She’s everything. He’s just Ken.
The movie gives a sense of nostalgia towards not only Barbie but also the color pink. Little girls nowadays don’t play with Barbie anymore and pink has not been a trendy color for years because it associates with being weak, stupid, and … well girly. Barbie successfully illustrates patriarchy in disguise. The movie shows how women have been trying to deny their femininity to appear strong, to not be underestimated and looked down on by men. Yet at the same time, it also manages to touch on toxic masculinity, and the pressure society has on men too. Towards the end, when the CEO of Mattel suggests that everything go back to normal, Barbie disagrees and proposes that Barbieland should change in ways that there are equal rights for Barbies, Ken, and Alan as well. That’s what true feminism is about, equality, not women taking over the world and having power over men. As for the stereotypical Barbie, she realizes that the idea of being perfect all the time is so outdated that she can never go back to Barbieland nor she wants to. “The Barbie who embarked on this journey in order to return back to perfect saw a woman near the end of the spectrum of human life (the closest Barbie comes to death besides her thoughts), and she sees beauty”- said Legardye on Harper Bazaar. However, she will always remain a legacy for “We must stand still so our daughters can look back and see how far they’ve come.” ✍🏻 Van Tu
