The White Feminism of Barbie Oscar Discourse

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[@TJThomas116]

Minor correction: Lily Gladstone is the first Native American actress to be nominated but is not the first indigenous: Yalitza Aparicio is an indigenous Mexican woman and she was nominated for Roma

[@PhillipKellyBenton]

Not looking for beef :D but this reminded me of the partner of a coworker being confused when he asked me if I was latino/hispanic/spanish ... his brain could not grasp that I could claim inclusion in more than one bc he didn't understand how they overlap. Native vs Indigenous feels the same to me so I had to look it up to see if my feeling matched what I thought. Sorry, this is gonna be even more pedantic smh ... but according to UCLA RESOURCES ON NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS (and most post I found about this) - "Generally, Indigenous refers to those peoples with pre-existing sovereignty who were living together as a community prior to contact with settler populations, most often - though not exclusively - Europeans" , the whole FAQ is very instructive but overall "Indigenous" can serve as an umbrella term within which First Nations, Native American, Mixtec/Triqui (Yalitza Aparicio parents background) fall within. Overall. I think this was a good bc I learned something; I'd just say that this is a problem with media, capitalism and how we're trying to be more inclusive. It creates this weird conversations, which is what Jesse is talking about here, that were pitting ourselves against each other bc it sounds better in a headline to the "FIRST" than the second. In the case of Lilly Gladstone they could've describe her as both ... "First Native American" as well as the second "Indigenous" nominee.

[@nobodycares-q9o]

same correction was done in the Yhara video

[@searchingfororion]

​@@PhillipKellyBentonIf you want the "inside scoop" (I'm U.S indigenous and have interacted with tribal groups all over the country - even Inuit, but they're a special circumstance to what I'm about to relay); Although Native American is technically correct and used by groups ect, and you're highly unlikely to insult anyone by using it (except perhaps Inuits but it's definitely preferred over "Eskimo"), indigenous is better but if you *really* want to please someone - "First Nation" is the term to use. It makes their day. If you're at an open pow-wow or something and making light conversation, just drop that phrase. "Nice to meet you. I haven't been to many First Nation events." (ect) They'll light up. It's also a good indicator of appreciation over appropriation. Similarly, there's a term folks from India use - but definitely make sure it's a casual environment don't randomly spout it to your server or something. "Desi".

[@PhillipKellyBenton]

@@searchingfororion thanks for the tip/info I'll try to keep it in mind in case the occasion comes 👍

[@searchingfororion]

@@PhillipKellyBenton Depending on where you're located, there are a lot more open First Nation events (typically free admission as well) than most are aware of at first glance. It can take a bit of poking around, but they're incredibly enjoyable. Pow-Wows are high energy, usually have folks from a variety of tribes (rather common for groups to travel from all over to participate), screenings/film festivals since the talent in the industry is starting to get recognition - you can get first glance of films and documentaries (mostly indie and grassroot, but sometimes larger projects), there is also the occasional sweat lodge but there's a lot more "do's" and "don'ts" not to mention it can be very intense - so I'd suggest waiting on that one until having had more experience with ritual. I *will* say frybread is a *must* along with "Indian Tacos" (obviously an inaccurate term but how I've already seen them labeled on signs, most likely to simplify things for newbies and between groups) are something everyone should get to enjoy at least once. ---- Out of curiosity, what *is* your lineage? Assumptions can be made of course, but I'm never fond of that (especially since many have done so with me. - It's *really* an interesting experience to have your merit evaluated based on melanin concentration) - additionally I'm curious what 'flavors' if you will, as I personally find all cultures fascinating and intersectionality even more so.

[@BustedHeart]

God, the idea that a country can only submit one movie to the Oscars is like, mind boggling.

[@snakelemon]

Why is it mind boggling? The Academy Awards are just an American (or at least internationally English speaking) constitution. So I understand that there is just one category for international films. I also understand you can only nominate so many in one category. And I think there are more countries who’d have potential brilliant films every year than the number of international films eligible to be nominated. So, I think it’s a good compromise that each country can only submit one film. (Or at least have a small limited number at best). But I think it’s nice to only have one film per country nominated, so that more countries represented rather than having a country being represented too often.

[@yotam6x7]

For the international film category yes. France for example didn't submit Anatomy of a Fall for that category and submitted a different movie for international film.

[@fish3977]

US number one!

[@brianapereira2694]

@@snakelemon I think it's more that the Oscars are so American-centric that the only way any of the other 180ish countries can get recognized is through the one international film category. Other countries just don't have any big awards like the Oscars. Adding on, I know there are international film festivals, like Cannes, but even then, it feels weirds cuz 1) not every film submitted to a film festival is seeking an award, it's just for fun/publicity, and 2) there's only a few international film festivals, but more (at least in how it feels/appears) more American award groups: Oscars, Emmies, Globes, etc. So, yeah, I get why having only one category as a catch-all for international films is upsetting.

[@Completely-Hatstand]

Jessie,how you thought you'd be able to build the lego-esque Sauron tower when, like me, you talk with your hands all the time is completely beyond me, bless you for at least trying. Hugs.

[@fourcatsandagarden]

I'd be the same haha. I'd plan to have something to keep my hands busy to calm them down then talk with them anyway.

[@BrianBorges-ez3ls]

😂

[@ShadowProject01]

So true 😂

[@jijitters]

-esque*

[@Beto_Serrano]

As a film major: Fuck the Oscars

[@andromidius]

Agreed. At best its a popularity contest, at worst its a form of social bullying.

[@minerman60101]

Follow Joel Haver's advice and shoot a film during the runtime of the Oscars

[@daisyramos4126]

As a film major: agreed

[@cortomaltese5206]

As a normal person: same

[@ElvenTinuviel]

As a lay person: it really looks like the Oscars have been struggling and failing to remain relevant. Why even bother with them?

[@PromisingLocalBandsEtAlia]

While Killers of the Flower Moon resonated with me as Indigenous but what really bothered me about both the non-fiction book and the film centered everything on white men and made the Osage, especially Osage women, passive. If only there was a better source for this story…oh wait, there is! Mean Spirit, the Pulitzer Prize nominated novel for fiction, was written by Linda Hogan, Chickasaw Nation’s writer in residence. It’s a far more powerful work and I can almost guarantee that KotFM’s author David Grann was very much aware of its existence. Who can say if Scorsese knows of this novel but imagine what could have been if he had used that as the basis for his film. Or better yet, how about an Indigenous filmmaker and writer bringing Mean Spirit to the big screen! Now THAT would be something amazing to see!

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Thanks for the book recommendation! I'm definitely going to be checking that out.

[@hazelsingh3887]

@@thing_under_the_stairsme too!

[@oliviayeates3931]

I had heard about "A Pipe for February" by Charles Redcorn, but not that one. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@KookiesNolly]

I'm not indigenous but I think Scorcese would've been the wrong director for a Mean Spirit adaptation as it would've led to many criticizing him because it wasn't his story to tell. And I believe he was very much aware of that especially given who he chose to play at the end. Hopefully the success of KOTFM will help indigenous directors to get more funding to tell their own stories for a wider audience. Because if we're being real, it's Scorcese's name that carried most of the hype for this movie. I can't name a single indigenous american in the film industry who has a reputation that helps getting that much funding, big names and butts in seats. The story of the Osage deserve a bigger stage, hopefully now people will give it.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@KookiesNolly That's true. I'm sure that if I looked into the background of some of my favourite local (Canadian) filmmakers, one or two would come from an Indigenous background, but at the moment, the only even partly Indigenous filmmaker from *anywhere* I can think of off the top of my head is Taika Waititi. And I'm pretty sure that him being a producer for "Reservation Dogs" is a large part of how it's both managed to find an audience, and kept the people working on it honest to their subject. Overall, we need more people from ALL groups other than old white men who can have that kind of draw, so that so many other stories can be told well and faithfully.

[@crwmy]

Since I’ve learnt that the Oscars were a union busting move to prevent actors from banding together, it does not surprise me how, at its core, it is still a tool for division today, as your point about the effect of competition at the Academy Awards highlights.

[@vu-trathechildofhorrors5859]

Just felt like bringing this up. I’m really glad you brought up Alan in your video. When I was watching Barbie and theatres I couldn’t help but feel as though he was meant to represent those living outside the gender binary, and for some reason, I didn’t find myself bringing it up with anyone until recently. While I know that I as an enby wasn’t the main audience of that movie, it still somewhat frustrates me how by the end, Alan is very much still othered by the Barbies and Kens, and that no parts ofthe film bother to question that. And as for the Oscar’s, I already have a lot of beef with them for how they have zero respect for animated movies. I also want to recommend you check out Blue Eye Samurai if you haven’t seen it already.

[@jamie1602]

He kind of is. Alan brings up that many Alans escape Barbieland because they don't fit in with the Barbie brand. Not even with the Kens who they're supposed to be "best friends" with. The joke is that a group of Alans escaped and became a certain famous boy band. Yeah. A certain famous boy band with an out and proud member. I laughed and that's when I realized, that's the joke. And in an interview, Alan is potentially not straight and if you feel he's queer coded, you should be getting that from the portrayal. He doesn't fit into this place. The hyper masculinity that the Kens fall for is something that Alan (and all Alans) won't ever fall for because they're "born that way". We're picking up those queer vibes because that's the easiest to see but we can fit a lot of things in here. Don't ever respect the Oscars for how they treat animated movies, comedies, or musicals. Ever. If you're not a straight, white man between a certain height and they make an exception for about ten men in Hollywood, you're not getting in this club. None of this shocked me at all. People get "lifetime achievement awards" because they get snubbed for years. Anyone who has an interest in this industry knows we don't really trust the Oscars.

[@janosrock]

9:24 poor guillermo del toro, you can see his face go "welp she's not wrong, know i feel a little guilty"

[@dinosaysrawr]

He's a good bean.

[@KogXV]

I think Ken is put in a really weird position in the movie. He and all the Kens and Alan are positioned clearly as a representation of the role of ostracized gender like how women is in the real world and it really muddles the metaphor. Ken introduces the Patriarchy but from his position he and the Kens are the underclass? The gender swap nature of Barbieland and the real world I think makes sense with just the nature of Barbie but in doing so with comparison of the real world it can feel fairly weird I think.

[@GeteMachine]

I think the movie misses the fact that Ken dolls only exists to be Barbie's partner only because of the expectation that women are incomplete or there is something wrong with them if they arent successful and with a conventual attractive man, which is imposed on them both. Like an arranging marriage rather than it really being the fault of the Barbies themselves. Being single or a casual dater and successful as a woman is frowned upon. Where as a man can be these things and assumed to be a player or chad. Though I think it was lightly touched upon when Barbie just wanted to be Ken's friend, and he took the more incel male-authoritarian route in reaction to it.

[@annabela.1673]

I totally agree. I enjoyed the beginning of the film because it was fun and colorful, but the over-all social analysis, analogy and message were so meh so bland. When America Ferrera's character began with her speech about how women also deserves respect, not only it was very boring but was I thinking "what is this? the ending of a 2000s movie when the protagonist goes on stage and gives the crown a speech on how everybody is special??"

[@nalday2534]

Exactly. Ken goes through the most dilemma in the movie. Maybe Greta should've done better job writing female characters

[@lkeke35]

I have observed that privileged storytellers (IE white men and women) ALWAYS get that specific oppression dynamic wrong. ALWAYS!!!

[@ladygrey4113]

17:04 nope! This was put forward by Jaqueline Keeler who doesn’t think the Yaqui (one of the tribes littlefeather claims heritage to) isn’t real because they traditionally had territories on both sides of the now American and Mexican border and that mixed Black indigenous aren’t really native either. She was fired from Indian Country Today and kicked out of the Native American Journalists Association. There are many indigenous writers who have soundly criticized her so called research methods as well as her beliefs that border on blood quantum’s. I recommend Let's Talk About Jacqueline Keeler | by Frances Danger As a starter.

[@michaeltonus3888]

"More *clap* Female *clap* Drone Pilots *clap*" feminism as applied to film criticism.

[@christineherrmann205]

When is the Internet NOT freaking out?

[@zainmudassir2964]

Never

[@morenicginiusthegreat4227]

I read the ending of Barbie completely differently. I think that the Kens not getting full equality at the end was supposed to be a bittersweet moment that reflects the frustratingly slow progress of society in terms of women's rights. Throughout history, women have gained some level of equality, but it's never been the whole deal, and it still isn't today. The fact that the Kens have obtained some level of equality, but are still being oppressed will naturally frustrate the audience, a reaction supported by the narrator's admission that the ending is not perfect. Ultimately, it's purpose is not to function as an endorsement of revenge, but as a reflection of a painful reality. The world has been made a better place, but theres still a lot of work left to do.

[@claynorth964]

But that doesnt work. In the real world progress is slow, but just 5 minutes earlier in the film this universe changed from a matriarchy to a patriarchy within a day. so by the rules the movie itself sets up, the women could have easily done everything in a day. they decided not out of spite. Also, when i saw it in theaters, all the women around me when they heard the voice over about men getting lower level positions just like women, all laughed in that "ha ha" way as a dig to men. So it clearly was taken as a spiteful action by audiences. The scene is clearly supposed to say "now you know what it feels like, Ha!"

[@venusluv-i1v]

@@claynorth964 I don't think it's a bad thing for men to see themselves getting a taste to see what it is like to be oppressed though. This way it can help them think a little more about how they treat others.

[@harisfareed4599]

The world is now a better place? Or just the west?

[@morenicginiusthegreat4227]

@@harisfareed4599 You make a good point. I’ll admit my post is West centric. I’m adding this part to clarify something. I think it could be argued that women’s rights as a whole have improved throughout the entire world, but I wasn’t thinking of those arguments when I made this post, I was kinda just thinking of America. I still stand by my reading of the film, though. Also, I capitalized the “y” at the start of my comment.

[@calebwilliamsmusician]

Beautifully put. This was exactly my take as well.

[@Caterfree10]

Oh, the part where you talked abt the all male nominees for best director when Guillermo del Toro was nominated reminds me of post TFA when John Boyega and Oscar Isaac were added to the Academy but Daisy Ridley wasn’t and people got pissed abt that. Like, it doesn’t take a genius to know black and Latino rep in the academy is crap too, ya know? On another note, it feels really gross to me that someone asked Lily Gladstone abt the Oscar snub thing. Especially given I’m pretty sure she’s the first indigenous woman nominated in that category.

[@josebazan3371]

I agree with everything, but just a correction, the first indigenous woman was yalitza aparicio, not her.

[@pkbutter]

@@josebazan3371 yeah, yalitza aparicio was the first indigenous woman nominated (specifically for Roma) but Lily Gladstone is the first native *american* woman to be nominated in the category

[@guzkus1]

Great video! Just a couple things: Yalitza Aparicio is Indigenous and she was nominated for an Oscar, and the Natalie Portman clip is from the Golden Globes when Greta Gerwig was not nominated for directing Lady Bird. She ended up being nominated at the Oscars, the 5th of 8 women ever nominated. But there's only ever been one year where two women were nominated for director at the Oscars, and only one woman of color has been nominated for Best Director. The Greta Gerwig and Fantasia Barrino snubs 100% suggest misogyny and racism in the Academy; I think most of us agree on that.

[@Cazra-VaporwaveWitch]

Maybe the Barbies should have just let the Kens have their own mojo dojo casa houses on the beach.

[@josemaria8177]

I will say that the real oscar snub was May December until the cows come home. Todd Haynes, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore all deserved at least a nomination.

[@jackmonaghan8477]

And especially a Best Supporting Actor nom for Charles Melton (from the CW to Todd Haynes). He was the definite standout.

[@roadrollerdio565]

Past Lives and Greta Lee! Other than EEAAO, Asian-led movies that get in the Oscar conversation often don't get nominations for actors.

[@Slimeranchchampion]

May December was very boring imo, wasn’t as good as everyone said it was. I felt like the ending was “wait her dating him was bad the whole time???” It just fell flat

[@rowanc88]

No Mica Levi, Joe Hisaishi and Daniel Pemberton in Original Score!!!

[@sajking7269]

Charles Melton deserved the award imo, his performance was the best I've seen in ages, absolutely incredible. Julianne Moore also ate.

[@pezor]

there's no reason for the Oscars to exist anymore, if there ever was

[@jadedcienna]

White feminism leads way more easily to white supremacy than it does to intersectional feminism--it's a truly terrible "introduction" to conceptualizing equality. I really can't stand the argument that Barbie is good or at least benign because it's only an "introductory" piece of media. That defense in and of itself betrays a lack of critical thinking and familiarity with intersectional feminism in its proponents. Anyway, thanks for speaking on this.

[@clarem8784]

I think people are forgetting this was a movie about Barbie. The entire time I was watching it I was stunned that Mattel let them make this movie. I can't imagine that they could have gone farther with it, really. Perhaps they can in the future, because Mattel knew that this made money. But Barbie is a very valuable property and I don't think for her first movie they were going to let let Greta Gerwig just do whatever the hell she wanted- with zero notes. Also, I kept seeing people saying that Ryan Gosling should decline his nomination in solidarity. That's hilarious!. That doesn't help anybody. His nomination helps the film. Every nomination is money that that film gets back in sales and marketing. I think WB attacked him if he had tried...

[@calebwilliamsmusician]

100% agree with you.

[@Lady-Y]

15:21 - on this note, as an Indigenous American, I think the primary tension is that this story isn't news to any of us (as opposed to it being "filtered through a white lens" so to speak). That said, I'm really glad the film exists, because this increased general understanding that most of the stories told about us are FAKE means we can finally start telling the stories about us that are REAL. I can only speak for myself, but I don't fault Scorsese for that as much as thank him.

[@cbpd89]

I would hope that this film sends the message to the bigwigs in Hollywood that general audiences would absolutely enjoy films that center indigenous people and are made by indigenous people. I'm worried that what they will learn the wrong lesson (because they almost always learn the wrong lesson) and fail to support those kinds of projects.

[@catdragon2584]

The thing that really sucks about the competition of the Oscar’s is that getting one is a big deal. Not just in the representation aspect, but also that winning opens doors for you to be able to do more and make more within the industry.

[@etherealtb6021]

Exactly! I don't the the ST Disco spin off would be happening if Michelle Yeoh hadn't won the Oscar!

[@lkeke35]

Unless of course you are a woman of color because there have been a few poc who have won Oscars, and doors still were not opened for them. Their careers still stalled, their artistic sensibilities got stifled, they still didn't end up in the rarified spaces that white nominated people end up. Example: Viola Davis has won two Oscars and still has trouble getting paid equitably and getting her projects made.

[@foxesofautumn]

That was slated long before she won her Oscar.

[@davidmylchreest3306]

That a film which starts with the premise that the tokenistic gesture of having dolls with careers did not somehow 'solve' female inequality has resulted in discourse that says unless these two women get the tokenistic gesture of an Oscar nomination we have we have also failed to 'solve' female equality is somewhat ironic. Thank you for reminding people that both MR and GG got nominations elsewhere in different categories. As someone who follows the Oscars closely, that this point has been missed by so many has been driving me mad. Both Celine Song and Justine Triet made terrific movies this year, and Triet IS nominated for best director. Just two women were nominated for Best Director in the last century, but we've had seven female nominees and three wins this century. I have watched the Oscars since I was a kid and what I love about it is that it really is a celebration of ALL movies. It's the discourse around it that pits the movies against each other.

[@sungexpression9093]

As a black queer person, I am annoyed by the criticism that "Barbie = white feminism" and is therefore "bad". Both Greta and Margo are white women, so I personally would rather them use the film to discuss their grievances with patriarchy and being a white woman under patriarchy rather than trying to speak for women of color or trans women. Barbie as a franchise follows a white blonde blue-eyed woman, so I expect the film to cover that perspective. I think the film did a good job of having America Ferrera and her daughter express challenges in a mother/daughter dynamic. I think they could have potentially added more of Latina feminism struggles through those characters, but again, I don't think that was the focus of the film. I feel like every film doesn't have to be "everything" to "everybody".

[@_iboji]

I don't think anyone was mad at Barbie for being white and centering the perspective of white cisgendered women. The problem is a movie ABOUT that perspective still managed to "do more" practically for men and an audience of people who didn't attempt to understand feminism, nor the necessity of intersectional feminism, nor its importance for successful critique of the status quo. The Oscars as an institution can't help but show its hand (i.e Ryan Gosling's nomination) in terms of awarding value within a system that really should be dismantled.

[@sungexpression9093]

You're assuming that men who watched the movie don't already understand feminism or intersectional feminism@@_iboji

[@roising.3221]

Thank you, that's my mind too. Focusing on one main perspective isn't a bad thing. ❤ And seeing a gynecologist appointment and matriarch in a movie was incredibly refreshing.

[@Rupert3434]

I don't think it's productive to use this kind of reasoning to minimize discussions of problematic elements in mainstream media, especially when the media object being discussed is touted as being this thing that's doing something really out there. A movie can be good but still have problems. In this day and age, in a post Central Park Karen world, what do we gain by saying "white women need their feminism too"?

[@sungexpression9093]

Bad Apple negates the struggles of millions? @@Rupert3434

[@hellogoditsmesara3569]

I think the biggest problem with the Oscar’s and all award shows together really is the whole “prestige” and fighting for a spot in the limited nomination slots Like I think Margot and Greta deserved a nomination for their roles respectively but I can’t say they deserved it over anyone else in those categories this year 2023 was *packed* with talent upon talent I think some of the exacerbation of the whole situation was Ryan getting the supporting actor role but America got best supporting actress and no one seemed to celebrate it??? (Or maybe that’s just my side of twitter)

[@thedeltaquadrant]

but it's not really only white feminism then but rather feminism that only centred women with the most privilege, i.e. not just white but also non-queer, abled, thin etc. because i have absolutely seen white marginalised feminists do white feminism for their respective community, like people only thinking about the experiences of white disabled women and ignoring the experiences of disabled BIPoC. that is white feminism even though it's taking into account an axis or marginalisation. what you're talking about is white nonqueer abled thin feminism.

[@thedeltaquadrant]

white feminism is way too specific of a term for feminism that focuses on the most privileged women, especially considering how feminism can be inclusive of BIPoC but exclusionary of transgender people or fat people etc.

[@FTZPLTC]

It really feels like a demand for exceptionalism - like a female director doing well has to be part of some huge hollow gesture by Hollywood or it doesn't feel real to some people.

[@foxesofautumn]

Basically yes. Because they’ve been all but excluded in the past so, yes. If they are giving out hollow gestures then everyone should have equal chance.

[@FTZPLTC]

@@foxesofautumn - I mean, I agree. But three women have won best director. The hollow gesture quotient has already been met. I'm playing devil's advocate to an extent, but I do think that if Barbie had been directed by a man, no one would be surprised if it didn't get nominated for best director. Most of the movies I like don't get nominated for Oscars. I guess what I'm saying is, it would be weird for there to be lots of award winning female directors, when there are relatively few female directors. That's the problem that needs fixing, much more than the awards.

[@Netherfly]

...Nope. Still not over the fact that Brett Kavanagh broke down in tears during the softball confirmation hearings.

[@zeynepgulsu1899]

22:40 but what we did with ken was not empathy for men, ken represented women in the real world, what women felt in patriarchy was expressed through ken. whatever the situation of women is in patriarchy, the situation of men is the same in matriarchy. what really irritates me in the movie is that the when barbies tricking kens one of them was exposing her breasts. this is a justification of sexual abuse.

[@JensenWorship]

I fully agree with everything you said. In addition, the movie also fully embraced defining women by capitalism...another common trait of white feminism, which often focuses on the professional class. In addition to your point about America Fererra being pigeon holed into a secretarial job, notice how so much attention is given to each doll's job. Apart from stereotypical Barbie, they are mostly defined strictly by their career. Also, when the Barbies lose their jobs, they all become "stupid". Part of Ken's issue is that he has no job to define him....although at least for him, Barbie says beach doesn't define him. Anyway, thanks again for pointing out this movie's white lense, and the lense of white women complaining about their white faves not getting what they allegedly "deserve" while ignoring the far more important issues of intersectionality.

[@JaddziaDaxAMV]

To be fair, the Oscars have never been of value to me, because it's just a popularity contest within a select group of people. A group who's tastes are wildly different from my own. So my picks are rarely what they pick.

[@pkbutter]

The thing that set me off was when someone asked Michelle Yeoh in an interview what she thought of Margot and Greta getting "snubbed". Can I just say how utterly, blatantly disrespectful it is to ask the first Asian woman ever to win Best Actress what she thinks of two white women not getting nominated in the categories other people wanted them to? Especially since, after last year where the Oscars nominated and awarded so many Asian actors and creators because of Everything Everywhere All At Once, not a single Asian person was nominated in any acting categories this year? It's also revealing to me that many Barbie fans are co-opting the OscarsSoWhite hashtag, a social media movement started by people of color to highlight just how hostile the Academy has been to people of color, to make it about two white women not getting nominated. It's also revealing that many are just complaining about Margot and Greta not getting nominated, instead of supporting America Ferrera, a woman who DID get nominated for Barbie? Hm, I wonder what the significant difference between Margot and Greta and America is? edit: i also forgot to mention: people have been very mean to the other actresses who were nominated, but I've seen most of vitriol go towards Lily Gladstone. Wonder why that could be?

[@JigglyRose]

This happened last year when andrea risebourough? got her way in over (potentially) the black female nominess and they interviewed michelle yeoh what her thoughts were? I was like what?? why not ask cate blanchett or the other white female nominees what their thoughts were? but they went to the only other nominee of colour

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

White feminists need to get over it, and learn the word INTERSECTIONALISM!

[@Horus070]

What I’m finding funny in all of this, is that NO ONE seem to care that in the end could be POOR THINGS another story of another white woman that could potentially get the Oscar 😂

[@claire-fox]

to your point of the oscars devaluing women's stories... the oscars are something of a special interest of mine and I've gotten really into them over the last couple of years, and one of the things I've noticed that I've found really really interesting is that typically all of the Best Actor nominees (or almost all of them) are in Best Picture nominees, but with Best Actress, a lot of the time there are only 1 or 2 performances from Best Picture nominees, which goes to show that films with strong leading female performances are less likely to be nominated for best picture

[@renatocorvaro6924]

Guys, it's the Oscars. It's just not that big a deal.

[@roadrollerdio565]

The Oscars don't affect us, other than to recommend small films to general audiences, but they DO affect the careers of artists themselves. Nominations and wins affect how much you get paid, what other movies come your way and how much creative control you can have.

[@etherealtb6021]

Isn't it though? Do you think the Discovery spin off with Michelle Yeoh would be happening if she hadn't gotten an Oscar? 🤷‍♀️

[@ooooneeee]

Unfortunately it is a big day for the careers of directors, actors and others working in the movie industry.

[@citruscirrus5607]

If you’re not in the theater and film space, then yea it’s not a big deal. but to their careers it is.

[@Nariasan]

What bothers me is that, while Margot Robbie didn't do a bad job, by any means, it wasn't her best acting job, based on her own passed films. Based on that, I don't think she deserved a nomination for best actress anyway (not for the Barbie movie, anyway). She was stunningly beautiful in Barbie, at times funny, but there weren't enough genuine highs and lows to show off her range properly anyway. But fact is, the other nominees acted circles around her in this time around. It happens.

[@jijitters]

past*

[@sophitiaofhyrule]

I fail to see how Barbie seeing a gynecologist at the end is offensive to trans women. Barbie is one person. Just because she has a v*gina doesn't mean the movie thinks all women need to have one. I get that the narrator says "Barbie is all women" at the start of the movie, but she's likely referring to Barbie as a whole, not Stereotypical Barbie specifically, and we know that Barbieland has a diverse population. I fail to see how Stereotypical Barbie having a v*gina is offensive. At no point in the movie is it implied that womanhood = breasts and v*gina. If anything the movie doesn't show any biological essentialism, as characters like Allan, Magic Earring Ken and Sugar Daddy Ken join the Barbie resistance against the patriarchy and no one bats an eye.

[@yotam6x7]

20:27 Pretty sure people aren't talking about America Ferrera because Da'vine Joy Randolph is a lock in actress in a supporting role, and she also happens to be BIPOC. Throughout the video you yourself fall into the trap of pitting things against each other. Why does it have to be Margot Robbie vs Lily Gladstone? Can't it be Margot Robbie vs Carrie Mulligan or Annette Benning? The best argument I've heard against the discourse of the Barbie 'snubs' is that if the Oscars were to have different nominations, it would have been better to have had more BIPOC representation. For example it could have been Greta Lee getting nominated for best director instead of Bradley Cooper (if it wasn't obvious yet I really disliked Maestro).

[@spookyghost6713]

Poor Things was my Barbie. As a mentally ill, neurodivergent person, I related way more to Bella than to Barbie. They're completely different movies, but it makes me sad that so many women I've heard talk about Poor Things who are Barbie fans go out of their way to explain why Poor Things is bad actually, particularly when we have Barbie. It makes me feel erased. My mental illness and neurodivergence are just accessories that a Barbie might wear, when in fact they are core components in my structure. I don't want to feel like I need to fight someone on that just because I didn't like the movie they like as much as they did.

[@beethovensfidelio]

It’s ironic since both Bella and Barbie exhibit the “Born Sexy Yesterday” trope in terms of them having immature brains in mature bodies However, Barbie isn’t horny nor sexualized like Bella is, so Barbie is ok with feminists because Barbie learns about the real world from other women instead of mediocre men.

[@augustopirela9030]

Are these women criticizing Poor Things youtubers? I would love to hear their opinion on the film. I watched it a few days ago and still thinking about but I can't find enough reviews/video essays.

[@jijitters]

Poor Things *is* bad, because it's just Born Sexy Yesterday (one of *the* worst tropes in fiction), done to a nauseating degree through obnoxious lampshading. Yorgos Lanthimos is a disturbed man and obviously has quite disturbing feelings about women. Bella is worse than a Barbie, she's a demented man's experiment in abusing power over a child by putting it in the body of a woman so he can have sex with said child. Framing it as if Bella is a grown woman is wild and I am alarmed to see anyone identify with a literal baby because it had a sexualized body.

[@gen1exe]

i'm always baffled when i hear someone talk about the Academy Awards how such-and-such actor or movie was robbed. Who really thinks that the academy gives the Oscar to the best movie? Look back at previous years' winners and see how many of those you would want to watch today versus other movies that came out that same year.

[@beethovensfidelio]

There used to be a time when popular movies did win “Best Picture” at the Oscars: “Gone With the Wind”, “West Side Story”, “My Fair Lady”, “The Sound of Music”, “The Godfather”, “Rocky”, “Forrest Gump,” “Titanic”, “Chicago”, and “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”. However, there does seem to be a trend in recent years where little-seen indie movies tend to win “best picture” Oscars over popular blockbusters. See “Avatar” and “Up” losing to “The Hurt Locker”. See “Toy Story 3” losing to “The King’s Speech”. See “Black Panther” losing to “Green Book”. See “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” losing to “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.

[@beethovensfidelio]

The good news is that two popular blockbusters have been nominated for “Best Picture” this year: “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”. If “Barbie” loses to “Oppenheimer”, it will disprove the notion that popular blockbusters can’t win “Best Picture”. However, if they both lose, then it will prove my point about how popular blockbusters lose “Best Picture” to acclaimed flops like “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Poor Things”.

[@Horus070]

@@beethovensfidelio Im surprised Jesse CHOSE not to mention POOR THING when in reality there is a big chance it could happen to win … and since she wanted to talk about white feminism why leave Emma Stone out of it ???

[@beethovensfidelio]

@@Horus070 I think it’s because of “Barbie” being a mainstream blockbuster and “Poor Things” being an indie flop, so people tend to remember movies that made money over those that didn’t. Also, Jessie is explaining how white feminist mentalities are the reason for the “Barbie Oscar snub” discourse. No one was complaining about “Poor Things” getting snubbed because its lead actress and its director were both nominated.

[@beethovensfidelio]

@@Horus070 I doubt “Poor Things” will win! My money is on “Oppenheimer”.

[@foxesofautumn]

I feel like a lot of the angst comes because this was a film aimed squarely at women, and that resonated with a lot of women, and the only nod it gets is to the male lead. I mean it does look like it highlights a problem even if is just “there weren’t many good roles for men this year.”

[@Urmumlel7025]

I think we should take a page out of Megan Thee Stallion's playbook and say nothing. These people want to pin each us against each other. They want discourse. And, they not only hate it when we do nothing. But, they know that if we do nothing, then *they* can't do anything. We must disengage.

[@themightyjinjojo]

Oh wow I didn’t see that article from the LA Times but I totally saw the same discourse you brought up throughout this video and it’s so frustrating. Takes like this imply that Lily Gladstone, Emma Stone, Annette Bening, Carey Mulligan and Sandra Hüller don’t deserve their nominations and that’s awful. Also the article itself is dehumanizing towards indigenous people and sex workers. The BS that is competition in Art kinda misses the point of art, at least to me. Of course as a film nerd I always get suckered into the Oscars but this fight over who deserves an award over someone else is so stupid. You worded it a million times better than I could’ve and I’m very glad you ended up making this great video Jessie! Also I hadn’t heard of Mutt so I’m definitely going to check that out! Plus I’m sure everyone would love to see the completed version of the “not Lego not LOTR” magic castle, haha.

[@nikolaos9652]

Emma Stone was amazing in Poor Things, an absolute tour de force! Same for Gladstone.

[@FriendlyGhost02]

The Academy Awards is ludicrous, I can't believe we still put so much stock into it... it's the money part of the industry holding a popularity contest that only shines a tiny spotlight on the movie industry.

[@JenniferMcMahonhawaii78]

I did make a joke last week regarding Margot Robbie not getting nominated for best actress; it's because The Oscars threw her on the BAR-BIE-QUE 😂🤣😅

[@mashit13]

i haven't seen killers of the flower moon but I have seen the two other best actress noms that are referenced in that snarky quote and like... the acting is better than in Barbie. Like it just isn't a competition, the material provides more depth. People have been joking for months that Poor Things is Barbie for weird girls and I think that, while there are conversations to be had on the way the movie treats female sexuality, it ultimately focuses much more on the limitations of womanhood. Anatomy of a fall too- the way Sandra's husband tries to martyr himself while resenting his wife's success is a really interesting exploration of modern gender dynamics. Like I loved Barbie, and I love Margo Robbie, and in a different year maybe she would have made the best actress cut. But not this year when there are so many other stronger contenders

[@lcflngn]

Thx Jessie! Had some uncomfortable feelings during this movie, watched twice. Once with my younger daughter opening day, everyone in pink, super fun. Second got my husband to watch it. Liked it better the second time, and he survived fine. My main worries were about Ken and his issues. As a society we are nowhere near sorting all that out. I get it seems bigger in the movie than maybe it should be, but it’s a serious problem our society needs to grapple with in a real way. I couldn’t figure out Barbie’s overall message honestly until a large family discussion when my younger daughter said “bottom line the patriarchy is bad for us all” Bless her, that was certainly the point. No movie can call out all the things we face and feel. Barbie did what it did, bit late, bit simplified, but it was done. There’s so much more to do & tell, in many more inciteful ways. Looking forward to the next step Hollywood takes. Meantime, reading books. . PS Oscars are dumb

[@k-203_DV]

What bothers me about the reaction to the "snubs" of Barbie is there is some serious racist and xenophobic gatekeeping happening. Within the quote dismissing Lily Gladstone's historic nomination, the writer is also dismissing Sandra Huller's performance in Anatomy of a Fall - a film whose female writer/director earned nominations in those categories. They act as though that film is somehow not a woman's film because it isn't discussing feminism explicitly and portrays women in shades of grey, even though a woman is front and center throughout and it is very much her story. To me that's gatekeeping 101 and stems from a place of xenophobia because Triet is French and Huller is German - had they both been Americans, I don't think they would have been vilified as much as they are. Hell this even harkens back to some of the backlash Kathryn Bigelow received for her historic victories - I remember reading back in 2010 that she had to make a "man's movie" to win an Oscar - as though female directors have to tell stories about women for it to be a woman's true expression... It really upsets me the way a lot of people talk about films, as it signifies just how broken our culture is.

[@AMoniqueOcampo]

There's a layer cake of nuance regarding the Oscar noms/snubs. I am so happy that America Ferrera got nominated for her part in that movie. I'm really happy that Lily Gladstone, an indigenous actress, is nominated for her part in Killers of the Flower Moon. I can still feel sad that Greta Gerwig isn't getting her flowers.

[@ofthewilderwoods]

If it makes you feel better she is nominated for an Oscar as a producer on the movie 🤷‍♀️

[@Frijolero18]

Also for Best Adapted Screenplay, though it being in the adapted category is whole other can of words

[@Caterfree10]

Yeah this is where I’m at with this whole thing at the Oscars this year tbh. I do, however, find it quite crass that someone had the audacity to ask Lily Gladstone about the snub controversy when, given her nomination is the first indigenous woman nominated for best actor iirc? Chances are, had Margot Robbie been nominated, Lily wouldn’t have been. I’ll take the way we got it instead of the alternative.

[@annabeatrice19]

The thing is, Barbie got nominated for best picture and for best writing. That is still great for Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, because they respectively did the scenario and the production. They were awarded for their work!

[@Lady-Y]

@@ofthewilderwoods Right, like, it's not really an act of exclusion when she's being nominated for the _way more prestigious prize_

[@tyghe_bright]

I'm not concerned about Robbie not being nominated for best actress. I am frustrated by Gerwig not being nominated for director. Only 8 women have ever been nominated as director. And the same thing happened to Gerwig before--when Little Women was nominated for best picture, but she wasn't for director. And this echoes the lack of opportunities for women in the role of director. I don't care for the competitive culture of awards, but they are a big part of the Hollywood economy.

[@cbpd89]

Echoed my thoughts quite well!

[@nalday2534]

She deserved it for Little Women not for Barbie. Lack of female directors being nominated is an industry problem not the academy problem. Academy only looks at what movies have been released and campaigned for

[@Horus070]

And why POOR THING was not mentioned at all in the discussion if a lot that discussion was around white feminism???

[@tyghe_bright]

@@Horus070 Was that released before the end of the year? I thought it was this year.

[@nalday2534]

@@Horus070 why should it be talked about?

[@SG-et6mi]

I know it’s not a major point of the video and maybe I misunderstood but I just wanted to point out as a latina that Guillermo del Toro is still a white man. Mexican is a nationality just like American, any race can be Mexican. I think it still would’ve been cool to celebrate his Mexican identity but it’s important to recognize the privileges that white latinos have. The obstacles a latino or in this case Mexican of color would have to face is much greater. And it’s important that we recognize the diversity within the latino community cuz if we keep seeing all latinos as poc then I fear that we won’t progress with the important representation of brown and black latinos. What Im saying doesn’t add anything specific to the barbie discourse but just something I wanted to add. (Also like you pointed out Sacheen’s story is complicated. Her ancestry was never confirmed to be fake. Her family didn’t like her and were contacted by Jacqueline Keeler who is a very controversial figure within the indigenous community for having not great methods to figure out if someone has indigenous ancestry or not.)

[@Horus070]

Well Jessi is a white American person herself… so she doesn’t see things as us Latinos 😂… we know the same issue in White American privilege goes the same way inside the While Latino communities…

[@emilyonizuka4698]

the whole thing gives very the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house energy. like you said, the idea of one work of art "winning" and being the best is very, well, master's house. the idea that a more marginalized person winning or being nominated is somehow progress is absurd. let's just have more conversations like you said about these different works of art and what they say.

[@douglasphillips5870]

I think Margot Robbie did a great job playing a fun quirky character, which is kind of her area of expertise. Ryan Gosling playing a fun quirky character is outside his wheel house, so it makes a bigger impact.

[@michaeladkins6]

Margot Robbie produced Barbie and it made well over a billion dollars. I think she will be fine.

[@mgelliott1]

Great essay. I agree w/everytihing you said, but every time you said woman, you failed on many occasions to say white women. The white male cubical worker made his comment about not having power, but the male POCs that worked at Barbie, and other male POC in the movie were lumped in with white males as all being part of the patriarchy with no nuance or discussion which I found incredibly short sighted at best , from a movie that tried to "hit all notes", and offensive at worst. As a a male POC, I certainly recognize my privilege to walk down the street at night, or walk by a construction site (items directly/indirectly addressed in the movie when Barbie got to the real world), but Black and Brown men otherwise (outside personal safety) do not have the control or power/priviledge that white men have. White women know this, which is why Marsha Blackburn sitting on a dais with mostly white men, in a room filled with mostly white men, can air quote "white privilege" while chastising Ketanji Jackson Brown during SCOTUS confirmation hearings. Republican white women recognize sexism all day, but do not recognize racism, because of their fear that Black/Brown men will eclipse them on the totem pole hierarchy in America. This has been directly stated by white feminists. Barack Obama, defeating Hillary Clinton accelerated this. White women were ok being #2, or #1a to their husbands and sons, but when Obama won, they were like, oh hell no, we are not #3 to Black men. The same Government study that shows women make 77% of what men make, also show that Black men are lower than that, and Black women are at the bottom. No one talks about this. I think the movie lost a real opportunity to address this issue in the Barbie boardroom, or with the Asian Ken. But they choose to lump all men together, losing this intersectionality that you address in your video.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

This is Part 2 of “CISSIFY THAT WALK!”

[@Indigo42Kitsune]

To me Barbie isn’t a feminist movie at all and it’s not the kind of movie that I want to show my nice when they are older. Honestly I also think that the movie misses an opportunity to reveal in of the characters as being transgender or nonbinary and they honestly had the perfect character in Allan, seriously he gives off some very queer vibes.

[@Mondomeyer]

I've been hearing 'queer' a lot lately. Is it not a slur anymore? It usted to be a slur.

[@jamie1602]

@@Mondomeyer Reclaimed word and used as a blanket term for the LGBTQ+ community as some labels can apply to more than one group. Some labels can be reclaimed. Some cannot. It often depends on the use of the word before it was used as a slur.

[@Mondomeyer]

@@jamie1602 Can it be usted by non-LGBTQ people in the right context, or is this something akin to black people using the big N?

[@lkhvw2042]

When it was first announced that it was "snubbed" i was like, of course, women don't get recognition. That was my knee jerk reaction. But then I saw the conversations around Lily Gladstone winning and how it was taking the attention away from the fact an indigenous person had won. It's very important for us to discuss intersectionality and how there's always systems to divide and distract us from the overarching issues.

[@friday6448]

This discourse has been making me feel like I'm going insane. Barbie got nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, two Best Original Song nominations, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor. Barbie did very well at the Oscar's yet the conversation is entirely consumed around the fact that two white women weren't nominated for two specific categories that they wanted them to be (Greta Gerwig was nominated for the film's screenplay, and both her and Margot Robbie as a producer have the film's nomination for Best Picture). Ironically completely erasing all of the other women that worked on the film (like the film's costume designer Jacqueline Durran and production designer Sarah Greenwood) who were nominated as if Barbie was only made by Gerwig and Robbie and none of the other women's hard work mattered. Not to mention the women not connected to Barbie who were nominated, and all of the other women who weren't who probably should have, or like Melissa Barrera and Susan Sarandon, actresses who lost their jobs for speaking up about Palestinian liberation, who are completely ignored as if Barbie was the only example of feminism in Hollywood last year. But what really gets me is the discourse around America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling's nominations. The amount of times I've seen people post that speech Ferrera gives from the film to lament about how Gerwig and Margot didn't get nominated (for best actress and director), whilst ignoring that the woman of colour who delivers the fucking speech in that scene was nominated for her acting. But in the rare examples of when they do acknowledge Ferrera was nominated, I always see them completely downplaying it as if it doesn't matter as much as Gosling's. Its often talked about as if Gosling was nominated for Best Actor while Ferrera got "only" Best Supporting Actress. I've seen comments describing it along the lines of Ferrera got nominated for "Best non-protagonist actress" while Gosling's nomination was a choice between the films "two protagonists" (as if the oscars can't pick two protagonists from a film to be nominated and Gosling's inherently stole from Margot despite them being in two different categories). And comments like "greatness is fine as long as it's in a supporting role for them", and while there is some truth to that, Gosling was nominated for a supporting role too. It genuinely feels like they need to reflect on why a white man being nominated for a supporting role holds so much more prestige in their minds than a woman of colour being nominated for a supporting role does. Again, I feel like I'm going insane but I'm glad someone can articulate my thoughts in a much better way than me

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

The only positive thing I can say about the Barbie movie is that it gives me a concrete example to point to and say "THIS IS *NOT* MY FEMINISM!"

[@simplenough]

Barbie didn’t deserve Oscars just because it was a Spike Lee movie for white women and made a billion dollars.

[@eshbena]

It took way too long for African Americans to go from maids and butlers to rounded characters, it's taking way too long for Indigenous peoples to get real roles and have scripts of depth and complexity written for their experience. A movie about Barbie dolls was never going to be Oscar bait. I didn't expect it to ever get a nod. There is more out there to be done, it was never going to happen in a movie that Hasbro approved.

[@FaeQueenCory]

As a real American, reservation carded and everything... Kanienkeha'ka though not Osage... Killers of the Flower Moon... I hated it. It centers ⚪ people too much. It's our Greenbook. Though I am proud of cousin Gladstone's success. It's very much a Hattie McDaniel situation.

[@SirCamera]

How is Killers of the Flower Moon in any way like Green Book? How is Gladstone’s role on the same level as Hattie McDaniel’s in Gone with the Wind?

[@thehacker4012]

Yes, white feminism is a problem, but my intuition says that Greta Gerwig's Barbie is with WRONG target. I think it is deeply misguided to think Margot Robbie's Barbie is supposed to literally represent all women, I don't think that is Greta Gerwig's intent nor was that end result. I'm not by any means a Barbie scholar but wasn't the whole point of Barbie was that she wanted to become human in order to embrace the messiness and complexity of being a human woman and that womanhood isn't just one thing. Sorry, not everyone can be represented at all times even if a film has a feminist label. I also don't think that Barbie is pitting men and women against each other but rather satirizing how mega corporations present gender politics, which why there is no equity in Barbie world even at the end of the film (as we probably shouldn't expect simplistic toy world to present how the world should be). Seriously, if Barbie had ended with genders being treated fairly and equally in Barbie world, would that be a more progressive ending or would that just be a corporation giving simplistic and overly romanticized fairy tale ending solution to complex social problems? I think whenever a film has the feminist label on it, people ask more from it than what is reasonable or realistic. As for the backlash against girlbosses, I'm sorry but it is not only misguided but its' insidious. As it vilifies women in positions of power while masquerading as anti-capitalism, you can be an anti-capitalist without throwing women under the bus. The reason why we should distaste girlbosses is when women get into position of power at the expense of others (especially women) or if women in leadership roles abuse their power, but feminist rhetoric has regressed to hating a woman just for being a CEO. I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be compelled to be a Marxist to be a "good feminist" and creating a fairer and more equitable world within existing power structures is possible even under capitalism.

[@calebwilliamsmusician]

I’ve been scrolling for a long time to find this comment. Literally my thoughts after watching this video, but phrased much more eloquently.

[@thehacker4012]

@@calebwilliamsmusician Thank you, but for the record, I'm not saying anyone is wrong for not liking Barbie. I just don't think the discussion of Barbie "not being" feminist enough is the most productive conversation we should be having about the film.

[@ThePupYT]

I dont care about the Oscars, and I'm sick of the Barbie discourse...yet for some reason that didnt stop me from clicking this video the moment I saw it 🤔

[@tayloris05]

You should be a women/gender/sexuality studies professor. I'm going to be taking a class like that for a general education credit and you explain things at such an intelligent level.

[@tayloris05]

Also adding onto this I feel like this video also served as a list of movies I should watch

[@chazhoosier2478]

So many of these "Oscar snub" discussions talk about the politics and ideology of Barbie, but they rarely talk about Margot Robbie's performance. Which was good! But can we really say the role challenged her as an actress? Was her performance some great achievement of acting? I just don't think so.

[@Xenaboy-vt3hi]

I thought "Barbie" kept losing its own metaphor. If the metaphor stayed 100% consistent, we should totally sympathize with Ken because he's a reflection of the real world where women see themselves only in relation to men. But that was another problem. Is Barbieland a metaphor for Real World 2024 or for Real World 1959 when the Barbie doll was created? It seems the latter. Otherwise, there would be male Supreme Court judges, governors, and so on, in Barbieland. But that's yet another issue with it's being only White American Feminism and not the situations for many non-white and non-free world women. Then it makes sense but the movie mainly makes us look at white American culture and it feels, at least to me, to be falling into the mentality that, no matter how much things improve, there will be those who insist it isn't any better than it was in, say, 1959.

[@Ian_Jules]

My takeaway is that awards ceremonies aren’t ideally suited to equity discourse. Not that the people on stage should shut up about it, but there isn’t much opportunity for nuance. I have no problem with Natalie Portman’s Golden Globes comment in that setting. I fully agree we need to talk across boundaries and link micro-narratives to systemic patterns (i. e. intersectionality), but we can still momentarily focus on specific groups. It’s sometimes churlish to begrudge others a spotlight.

[@becksss9958]

Yeah like many comments, just to clear the missconception, Yalitza Aparicio was the first indigenous woman nominated for an Oscar. She is form an indigenous village in Mexico

[@beethovensfidelio]

Yalitza Aparicio was the *first Indigenous American woman* to be nominated for “Best Actress”. The previous indigenous women to be nominated for “Best Actress” - Merle Oberon and Keisha Castle-Hughes - were of Māori descent. Māori refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand.

[@Pumpky_the_kobold]

I don't think the Barbie movie was supposed to go deep into feminism, and if you think about that movie like it should have, then yes, I guess it's a very shallow and white view. But the feminism in Barbie wasn't what the movie was ABOUT. It was the plot, sure, but not what it was talking about. The movie was about the human experience, and making peace with it. I think that, we are SO starved for movie with feminist plots, that our standards for what is considered a "feminist" movie are incredibly low. As mentioned in the video, barbie points out the flaws of the patriarchy, but doesn't suggest changing the system or promote equality. They just HAPPENED to have an idyllic society in their matriarchal ways. A feminist movie would have looked into breaking the status quo. Barbie was about a fake person becoming a real one. And yes, her femininity is an aspect of it, and I would have felt incredibly uneasy if the movie tried to depict her experience through, let's say, a black women cause she couldn't know what it's like. But she is learning what it is to be a human. To move away from the role imposed on her, by the system, by her own expectation. Anyway. It's baffles me that I don't hear anyone talking about that, but referring to Barbie like this was a revolutionary essay about feminism. Plus, you can be mad about many things, including everything that's wrong with the Oscars, AT THE SAME TIME.

[@RiotBode]

Yeah, they nominated an indigenous woman for the Oscars, now indigenous folks' material problems are finally solved.

[@BrianBorges-ez3ls]

Hey Jessie, back in the '90's, Hugh Grant famously got busted in L.A. for trying to solicit a black streetwalker, named Divine Brown, which led to his legendarily sheepish mug-shot. To this day, while Hollywood nominates him, he has never won. And most likely never will; "How dare Hugh throw over Liz Hurley for...that!") Hollywood is a kiss the ring culture, and who doesn't, will be snubbed. My point is (and I will keep it vague), pre-pandemic, Greta signed a petition supporting the rights of a certain people in the Middle East, unfortunately back in the news now, which she had to promptly recant, apologize for, and switch support to the other side (but the damage was done?) While Margot has managed to not voice, at the time of short-listing, an opinion either way. I put this on Grace's channel and it literally got deleted 10 sec after I posted it.😂 (Plus, the Academy usually only supports one NYC director per year, and this year it's Marty?) Geart discussion Jessie!

[@tusharsingh4543]

A lot of non-white women have also internalised the tenets of racist white feminism, which is really sad because they get so defensive when I try to bring up being intersectional. The response is always other social movements don't get critiqued for not being intersectional (which is soooo not true) and that only women are subject to being critiqued in this way (also not true). Being a woman does not erase your privilege you get from other identities, especially if you're white.

[@Theinfamouskiki411]

I tell people all the time. Im not a white woman. I lpve yall and most white women get this. Its outside of women spaces that mantra that we all the same. We are not and thats beautiful. But even in dating interracial i have to explain to those who are black girl newbies that being with me isnt necessarily the same as a white woman. No better or worse we are different. Thats ok.

[@laurakuhlmann1626]

I'm going to disagree a bit on the description of Oppenheimer as a period piece that tells the story of a great man of history. I'm a researcher with both parents having spent their entire career in chemical research in Romania. In my opinion, one of Oppenheimer'd main discussion points was how scientists are used, weaponizer and then distroyed by politician in their quest for power. There is a clear parallel between what happened with Oppenheimer during and after the war and what happened to Fauci not even 4 years ago. And it's not just an American story, the exact same abuse was perpetrated by politicians in other countries. I left Romania after I was sick of receiving rape threats from online angry men and being defunded by greedy politicians who needed a scapegoat for the 2009 economic crisis that hit Romania; yes in their opinion it was researchers that were the reason for the crisis, not a diseased international economy. Oppenheimer spoke to me more than ever now, that my father in law is convinced that Covid 19 was made in a lab (most scientist disagree) and that the vaccine is dangerous and gives you the disease (which is BS but a man with only a high school degree will not listen to a woman with a phd in biology). I don't think Barbie was a deep enough movie period, so I'm not surprised it didn't get a lot of nominations. But it's fast-food white feminism, so of course a lot of women are angry at this "injustice"

[@Soguwe]

Everyone with a basic understanding of the north American film industry knows that the Oscars are bought and not representative of actual quality Is it really worth the outcry?

[@cbpd89]

Yup! It's kind of a shocker when any comedic movies or performances get recognized. That happens almost as rarely as horror films getting nominated. The academy has a "type" and that isn't necessarily the same as actually good.

[@mzaite]

People still act like Wrestling and Football are actual competitions too. So it’s to be expected.

[@NaikaVideo]

Very nice discussion here. Thanks for sharing this Jessie!

[@Xenaboy-vt3hi]

I also thought it was very binary and simplistic. I can see where some men in the audience thought it just hammered on male stereotypical faults and not female faults. Just to show what a lousy job it did, there was the scene where Ken takes over and Barbie is very hurt by that. I thought he was say, "Hey, let's talk about this and try to understand each other" which I hope is what I would have done. But then, he remembers what she did in that situation and shows her no sympathy. Yes, the movie seems to inherently generate an us against them mentality, even in its audience.

[@BigWired]

This was really insightful and good, and a good kick in the pants. Sometimes that competition gets you involved without you even thinking it's competition. Also, love the Lower Decks shirt.

[@EvilChicken25]

I swear I am slowly becoming a better customer of media because of your takes and insight that give me a different perspective I need to consider. Thank you for your amazing work!!

[@Sthomp10]

I love this conversation and i love your setup!

[@gargrazz]

When the Oscar nom list dropped, my first thought was, "Haha. Of course the Academy would nominate Ken and not Barbie," and then I stopped thinking about it. Then I started seeing all the social media liberal yard sign posts that claimed this was the gravest injustice to women that Hollywood could ever do. It was betrayal! That was when I knew the discourse was going to go off the rails. It's probably expected considering how unhinged people got in their adoration for the entertaining toy commercial that was way better than it should have ever been. Thanks for weighing in on this one.

[@gooseherdez336]

I think there is a mistake of seeing the oscars as a competition. Because it is not. The oscars are an spectacle first, a publicity campaign close behind, and an award last. An award btw that the industry gives to itself. There is no competition between actors and actresses or directors. Nobody "wins" an oscar, there is no metric to measure that. All that said, the oscars are a reflection of the industry and are by defacto the status quo of it. Who is and who isn't nominated is a reflection of the status of the industry, same as who gets awarded and who doesn't. So yeah, people have the right to feel wary of whatever choice the academy makes, yet this probably falls in the camp of what the academy wants the oscars to be, a show people talk about and has strong opinions on. I'm not trying to say that who is nominated to the oscars and who isn't is not important. What I'm saying is that the oscars themselves are not important. In the big scheme of things (and from a foreigner perspective) it is just a show for americans by americans. And if they are a reflection of american society, they are interesting for what they are and not what they aren't. As for Greta, her being nomitaned to Adapted Screenplay is a much more deserved award. The way I see it, the way Barbie navigates through its themes is just stellar, whether you like it or not, it is a real achievement how the movie managed to touch all the bases, even if it didn't go as deep as it could. Margot is a Great actress and I have enjoyed many of her performances over the years, and I don't think Barbie is even close to be the defining role of her career.

[@mono5299]

Really appreciated the nuance here. I was surprised to even see Barbie get the major nominations it got, especially Best Picture - when you look at the other movies on that list, it's laughable... Barbie is the stand-out and not in the good way lmao. I liked Barbie! It was a super fun experience at the theater. But it is not nearly on the level of a, say, Anatomie d'une chute, or Perfect Days. The fact that these are even in the same category for the same award makes me go 🤨

[@SIXFOURMAN]

Awesome video Jessie.

[@oliviayeates3931]

Something to add on to "Killers of the Flower Moon:" a book that I've heard is a good companion piece, and bits of it were supposedly used in the movie, too, is the novel "A Pipe for February" by Charles Redcorn. It's a fictional story set during the time of the Osage murders and it's told through the Osage perspective by an Osage author.

[@laighacamren3061]

The thing about Ryan Gosling and American Ferrea is that they were the best parts of the Barbie movie. No offense to Margot Robbie but I felt like any scene she was in was bad. The character of Barbie made the scenes she was in less somehow. Also Margot Robbie was good but was she excellent? Did she do her job or did she elevate the writing. I don't like art awards because not all pieces of art are meant to evoke the same feelings or messaging. But with acting awards i think "does this elevate the story" and she didn't. This is why I'm not a fan of people who write and Direct, there's no collaboration no elevation it is this person's view and none other views matter, no other interpretation matters. Barbie's problems MIGHT have been fixed with another set of eyes (or a few more sets) but because it's just Greta and Margot's project no one is coming in and saying the things that need to be said.

[@laighacamren3061]

By the way this also applies to Oppenheimer. I felt better about Oppenheimer when I watched the videos explaining things but I wonder why those elements could not have been crisper. Why couldn't you have smacked me in the face more. Why did I have to discover the intention of the $*** scenes while I was walking around thinking about it instead of when I was watching the first but absolutely the second time. Directing and writing is not always the best choice especially for big heavy movies

[@marlowemichaelson1366]

1. Where were all of these people when the Academy snubbed Margo in Babylon? 2. If we put Margo in, who can realistically be taken out?

[@etherealtb6021]

People hated Babylon, even though they said she was good. They didn't just not like it, they HATED it.

[@Horus070]

I think a lot IS contempt about Barbie as a silly story for a more prestigious story, POOR THING which I found VERY interesting that Jessi chose not to mention???

[@etherealtb6021]

@@Horus070 Poor Things does sound/look interesting. But that doesn't have to push out Barbie in nominations. I don't think Gerwig had a chance of winning, this is Nolan's coronation year. Also, after Stone has been winning everything, it was clear Margot wouldn't win, but she deserved that nom. When it is a drama, the Academy ALWAYS nominates a great performance that anchors a film, a performance where the movie would collapse without that performance (Russell Crowe in Gladiator is a perfect example). But if it is a comic performance, forget it. You'll only get a nom for a supporting role. 🤷‍♀️

[@nalday2534]

Yep. She was far better in Babylon. Faaaaar better. If she couldn't secure a nomination for that, no way does she deserve one for barbie

[@etherealtb6021]

@@nalday2534 Why do people keep being up Babylon? The industry hated that movie, HATED it! No way was she going to be nominated. She was nominated for I, Tonya and Bombshell, so it isn't like the Academy doesn't like her. 🤷‍♀️

[@crashb800]

I think most of these kinds of debates and issues will just solve themselves once people are no longer tied to needed to compete against each other. I actually think that most white feminism is really a result of white women feeling too attached to competing and winning in the masculine world and achieving masculine legitimacy that they kind of lose the plot and don't ask themselves why things need to be competitive. I think of this idea of "pegging the patriarchy", and I think this describes this perfectly. They try so hard to win in a masculinely centered world they, in a sense, put on a phallus and become the patriarchs themselves. I think that women as well as men and everyone else is able to move past patriarchy once we realize that this competitive world that we live under requires losers, and there's no reason for there to be losers.

[@Dunybrook]

I wouldn't say that Barbie is a perfect movie by any means, if such a thing is even possible, but that doesn't make the sexism behind the Oscar snubs any less problematic. I think Nicque Marina manages to say it all in her videos about it.

[@andthatsshannii]

I’d be so interested to see a sequel where some of the other Barbies go to the real world and experience the world as non cishet white women.

[@lmeeken]

Folks interested in an Indigenous lens on Killers of the Flower Moon may enjoy Red Nation's recent podcast on he film by the awesome Melanie Yazzie (Dine) and Elena Ortiz (Ohkay Owingeh), which is also posted to KZbin here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5OQnn9pa9irf6s

[@philopharynx7910]

I would watch a video of you just putting together not-lego not-Sauron's but really a tower. But about the Oscars, after hearing some stories of how some Academy members vote, I don't take the Oscars quite as seriously.

[@Monochrome_11]

This off topic But i love this setup/camera angle

[@herbivarsawus4359]

I spent way too much of this video thinking you were holding chopsticks and that you had sushi.

[@FriendlyGhost02]

I hadn't considered the point you made about the minorities of Guillermo del Toro and Lily Gladstone hiding in plain sight

[@youtubeuserremainsanonymou9022]

I get more the argument that Greta deserved a nom more than Margot's Barbie. Margot is pitted against other girls, while Greta as director is competing mainly with white male directors

[@SG-et6mi]

Honestly even if Greta was nominated it would’ve just been all white directors and tbh don’t get me wrong barbie was a good film but I just don’t think it should’ve gotten an oscar in that category. I would say someone like Celine Song deserved it more imo.

[@nalday2534]

Greta should've made a better movie than Nolan, Glazer, Scorsese, Lanthimos and Trier if she wanted a nom. It's simple

[@Horus070]

I instead it could potentially goo to POOR THING… another white privileged story … which Jesse conveniently … chose NOT to talk about it ???

[@jijitters]

@@nalday2534 Lanthimos does not make good films. He makes perverse expressions of his disturbed inner world.

[@nalday2534]

@@jijitters no I saw poor things. It was awful I agree

[@bobmathis-friedman6742]

My boyfriend also mentioned the problems with the only coded male gay character, Alan...

[@MrTwentington]

Funny story about barbie twitter nonsense. I am currently embroiled in twitter beef with a discount airline because of barbie. To explain- I do not care about the Oscar’s. Gun to my head I could not tell you who is nominated or for what. And with Barbie I have mixed feelings anyway where I love what it meant for the cultural moment- loved people dressing in pink greeting each other with “hi Barbie!” And generating excitement for cinema for a lot of people. But the film itself I felt was imperfect in a way I couldn’t ignore. In some respects it’s artfully done it has a great sense of humour and looks amazing. But on the other hand, it’s basically actually Ken’s movie- I wish Barbie spent a whole day and night AT LEAST in the human world engaging in mother daughter relationships having more tender moments which would make her final decision to be a real girl make more sense. And you could fit that in if we cut out the Ken stuff and the Will Farrell stuff (just make Ken a supportive doting Himbo that’s all we needed). Anyway! Despite that being my actual thoughts on the film- when film twitter started discourse, I went into work the next day wearing a pink shirt and took a mirror selfie with a joking caption “wearing pink because of the barbie Oscar snub” which was *A JOKE* because I do not actually care. And a cheap airline company with a big “corporations are sassy influencers” brand online shares my name and face to make fun of me for it believing I’m serious. Subsequently just shy of 2 million people have seen my face, most comments thought I was serious and wanted to kick me some supported me and saw it was a joke- and a small portion of comments were vile homophobia. I’ve since messaged CEOs of the airline company, had journalists for the daily Mail and other outlets get in touch with me about it. And all over the barbie white feminism whining people wanted to believe someone would protest. Ongoing btw awaiting responses to my complaint asking for a do over of policy, to protect other random people with no status as targets for this stuff and a sincere apology from the company and specific person who did it and subsequently made me a Reddit post. Anyway… love wearing pink.

[@danielschulz652]

Ahh, the battle of the binary stars...

[@genrepunk]

Thank you for filling some gaps in my analysis with that other video. This really was too perfect a moment, giving the lie to the movie's nods toward intersectional solidarity, and a certain former Secretary of State trying to make #HillaryBarbie happen was the cherry on top. I watched Masters of the Universe: Revolution the other day and was struck by the similarities with Barbie. (Minor spoiler ahead.) It's much higher quality than I'd expect of a piece of media about a children's toy but also it wants to pay lip service to ideals it doesn't truly hold. I'd guess Kevin Smith or somebody in the writers room realized that heroic epics tend to be authoritarian in their aesthetic and so for He-Man to truly be good he would have to be anti-authoritarian, but didn't quite know how to make it happen. One of the major themes of Revolution's predecessor, Revelation, was that a hero is someone who surrenders power when it is no longer needed to protect people rather than holding onto it. So it was only natural thematically that MotU: Revolution should end with He-Man relinquishing the crown and *gifting* the people of Eternos with democracy. Gifting!