Barbie

259 replies

h1d1ng1npla1ns1ght · 02/08/2023 03:25

I’m so sick of having to say “no I’m not seeing it”, “but you’re a feminist, you know it’s a feminist movie!” “I’m not that kind of feminist.” I don’t care about barbie and I don’t think it’s an appropriate medium for a feminist message, even ironically. I’m sure it’s a good movie, I’m sure it’s very feminist FOR a barbie movie. I have no interest in it. I’ve been called a bad feminist for not seeing a movie about a symbol of female oppression and body dysmorphia. I don’t care if “barbie can do anything she wants”, I’m a real woman in the real world and I can barely walk down the street safely. I don’t care if they have a slightly overweight barbie, a disabled barbie, a doctor/lawyer/farmer barbie, it’s not good enough. I have no desire to hear a feminist message from barbie’s mouth, nor defend my feminism against it.
I get that for some people it’s just a movie about a doll and they don’t care, that’s fine. But it means something actively negative to me. Can anyone either commiserate or help me to come around to the idea?

OP posts:

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Kay286 · 02/08/2023 04:31

@h1d1ng1npla1ns1ght why who is making you defend it ? Ugh this is just … why cant people watch a movie cause you know it might be for enjoyment only rather than to having to be anything deeper and huge movement reason for or againist ? This is literally wanting to pick it apart for the sake of it ….

DrJump · 02/08/2023 04:23

When I go I am going to pretend I am not a feminist for 2 hours. I will enjoy the costumes and filmneas of it. A bit like when I watch period dramas that have QE1 heading to Scotland and back in a day. I enjoy the scenery.

MaggieBsBoat · 02/08/2023 04:15

YANBU of course. But of course women aren’t a homogenous blob and there is room for all of us to disagree - especially on anything with regards to our rights - and feel a whole spectrum of things about such movies. I’m sorry that you feel you aren’t allowed your voice in it.
I love women. I don’t really give a shit what films they watch or don’t or even why. We ought all to try it.

drhf · 02/08/2023 04:04

It’s corporate purple-washing - using spurious feminist credentials to increase sales. Mattel have hired a well-regarded feminist filmmaker to rebrand their product via a 2-hour advert which people pay them for the privilege of watching. It will go down as one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history.

Whether you or I see the film won’t worry Mattel one bit, OP. But it is important to keep explaining why these toys are harmful to girls through idealising being dangerously underweight, focused on physical appearance, and always having to seem “perfect”.

The film encourages viewers to believe that these aspects are somehow no longer present in the toys, but this is pure marketing spin. Supposedly now more realistic, the dolls still represent a woman with a significantly underweight BMI of 16.2. Suggesting this toy is a good role model is toxic propaganda, and it needs to be rebutted.

Original poster

h1d1ng1npla1ns1ght · 02/08/2023 03:51

I think that’s how I feel, cocoyan, I’m just not nearly as succinct 😂

OP posts:

Coyoacan · 02/08/2023 03:49

I don't think I need to get my feminism from Hollywood through the medium of a doll I have hated all my life.

Original poster

h1d1ng1npla1ns1ght · 02/08/2023 03:49

It is serious for me. I think I made that clear. Of course nobody has to see it, nobody is making me see it. But I’m having to defend why I, a feminist, am not seeing a movie that is being touted as a feminist movie. I am interested and frustrated by the discussion around it.

OP posts:

MinnieTruck · 02/08/2023 03:40

It’s a live action film of Barbie. Is it even remotely that serious? If you don’t want to see it then you don’t need too

CrazyArmadilloLady · 02/08/2023 03:31

Well, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool feminist, and I have no desire, or intention to see it.

But nobody cares either way, so I haven’t had to once defend my position. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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