‘Barbie’ Offers a New Perspective on Women at Work — And It’s Not What You Think (2024)

After an astonishing box office performance and a superb critical response, it’s abundantly clear that Greta Gerwig's Barbie is the complete opposite of the cynical consumerist propaganda most audiences assumed it to be: i.e., “It's just a toy commercial.” The multiplicity of themes that Gerwig, a female director with a pointed history of deftly summarizing the nuances of female existence, manages to balance is a staggeringly impressive triumph. What's more, said themes are moving. Scroll through social media for five minutes, and you'll witness how deeply Barbie's piercingly tender insights about humanity and living in the world as a woman have resonated with countless femme-identifying individuals in a raw, rare way.

Personally, what I can't stop turning over in my mind is an Etalk interview with actress America Ferrera conducted before the movie's debut. Ferrera, who plays Mattel employee Gloria, speaks to how men are allowed to continue celebrating things from their childhood into adulthood, like video games and comic books, while women are conditioned to grow up, put those joys aside, sacrifice for others, and do our expected duties with a selfless, willing smile. "That was really what touched me about Gloria as a character," Ferrera explained. "This woman somehow made it to adulthood holding onto, like, the value of play and the value of aspiration and imagination. [It's] in a way counter-culture. We can be a lot of things at once ... we can be joyful and playful and imaginative and childlike and be a grown woman, professional, taken seriously."

This gendered social phenomenon Ferrera references is the narrative equivalent of a truth bomb. I found myself fist-pumping because a prominent entertainer validated the experiences and frustrations I knew like the back of my hand but had previously left uninterrogated. Moreover, Ferrera's observations tie into her character's remarkable third-act speech. Alongside every complicated issue that Barbie tackles with grace, the film champions female joy and self-expression through the avenue of our childhood toys. Now, why did Gerwig choose to incorporate such a specific theme, and why is this subtext-almost-text proving meaningful to women across the world?

Barbie

PG-13

Comedy

Adventure

Fantasy

A beloved doll, known for her perfect life in an idyllic, colorful world, finds herself on an unexpected journey when she starts to feel out of place. Seeking answers, she leaves her fantastical home and steps into the real world, where she experiences the highs and lows of human life. With the help of new friends, she navigates the challenges of identity and purpose, discovering the importance of authenticity and inner strength.

Release Date

July 21, 2023

Director

Greta Gerwig

Cast

Margot Robbie , Simu Liu , Ryan Gosling , Helen Mirren , Ariana Greenblatt , America Ferrera

Runtime

114 minutes

Writers

Noah Baumbach , Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' Subverts Expectations About Adult Women

Barbie's (Margot Robbie) journey from Barbieland into the real world culminates when she meets America Ferrera's Gloria. Contrary to Barbie's assumptions that a young girl with an existential crisis was playing with her, it's a grown woman employed by Mattel who designs potential Barbies in her spare time and despairs over her strained relationship with her teenage daughter, Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt). Frankly, it's remarkable that Barbie depicted an adult returning to the comforts of her favorite childhood doll in a time of distress, depression, and confusion. In her grief, Gloria turns to a symbol — a reminder of when things were simpler. She longs for the purity of that youthful, innocent joy the world's fundamental inequality ensured she could never recapture in its entirety. But Gloria tried; the Barbie that kept her company through the years (the one she tried to pass down to her daughter) transformed into a mirror reflective of Gloria's adult fears. Barbie remained a beacon of hope even though Gloria's peers probably would have wagged their fingers and tsked their tongues at a professional woman placing emotional value on a doll.

At this point, Gloria's speech about the cruel impossibilities of being a woman has taken on a life of its own. Some might dismiss it as "feminism 101," but for a blockbuster film, it's rather radical. Listening to Gloria describe how navigating the world as a woman is like swimming through a sea of knives, how our responses to every contradictory and changing demand are never good enough, sweet enough, sexy enough, strong enough, is a world-altering revelation for Robbie's "stereotypical Barbie." Ferrera's observations about the gender divide surrounding "childish" interests are a side alley conversation but still relevant to her monologue; their core message is the same.

Girls grow up far too fast. We're sexualized by grown men before we have any comprehension or desire. A greater moral, emotional, and sexual responsibility is automatically forced upon us even though we don't seek it out. Boys will be boys, as the awful saying goes, so girls must pick up the slack and be smarter, polite, and more performative but still behave themselves by not "tempting" men into misbehavior. Any time a woman participates in fan culture with a stereotypically strong male presence, such as Star Wars, comic books, anime, or sports, we're harassed. We don't belong there, you see; nasty girls aren't allowed. But if women enjoy romantic comedies and YA novels or cry during a Taylor Swift concert, then our interests are stupid and trivial. There's no way to be a woman in a fandom space and win.

In 'Barbie,' America Ferrera's Gloria Shows That Women Don’t Need To Surrender Their Imaginations

So what fantasy solution does Barbie offer to Gloria's dilemma? Gloria and her daughter bridge the fragile gap between them because of Barbie's influence. A mother, a daughter, and a walking-talking doll save one another in crucial, intersecting ways. They swap lessons on the highs and lows of humanity. Their understanding of the world expands, and Barbie, a beloved old doll, is the linchpin for these revelations. Gloria rediscovers her strength by treasuring how profoundly Barbie impacted her life for the better. She doesn't need to throw her toys into the trash and re-commit herself to domesticity like a "proper" woman.

All Gloria must do is recontextualize what Barbie means to her as an adult. That bright, pink-fueled world of imagination and play is still open to her. Barbie still imparts empowerment and joy, even if said joy is a mature, resilient hope that had to survive the inevitability of being battered, broken, and remade. This is no Narnia where you hit puberty and get kicked out as punishment. In fact, Gloria's arc reminds me of Jim Henson's Labyrinth, another movie that pushes back against the stereotypical coming-of-age narrative. Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), the teenage protagonist, doesn't have to abandon her fantasy world to grow up. Her viewpoints have matured, but her toys and creativity will always be with her "when you need us." I call that a win.

'Barbie' Empowers Women to Carry Childhood Joys into Adulthood

As a woman in her mid-30s and a self-proclaimed nerd who grew up in online fan spaces (Geocities, message boards, LiveJournal, fanfiction.net, Tumblr, etc.), I viscerally related to America Ferrera's interview. I have always been a ride-or-die geek with a strong preference for science fiction, fantasy, and anime. To this day I collect Funko Pops and design my home around these tiny plastic replicas. Despite my age, proven professional experience, and it being no one's business but my own, I'm still told I need to dismiss childish things. Cherishing my old stuffed animals, covering my walls with Lord of the Rings fan art, cosplaying at conventions, and writing fanfiction is met with active hostility. Men try to quiz me to prove I'm a true fan or shun me from social circles. "You can't have movie posters on your wall forever," someone told me.

The joke's on them. A mature, professional woman and someone who relishes the wonder of toys, play, and creativity aren't mutually exclusive concepts. Thanks to my maturing viewpoints, I engage with the media I love more than I did as a kid. These activities don't just make me happy, they're integral to who I am. They inform my passions and frame the lens through which I view the world. Figures like Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) remind me why I keep existing despite a hostile world actively determined to grind me into dust. I buy an Ahsoka Tano action figure, place her on a shelf, and toss her a wink of solidarity when I walk by.

For Barbie to include such a subtle, intuitive, counter-cultural, and personal statement is a wonder I'm still astonished by. Like the crying women on TikTok whom the Barbie movie touched, I feel seen. More than that, I feel gratified. Through Gloria, Barbie reminds us that women shouldn't just treasure their play but nurture and reclaim it. There's nothing wrong with wearing sparkling pink outfits and Mass Effect t-shirts or trading friendship bracelets at the Eras Tour. Imagination, creativity, and enthusiasm aren’t things women must surrender because society dictates it. Barbie posits such elements as our strength — and what Barbie says, goes.

Barbie is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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