all expecting a fun family movie, but we didn't expect it to get THAT dark. The depression Barbie advert made me crack up, though I agree that seeing Margot Robbie repeatedly cry got old, no matter how talented she is.

[@Chris_winthers]

I think Oppenheimer was better

[@lajourdanne]

I think they got a slap on the wrist because they too were brainwashed. It took all the Kens saying “I am Ken” to snap out of it. The point was that a human idea was introduced to a bunch of dolls who had never been previously exposed to it so they “weren’t immune to it” (mentioned in the movie).

[@gemmamoon5998]

The ending of “now the Kens may one day have as much power as women have in the real world!” was definitely a funny ending, but felt a bit mean-spirited? Wouldn’t it be nice if Barbieland became a model of all people learning to exist amongst each other regardless of gender?

[@opheliarosewood7847]

Im glad im not the only one thag felt kinda bad about myself after the movie. Its hard for this movie to make jokes about body image issues through the lens of purpousfully perfect looking characters. Like- did they ever actually say that cellulite is an okay and attractive thing? I feel like they never actually conculuded that bit.

[@user-es7ui5mc1m]

No they didn't! I think it's supposed to be implied when she chooses to go to the real world in the end (= she's okay with the "symptoms of malfunctioning", she wears Birkenstocks) and/or when she compliments the older woman earlier (basically saying that phyiscal change and different looking bodies are okay), but it never gets brought up explicitly, and for a movie that has such a "tell, don't show" way of addressing its other feminist issues, I thought this was a huuuge oversight.

[@Nopinopa]

I just LOVE how you give reference to EVERY fact and research you mention so we could check it ourselves.

[@Ayshafr]

I just watched the movie yesterday and absolutely loved it. Super interested to hear your take. I think it was a great fun, satirical, feel-good movie. It's not perfect social commentary by any means but it had enough self-awareness to make up for it and I think they did an excellent job esp considering they worked with Mattel.

[@spookyho5994]

agreed, and I think even though the social commentary could've been explored in more depth, I think they really hit the mark with the emotional aspects, the scene between Ruth and Barbie toward the end especially

[@Ayshafr]

After watching the video, I definitely agree with all of the points. I still enjoyed the movie, though. I didn't expect it to be groundbreaking or radical, and tbh my expectations of the feminism part of it all were quite low. It definitely touched on the very popular talking points and wasn't really trying to be subversive. But I think the movie itself pointed out how it was the way it was because they knew it would sell, in the ending where they talk about ordinary Barbie. I watched the movie with my friend and her family and we talked about how this was a great marketing strategy for them and how Mattel was definitely going to be selling a lot more products after this, which was funny given the few vaguely anti-consumerism/anti-corporation comments in the movie. Definitely very obviously performative but you could see that plainly in the movie. But coming from a movie made with Mattel, it was far more self criticism than I expected, and I definitely would not expect any real change from them, so I guess for me the oopsies we're so bad uwu act was enough for me lol. I still had a great time and wasn't really annoyed by the same things you were, though I can definitely understand it. I've never watched Little Women and tbh had no clue what Greta Gerwig's name was supposed to lend to the movie besides the fact that she's an award winning director, so I didn't consider that her name specifically would be used to paint it as a #feminist masterpiece, so that point was really interesting. Also of course you made excellent points about the workers' rights violations/exploitation and the environmental damage that the production of all the Barbie toys/merch yield. Thank you so much for making this video. I've been wanting to watch a review of the movie but most of the thumbnails I've seen have been about how the movie is anti-man garbage so I've been too afraid to click on anything lol, but no one else who I'm actually subscribed to has made a video yet. I'm sure I'll be seeing plenty of them soon but this was the kind of review/criticism I've been wanting to see.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I thought it was a Fever Dream in the best way possible as a Queer Barbie Stan. Gloria and Barbie should’ve co-raised Sasha in the end. P.S. I was clapping in the theatre seeing ‘Depression Barbie’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995).

[@trinaq]

Preach, that joke made me crack up laughing. Love seeing Colin Firth in his prime. 😍Also, Barbie read as an Asexual Lesbian to me, she had great chemistry with Gloria, despite her already having a husband. I don't believe that we ever even learned the husband's name.

[@not_you_i_dont_even_know_you]

Oh my god depression barbie was waaaay too on the nose 😂

[@fallingawayfromthenorm]

I felt violently attacked by the Depression Barbie as someone who has incorporated the BBC 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice into my frequent viewing rotation of depression shows lmao. I almost screamed in theater 🤣

[@AuroniRahman]

@@trinaq yeah he was just on duo the whole time 😭😭

[@lizzie7516]

Throughout the movie all I could think about was how they were saying "Well yeah, Barbie promotes unrealistic beauty standards, but she didn't mean it!!! She only had good intentions guys 🥺🥺🥺 "

[@poocrayon4588]

"hey remember the talk about Barbie and girls self esteem? Well now forget it and look over there at the patriachy!"

[@poocrayon4588]

@lovelikedaisie That's true, but it was still an issue that was talked about and now mattel has essentially rebranding as man bashing and feminist and all the morons who were complaining about Barbie being bad for body image now love her, even though it's the same doll.

[@coralflorist]

​@nerychristian that's not true for people who have conditions that make it harder to lose weight

[@lizzie7516]

@markstein2845 yes, that is also a huge issue!! I completely agree that in action figures and even in real life, there are lots of bodies that are completely unattainable without steroids or something incredibly unhealthy. However, next time, why don't we present this as its own issue, rather than saying "hate to be the guy to say this but, compared to what this men's issue is, this woman's issue is pathetic" maybe, let's work on our wording and you could even put this as a seperate comment, without the barbie being 'pathetically realistic'...

[@Kindlywaterbear]

@markstein2845you are right about the fact that toys of men aren’t much better but to frame it as some contrast to the issue with toys of women is not only going to make a lot of people dislike you and dismiss your point as being anti feminist, but also doesn’t really portray either issue fairly. Instead of trying to compare and contrast the two issues, it’s really more productive to see that they’re both kind of part of the same problem, which is that toys portray often unrealistic beauty standards regardless of gender. The truth is, patriarchy also hurts men, and a lot of times gender norms are actually reinforced more harshly on men than on women. This is not to say that the patriarchy doesn’t also harm women and benefit men in some ways, such as better access to positions of power, but simply just to say that it’s not a competition of who’s more affected, and we both have the same enemy, patriarchy.

[@hamsydehamster616]

Finally someone who talks about this while the Barbie movie and its marketing is making so many others ignore the fact that the feminism is so surface level and on the nose. Thank you.

[@Franci22]

I went to see the movie yesterday and your review puts into words why I felt so disappointed by it. I now realize that, as someone who reads a lot of intersectional feminist theory, I was not the target audience for this movie and should not have had such high expectations. Thank you for bringing my attention to the working conditions of the women who work in Mattel's factories.

[@gemmamoon5998]

I was hoping that this film would simply not discuss Barbie as a doll and the baggage that comes with it and instead tell a story of how male fragility and feminism interact as Barbie and Ken explore the real world. Instead of exploring the dynamics of Barbie and Ken, or even how Ken is sort of a manifestation of straight men’s fears of what they would become under feminism and break that down, instead we got a story trying to justify Barbie as a representative of womanhood. I had a great time watching the movie, but they could’ve made a very deep story about how men & women interact without harming Mattel’s image by exploring feminism through men’s worst nightmare of feminism (i.e., emasculated men and overbearing women) and how that fear is so hypocritical in a patriarchal society. But instead we got a movie saying “Barbie is just like us!”

[@losersinc]

I totally get this take! I also would’ve loved to see this though I feel like this movie was more of a metaphor of growing up as a woman and Barbie was just the vessel that story was told through. Like when your a child, you think everything is perfect and sparkly. But as you get older, men start to look at you differently and you begin to be treated as though you’re an object. You’re emotions are everywhere and you feel helpless. But over time while those things may never change, you can see the joy and bond women can feel over this shared experience. In the beginning, Barbie wanted to go back to being perfect. But when she met the old woman at the bus stop, her feelings changed. I think being the stereotypical Barbie made her feel lackluster, as all of her friends had jobs and aspirations. She wanted to have a purpose, and I think her becoming human was her discovering what she wanted. Greta Gerwig did quite a job in my opinion adding some layers to this story. Yes, they could’ve done so much more and you can see that in the film. But Mattel was already pretty against the movie from the start and wanted to take some of the most important scenes in the film that made the most impact. This film I think could be the the start of more directors making movies about the woman experience that will be able to go more into those kinds of discussions. And I would say that Barbie can be a representative of womanhood, as she was the first doll for girls who was a woman, and had careers. She was independent and didn’t worry about men or her family. In her first dollhouse there was no kitchen. She was made to tell girls that there was more out there for them besides being a house wife and mother. Obviously she’s just a character, and isn’t supposed to recreate what a woman is one to one. She’s an idea that inspires young girls to become strong women and to show them that they are capable to accomplish great things.

[@GeteMachine]

Lets hope for a deeper sequel that considers these ideas, with more modern themes.

[@anny8720]

@@GeteMachine I would enjoy a ken centric self discovery sequel with a barbara dealing with irl life subplot

[@sukindiamuzik]

I swear they said all that tho? That's the message I got from it!

[@gemmamoon5998]

@@sukindiamuzik I think these themes were hinted at, but the movie spent a lot of time defending Barbie as a doll and a brand, and I wish they hadn’t focused so much on that aspect.

[@davidcomito505]

There was a line from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" where Jessica Rabit says "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." There was a certain amount of commentary about being an entity designed purly for consumption that was so unexpected for that movie. It seems like something Barbie is trying for but not quite getting there.

[@mellowgeekstudio]

It was a joke, a play on words between "born" and "drawn". You are projecting your own thoughts on it, just like this person did.

[@ivymuncher]

@@mellowgeekstudioi mean that IS what you do when interpreting media haha

[@mellowgeekstudio]

@@ivymuncher if you don't know the difference between the audience "projecting" their own thoughts upon media and the audience "interpreting" the author's thoughts behind said media then I am afraid I can't comment any further on this matter.

[@ivymuncher]

@@mellowgeekstudio ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@wormz4guts]

you were able to articulate exactly what i found off putting about the barbie movie. it's been super frustrating to just be written off as jaded by most people i've talked to about this movie.

[@orangjeuic7530]

i saw so many positive, powerful reactions from people online after seeing the movie, and it made me feel uneasy. i watched the barbie movie and came out of it thinking it fell kind of flat. sure, i was emotional during america's dialogue, and during barbie's becoming-human scene, but it felt...like a scam. like i was being told this by a company--it just didn't feel right. it made me sad seeing all the positive reactions because i felt like i missed something, like i didn't connect somehow, like i was reading into it too much, like i was taking away from how great the movie was because i was so focused on the fact that it was signed off on by mattel. thank you for this video, it made me feel like i wasn't alone in my disappointment and discontent with the movie.

[@littlemissmello]

I guess I have better self esteem (and/or am more arrogant) because me being sad was that the people around me were not seeing what a scam corporate feminism is.

[@just_foxy35]

Hearing all of the different takeaways from everyone I'm starting to think either 1) a lot of people misunderstood the movie 2) we saw two completely different movies 3) I am way too autistic for this world

[@wintabread]

I'm the same as #3

[@jibrael7740]

You're not too autistic, tbh some people are just biased.

[@verigumetin4291]

I think some people take this movie too seriously. They expected some deep feminist commentary that gave them further insights, without taking into account the thousands of hours they have spent researching the subject themselves which even a scientific paper might not further their knowledge. It's a mainstream feminist movie about dolls that allot of women can connect to. But everyone in this comment section is like "BUT WHY ARE MY FRIENDS WHO ARN"T CRONICALLY ONLINE LIKE ME ENOYING THIS SIMPLE FEMINIST MOVIE?!!!" Fuck, it's so annoying that some people these days have forgotten to just lean back and relax.

[@valscottage]

@@verigumetin4291 THIS someone finally said it perfectly, thank you. people really be nitckpicking everything nowadays

[@kellylyons1038]

​@@verigumetin4291spot on. I saw this movie opening wknd, and i had heard nothing about a feminist plot (based on the trailer i thought it'd be about mental health which i was excited for). I was a bit surprised by what it was actually about, but didnt bat much of an eye. I just wanted to see a visually stunning pink comedy, thats all. It wasnt groundbreaking to me but i knew this global freak-out would happen and i have been annoyed ever since.

[@Boahemaa]

This was brilliant. I was thinking that Barbie is being defended in the same way that women singers like Beyonce get defended whenever their cosplay of liberation language for relatability that translates to album sales and ticket sales gets critiqued. I'm so glad you took it back to Spice Girls because yes of course!

[@oooh19]

growing up in the 90s my friends and i were very young not even double digits we loved spice girls and it was empowering seeing different kinds of young women in the band and being friends

[@priyaiddalgi3721]

Honestly, I completely agree with this critique. It really tried to make so many points but they al fell flat and seemed fake. Another thing that seemed that so off to me in the movie was that when Ken takes over Barbieland and the Barbies finally try to outsmart the Kens, instead of making a good plan, they use JEALOUSY and turn the Kens against each other. This makes it seem like women can't really do anything other than use jealousy and their attractiveness to distract men or whatever. Why couldn't they bring proper reform through reason? Idk this movie mostly icked me out even though it was entertaining in places.

[@gemstone108]

Because a last act of a movie with just characters talking things out would be boring

[@oooh19]

the Kens probably wouldn't listen

[@Theroha]

It honestly was a good plan. Under patriarchy, the only real threat to a man's position is another man. The Barbies recognized that and planned a strategy to take advantage of it. The core of the film was "patriarchy hurts everyone". The downfall of Kendom Land was patriarchy.

[@marinap5372]

on all of my social medias I've gotten overwhelming positive reactions about this movie , people claiming its so feminist , made them cry , changed their life , gave them meaning etc , and thats fine im pretty sure some of them were exxagarating for comedic purposes and its fine even if they werent but seeing all of those made me feel a little crazy because I felt so dissapointed by the film and this video is a great great criticism of it . Heck even these first comments I am seeing are pretty positive . I don't know its like people are scared to say its bad or smthing. Barbie is basically space jam for girls to me , its ok its fun but its very much an ad .

[@srspeep]

YES, this was my experience too. It felt like the core concept of the movie was so muddled and if that doesn't work all you're left with is an advert with some fun/interesting sketches scattered throughout.

[@dawert2667]

Space jam for girls…. So accurate, yet so strange….

[@afgusti4269]

I didnt feel disappointed really because it was a barbie movie. I expected feminism to be sprinkled here and there but nothing to radical, a liberal soft feminism really. What shocked me is women's reaction to this movie. As you say some are claiming it was life changing, I have a friend who today sent a text to our group chat asking if we dont feel that barbie allowed us to be more comfortable being femenine. That she is seeing more pink in the streets and so one. Another replied "Yes, you can see it on the streets" I was shocked at this. I liked the movie, I enjoyed it a lot. But this movie hasnt changed the world. It hasnt allowed women to be more womanly or anything. The truth is I dress up to go see it, I put on a skirt and a pink shirt even thou I never were more femenine clothes. This wasnt cause Barbie made me feel it was okay. It was because I was doing it fdor myself, I was doing it with the emotion of relieving my chldhood experiences. Because I knew I could dress silly and no one would bat an eye because everyone would be doing the same, and because I would be sorrounded by women who were in on the joke, there would be no guys trying to flirt with me or staring. It wasnt barbie that changed anything. It was the knowledge that I would be sorrounded by women, an no men, who wouldnt be judging me. Where I could dress pink and girly and not let that define me. Because any other day I wouldnt have felt comfortable. The power of change wasnty in the barbie movie but in us women. Thank you for coming to my ted talk

[@AllTheArtsy]

I had a friend tell me she cried so much and I was like.... about what? The equivalent of a Hallmark card? It, to me, felt so empty and trite and banal. Like the first day of Feminism 101. Where was the unpacking of all the criticisms the teenage girls levelled at Barbie? Why was half the film even made about the Kens? It's like the movie wanted to be a justification for Barbie being a women empowerment icon. but it's so hollow. I commend it for trying to tackle those themes, but only as much as I commend someone entering a race who then proceed to hobble, skip a bit and fall flat on their face.

[@srspeep]

@@afgusti4269 That's a great point! I am also not a femme dresser in my day to day but I pinked up too and a lil bunch of us were barbies and kens when we went to see it and it was a really fun joyful time with the women and the men who weren't ashamed or embarrassed to have fun with it too, even if half of us were underwhelmed with the actual movie. Turns out the intersectional supportive feminism was inside us the whole time :D

[@Kozamae]

I fully appreciate a real criticism of the brand and movie. I'm kinda glad the movie doesn't "solve" inequality because our world hasn't solved those issues in two hours either. I love the Ken storyline is reflective of our real world. And also when we saw Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as leads we should have known it would be a movie with dark undertones

[@gaymooshroom371]

What's the bet that the Frida Kahlo doll has absolutely no trace of her physical disability 👀

[@cococoffee2305]

I mean, do we really have to bet on that?😀