By: Kathleen Scarola
This past summer, there were several good blockbusters which caused much discussion among the masses. Several of these movies included: The Little Mermaid, Meg 2, Equalizer 3, and Oppenheimer. However, the movie which has resulted in the most commotion has been Barbie; starring Morgot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
The film is directed by Greta Gerwig and was based directly off the Barbie doll and toy by Mattel which for years has been stealing the hearts of little girls across the world. Barbie has raked in 1.428 billion USD in box office earnings while also gaining a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie features “Barbie and Ken” (Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling) living a perfect life in BarbieLand until Barbie has an existential crisis and ends up in the real world where the two discover some of the best and worst aspects of humanity. These are the indisputable facts, but when looking further into the movie one has to wonder if the purpose of the film is fully as it seems.
After watching this movie, one may have to analyze several layers to understand the movie’s message. Depending on how far one chooses to interpret the messages present in the film can completely change their takeaway. There are layers to this movie: a lighthearted film about the main (and very fictional) character traveling through the real world and then a reflection on the trials women have and continue to face due patriarchal systems.
This is where most viewers stop, most don’t go on to ask, “what if this is exactly what they want us to think?” Not many people will go on to ask themselves if this seemingly positive and uplifting movie is actually challenging and putting down the roles of both men and women in society.
Most females within the past few months would have almost undoubtedly critiqued any man who had a negative view of the movie after coming out of the theater. This was why many of my fellow writers and editors were intrigued when I also stated that I too had a negative opinion of the film.
Right from the start, I thought that it was inaccurate and slightly offensive in the way the glass ceiling as well as hardworking, blue collar men were represented. Although it was exaggerated for the purposes of the storyline, the underlying message was still irksome: women (and minorities) are oppressed and at a disadvantage as a result of a continued patriarchal society that prevents them from entering job industries such as the business world and men are to blame.
As stated in a July 24th publication of the New York Post, “the concept of “the patriarchy” has been hijacked and corrupted by feminazis to suggest that every aspect of life and society is dominated by powerful, privileged males over subjugated, underprivileged females.”
While this statement may not be necessarily true and leans towards a bit more of an extreme opinion on the matter, it cannot be disputed that the term “patriarchy” has become a much more frequent word within the past few years in society.
In today’s “modern and progressive world,” I find it curious that this word is being used with such frequency when women have been making continuous strides into becoming participants in the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women in the workforce aged 16 and over have increased from about 30 million in 1970 to roughly 70 million in 2009.
The Barbie movie, by suggesting patriarchal values are keeping women from accomplishing what they want to do with their lives, is placing blame on societal systems that have not been truly in existence for a long time now. Disclaimer: this is not saying that patriarchal values have completely vanished altogether, but as an optimist, I believe that there is a greater number of good people working (unnoticed) for the right things. The news has a tendency to highlight the negative, and if this is all we see then it ends up being what we believe too.
My take on the Barbie movie was not all negative; one of the points I thought they highlighted well was the true meaning of feminism (all blame being put aside). Through the use of different “Barbie doll” characters (lawyer Barbie, doctor Barbie, housewife Barbie), the film illustrated how feminism is not just a push for women to enter the workforce and do what men do; it is a push for the opportunity for each and every woman to make their own choices. Not every female wants to be a wife, but not every female wants to be a lawyer or a doctor either. Having multiple “Barbie” characters supports this idea.
Additionally, I liked how the film spoke to some of the doubts and trials that almost all women have faced or felt at some point in their lives. This can be seen through one of the most notable monologues in the movie, spoken by Gloria. “You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean.” This is just a small excerpt from Gloria’s monologue, but speaks emphatically.
While this scene made me feel relieved that there are others who felt like I did, it also made me sad. Contradictions made in this monologue didn’t only just apply to women, but men too, which society has been overlooking. This is a prime example of how patriarchal systems may have been mostly dissolved, but patriarchal values have not. These values don’t only affect women, but men as well due to stereotypes. While women have been categorized as emotional, men have been categorized as unemotional and tough.
Why is it that so many people feel as though society expects so much of them and wants them to be a certain way? My first response to this was social media, but after more thought I realized this isn’t the case – people have been feeling like this even before the internet was a thing. If, someday, individuals are able to stop caring so much with what others think of them as well as their opinions on others, then the world might just be a better place to be in. However (as highlighted skillfully throughout the Barbie movie,) this seems to be one of the key flaws and gifts in human nature – caring.