Author’s note: Although this blog has been posted recently, it is back-dated to reflect the date when it was supposed to have been published so that it aligns with the publication of the associated podcast on the same topic.
Spoiler alert! I went to see the Barbie movie. I’m not sure what exactly compelled me to go initially other than the fact that I adore actress Margot Robbie and I’m a girl – a girl who played with Barbies. I had no expectations for what the movie would be about, and in fact, I thought it might be just a fluff piece suitable for young girls and tweens with lots of costume changes and a happy ending. What I got was a whole lot more.
Yes, there are actual spoilers in this blog, so if you haven’t seen the movie, I encourage you to do so. And yes, there were lots of costume changes, but this movie was anything but fluff. To be honest, it was quite moving. So much so that Amber, Christen, and I walked out of the theater vowing to come back and watch it again so we could take notes for the podcast…which we did. If you haven’t listened to that podcast, I urge you to do so before you read any further. We discussed several important themes in the movie that I hope to address further in this blog. But wait! Make sure you watch the movie first! Don’t judge this movie by what other people say about it. It is worth a first-hand assessment. Did it have a happy ending? I’ll let you be the judge of that, too.
Sadly, this fun and thoughtful movie was lambasted by critics on the far right, including Fox News and Ginger Gaetz, the wife of U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz (R., Fla.). Complaining that it “neglects to address any notion of faith or family”, she went on to say that Ken’s portrayal was “disappointingly low T.”
Now, wait a minute. Honestly, I don’t get her complaints. Ken is not an alpha male. He never has been, and don’t we have more than enough alpha males in the movies we watch anyway? Women have been subjugated by alpha males since the beginning of time. The whole idea of Barbie for most of us is the idea that girls can act out the lives they want to live, not pretend to play second fiddle to yet another alpha male who “mansplains” things, objectifies women, and behaves aggressively because he’s juiced up on his high “T”. Nope, a “low T” Ken is not disappointing at all.
Then, there’s her disapproval regarding the lack of faith or family in the film. Since when is that a prerequisite to the making of a good movie? I just checked the list of Oscar winners for Best Picture. Faith and family are not the theme, and I don’t really go to the movies to get that anyway. Do you? If you only want to watch movies about faith and family, that’s fine, and there are plenty of outlets for that. But please do not force your standards on me. This country was founded on the conviction that we each have a right to our own beliefs and that no one should force them on someone else. So please don’t expect my entertainment to be based on someone else’s narrow set of personal values.
The Fox News critique involved quoting a review on a Christian Movie guide website titled, “WARNING: Don’t Take Your Daughter to Barbie,” and incorrectly states that the movie is “pushing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender character stories.” I watched the movie twice. I didn’t see any such character stories. I can’t recall a single instance of any reference to sexual orientation. In fact, a few funny moments in the film refer to the fact that the dolls don’t have sexual organs at all.
The truth is that the heart of this onslaught against this delightful movie is a lot of fearmongering over the fact that one of the actresses in the film, Hari Nef, is a trans woman and that there are a small handful of other LGBTQ+ cast members. In fact, the protests about Nef being in the movie began before the film was even released, however, she wasn’t cast in that role because she is trans, nor does her story arc involve or even mention any reference to LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Moreover, the film’s executive producer insists he did not know Nef was trans in the first place. The sexual orientation of the other LGBTQ+ cast members never came up in the movie, either.
So, no, I don’t get where these critics are coming from. I did not observe any references to LGBTQ+ agendas or character stories, and I wouldn’t be offended by it if I did. I did see a fun and thoughtful film about what it’s like to be a woman along with a few of the many obstacles the human Barbies (and Kens) of this world face as we navigate a world of double standards, absurd expectations, self-doubt, and mixed messages. If a movie about a little girl’s toy helps bring clarity, joy, and understanding to grown-up men and women, then I’m all for it.
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