Does “Barbie” Hate Men?
**SPOILER ALERT**
The public’s anticipation for “Barbie” began immediately after Warner Bros. announced its plans to produce a feature film about the title character. Speculation about the film ranged from who would play Barbie to what the costumes would look like or, of course, what the plot would be about. Public interest in the movie did not diminish as the months went by. Due to a strong marketing campaign, it became inescapable online even before it was in theaters. It was as if the masses sensed the importance of “Barbie” in pop culture, or maybe they were just excited for a fun summer movie. Either way, on July 21, 2023, audiences everywhere were able to appease their anticipation.
The film chronicles Barbie’s journey through an existential crisis that leads her from a naive doll in her seemingly perfect world to a human woman in the real world. It begins in Barbie Land, the realm where the Barbies live and rule society. Barbies hold every essential job whereas Kens are accessories to their female counterparts. The Kens do not have their own dream houses and do not have careers like the Barbies do. In short, Barbie gets to have a life of her own; Ken’s entire life is Barbie. When Barbie leaves Barbie Land and heads to the real world to discover why she is having a crisis, Ken devotedly follows her. Once in the real world, the two quickly split up, and their journeys begin. Ken and Barbie learn about patriarchy, but each has a different reaction. Barbie is devastated by the world after living under the illusion that her creation solved all of society’s problems while Ken enjoys the power the patriarchy bestows on him. After almost being trapped and remanufactured by Mattel executives, Barbie concludes that returning to her beloved Barbie Land is the only way to fix things. Unbeknown to her, Ken has gone back to Barbie Land and instills a patriarchal system. Having the patriarchy in Barbie Land is the final blow to Barbie’s confidence and optimism, and she becomes depressed. Barbie snaps out of her depression after another character gives a candid speech about the unrealistic expectations placed upon women. The Barbies come together to save the day and decide to make Barbie Land an equal society instead of the matriarchal one it was before. After experiencing life in both worlds, Barbie chooses to become a real woman and live in the real world.
The movie was a box office success, grossing more than $500 million as of Aug. 17, according to the Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro website. It received mixed reviews, both from the public and film critics alike. Some praised the film’s feminist themes while others found them unnecessary and borderline misandrist. Almost immediately, “Barbie” joined the centuries-long discourse about society, equality and womanhood. To gain insight into the discussion, Pulse interviewed gender and women’s studies lecturer Silvia Patricia Solis.
First and foremost, what did you think of the movie?
“I think, from a feminist pedagogical perspective, it’s a great cultural artifact because it gives you almost like a history of womanhood, well, let me be specific, of white U.S. womanhood. It gives you a great history of the expectations that have been placed upon white women in this country. I didn’t identify with the movie itself because my background is in women of color feminism. The history of women of color in the United States and the way they have been treated is hinged upon that white womanhood, which is what is represented in the movie … but again, as a pedagogical tool, I think it’s great for this new generation of young women to see and learn what womanhood has been at least since the 1940s and ’50s or so. Again, I couldn’t relate to it, but, as a professor, the movie is a tool I would use to teach my students about the framework of patriarchy in terms of how womanhood has been marketed for us. The stereotypical Barbie is the universal womanhood that we should all aspire to but it’s hard to get there when you’re not white, or thin [or] when you don’t have access to Barbie Land. There’s also a big component of capitalism that is present in the entire movie and it doesn’t go away. Even though you feel like there’s some liberation from the stereotype, capitalism is still there, present and still profiting from this womanhood.”
Were you able to identify with Barbie?
“I couldn’t identify because I never played with a Barbie growing up. That wasn’t something that was culturally relevant to me. … I still knew who Barbie was. I couldn’t escape it, so the idea was still there, very present.”
Were there any parts of the movie that you could identify with?
“Oh my gosh, yes. In terms of gender relations, it is relatable. … It is a mirror that’s placed upon us. [I identified with] the part where Ken decides to go with Barbie, and she agrees to take him. That dependency on being accompanied by a man to go on some form of adventure, as if you can’t just do it alone, you have to have the presence of a male to go with you. … Even as a woman, the movie shows us the systems that we learn from. … When Ken was learning about masculinity, it was striking for me because it shows how men learn, how we all learn these gender relations and these gender norms through media. … So, there’s these little gold nuggets throughout the movie.”
Do you think the subversion of the patriarchy worked in getting the message across? Why or why not?
“In the movie, it did. I think in real life there have been examples of how it was used. I’m thinking of the suffragist movement. Of course, it’s not a Barbie Land example but it shows how white women organized to give themselves the right to vote but they excluded black men and women of color from the narrative. … It works for a cause, but it does not dismantle patriarchy. It subverts it so that we can maybe gain some consciousness … and become aware of what’s happening but nothing is dismantled. … It’s good for when we need political strategies, but we can’t seem to get past being able to dismantle the system. It works to some degree but not enough.”
Do you think the movie is misandrist?
“No. That’s a misreading of the movie. It’s a misreading, and it’s a very old tactic of trying to keep feminism scary or taboo. … The movie speaks to the relationship between men and women. … It’s speaking to the way men, not all men, but the way most men are learning about masculinity and using the tropes men fall into to perform their masculinity. … I think saying it’s misandrist is a scapegoat and an oversimplification. Those discussions have been used throughout the history of feminism to create fear around it.”
How would you argue that the movie is not misandrist?
“Well, Barbie helps Ken come to terms with his own identity; that’s contrary to hating men. Along the way, she kept him abreast of everything she was experiencing. She let Ken come with her to the real world. … She was always aware of him throughout the entire process and carried him with her. Her experience transformed him, so I don’t see how that is a man-hating narrative in any way. Now, if the way he’s represented is offensive, then that is a conversation that needs to be had in society, but it’s a stereotypical response to say, ‘Oh, they’re just hating men’ without paying attention to the nuances of what Barbie is doing to make sure Ken is taken care of and aware of himself.”
It seems “Barbie” did not provide a perfect commentary on the struggles of every woman. Although the film tries, the screen may be too small for everyone’s inclusion. However, it may still earn credit for starting a global discussion. In an interview with ABC News, Margot Robbie said the movie could “ignite” a conversation. Despite its shortcomings, “Barbie’s” success shows that audiences are ready to engage in the conversation or at least willing to listen.
