Women are often accused of being ‘overly’ sensitive. We're told we need to stop taking things so seriously. May I direct your attention to the men getting unreasonably upset at Greta Gerwig's film Barbie?
One complainer said it is a “Two-hour woke-a-thon brimming with feminist lectures and nuclear-level rage against men,” which sounds more like a 5-star review to my ears. Another tweeted that “They made Barbie a man-hating Woke propaganda fest.” Calm down, love!
I'm going to combat this hysteria with reason and woman-splain the film to the confused men out there.
Barbie is pro-men
Much of the criticism about Barbie being ‘anti-men’ encapsulates a common misunderstanding about patriarchy.
One of the film's major plot lines follows Ryan Gosling's Ken on a journey of self-discovery, where he becomes seduced by the real world's patriarchy without realising it will harm him too. In the musical number 'Just Ken', he has a moment of growth, where he cuts himself loose from this enforced masculinity. In so many words, Barbie talks to him about finding his own identity; one separate from her and the patriarchy. One where he is ‘Just Ken’.
There's a lot of symbolism within Ken's journey; it shows us how boys are often robbed of their innocence and vulnerability by society. We watch Ken going from a gentle, sweet man (doll) to one indoctrinated by patriarchy; he forces himself to wear certain clothes, drink beer, and act ‘macho’. In doing so, he suffers. Luckily, by the end, he returns to his true self with a renewed sense of adventure.
Barbie isn't anti-men; it's anti-patriarchy, which is very pro-men.
Not everything (including Barbie!) has to be pro-men
While the latter point about the film's plot is a more intellectual one, there's a Very Important and quite obvious thing that needs to be said: Barbie, fellas, isn't about you.
Barbie is a toy aimed at girls that set out to inspire us to dream big. She had a Dreamhouse before women had credit cards. Ruth Handler, the creator of the doll, said, “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”
Barbie is for the girlies, and while men are encouraged to watch and enjoy it, I also suggest they de-centre themselves. Women are so rarely allowed to mass-enjoy culture together. We're told our interests are silly and unimportant, that no one wants to hear women's stories.
Ryan Gosling slayed, actually
Margot Robbie and America Ferrera both gave powerful performances in Barbie, but it was Ryan Gosling who really stole the scenes. He was the perfect Ken, and had the majority of the film's funniest lines (and all the musical numbers). Reviews online have largely praised him, above the female actors, and yet some male commentators still want to feel left out.
Films are so often anti-women and are still seen as ‘good’
Films and TV shows are constantly made – like literally on a weekly basis –which don't pass the Bechdel test. Some are outright misogynistic, like The Idol, and still get standing ovations at prestigious ceremonies. Barbie isn't anti-men, it's actually very pro-men, but even if it didn't give Ken his big story arc, it wouldn't be cause for commotion: women should be allowed space to have art that focuses on their stories.
Gerwig is one of very few female directors, and one of even fewer successful ones – Barbie is now the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film by a female director, claiming the top spot from 2019’s Captain Marvel.
If anything, I thought Barbie was a hit-us-over-the-head positive about men and masculinity. It was thoughtful and conscious about how boys and men watching it would feel, and wanted to give them a similarly powerful message to Barbie's; a measure that was kind but not required.
To anyone still moaning that Barbie is ‘anti-men’, I say this in the nicest way possible: grow up.
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