My thoughts on Barbie
Alright, so I saw Barbie the other night.
When I've peeked on social media I've seen a lot of posts either "for" or "against" the Barbie movie, as if somehow we are supposed to take a side.
This level of polarization is one of the things I find so disturbing about our world. It's a movie. We don't need to be pro or anti Barbie!
I do have some thoughts and feelings about it though...
I have a take that is perhaps a little more nuanced.
I think the film was fun, it was visually delightful, and definitely clever and way beyond what you would expect from a movie about a Barbie doll. I even teared up a couple of times in poignant moments. It felt good to see the patriarchy identified, and there were definitely some LOL moments like when the old white guy says, "Oh we're still good at patriarchy. We're just better at hiding it now" It's great to see that all painted so clearly in a mainstream media film.
However, overall I left the film feeling disappointed, and with a deep sadness in my heart.
The film is purported to be feminist, and while I identify as a feminist, I do not agree with this form of feminism. The movie perpetuates the notion that feminism is anti men, by not including a single 3 dimensional male character in the whole film.
Every single male character is portrayed as dumb, and as a one dimensional caricature. I understand that this is intentional by the writers and producers, as perhaps, a form of payback for the way women have been portrayed in cinema for so long. However choosing not to include one well rounded male character in the entire film, in effect casts men as the "enemy", and equivocates men with the patriarchy and paints them as an entire gender as the problem.
This adds more fuel for anti feminist rhetoric, and hasn't gotten us any closer to true reconciliation between the sexes.
This is where we are at culturally, and it saddens me.
By having just one male character who was heartfelt, intelligent, trustable, and end embodying healthy masculine qualities, the film could have done so much more to help us evolve past the war between the sexes. Or at the least, just one male character who wasn't dumb?
I understand that it was important to not have a male hero to rescue her, or a romantic interest to distract from centering her story, but there could have just been one small glimmer of masculine help or support.
And to be clear, I am not saying that we shouldn't ever point out and poke fun of men and the patriarchy the way they did in this film. I'm just saying that including ONE male character who wasn't completely dumb and awful, would have gone a long way in showing that men and patriarchy are not necessarily the same thing.
I do not believe that we need to eviscerate and ridicule men in order to claim our feminine power. To me that is the opposite of true power. That is a pouty reactive child like toxic feminism that believes that all men are the problem.
Healthy feminism is a movement comprised of people who not only believe in equality between the sexes, but who also seek to create healing, and understanding between them.
One thing that saddens my heart is that many young women want to distance themselves from the identity of "feminist" because it is seen as being reactive, and man hating. It is dear to my heart to help us define feminism for this generation in a way that catalyzes healing, connection and understanding between the sexes.
I do not want to live in a world where it is only women who have my back, and all men are untrustable.
What do you think?
Does it feel triggering that here we have a feminist film and I'm going on about how it treats men? Does it feel like I just don't have a good enough sense of humor about it? :)
That's just my take. Perhaps I'm asking for too much. Maybe reconciliation comes in Barbie the sequel? :)
Those are my thought.
It feels good to be writing and sharing with you again.
&
I hope you are having a beautiful summer!
With Love,
Amanda