Barbie Movie Critique In The Lens of Gender Roles!
Hi Barbie! The film kicks off in a harmonious Barbie universe where all Barbies and Kens coexist, depicting a female-dominated Barbie realm. From Firefighter Barbie to Doctor Barbie, all women collaborate in this world, while Kens are portrayed as secondary characters vying for Barbie's attention on the beach, playing the role of cavaliers at parties, and appearing as mere accessories to Barbie. At first glance, it might seem like a film enforcing female dominance, but the narrative takes an unexpected turn.
The plot takes a transformative twist as Barbie, initially part of a flawless world, becomes a flawed baby entering the real world.
The real world, however, stands in stark contrast to the Barbie universe, belonging to a patriarchal order.
Until this film, Barbie symbolized 'perfection' with her smooth legs, thin physique, and socially accepted aesthetic. However, as she descends to the ground with her heels, her usual perfection begins to crumble. With disheveled hair and emerging cellulite, Barbie deviates from the conventional standard of flawlessness.
In today's era, fueled by the influence of social media, we are aware of the detrimental impact of the imposed beauty standards on women, leading to obsessions, psychological issues, and a sense of worthlessness.
This burden stems from the societal obligation to conform to the prevailing beauty standards of the time.
The film critically examines the stereotypical beliefs regarding how women should behave and what they should wear, challenging the imposed beauty standards on women in the current societal framework.
Simultaneously, as Barbie steps out of her own world into the "real" world, she realizes the prevalence of a male-dominated society.
While Barbie's initial emotion is fear, we witness Ken falling in love with the real world dominated by a patriarchal order.
The film offers self-reflection on gender inequality in society, highlighted by the absence of female executives in the company producing Barbie dolls—Mattel. In the real world, women often remain in the background by fulfilling the roles assigned to them by society, while in the Barbie world, men face devaluation and insignificance. Through Barbie and Ken, the film portrays the challenges of a dual-gender-dominated order existing in two different worlds.
Barbie's existential questioning prompts us to reevaluate our thoughts and roles in society concerning the distribution of gender roles.
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