How Barbie became THE feminist icon
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Barbie used to be everything wrong with society. Her unattainable beauty standards exposed to young girls from very early on has sparked controversy ever since its original release. But now, with the new movie directed by the one and only feminist icon: Greta Gerwig. She has warped from a representation of capitalism and the ever pressing patriarchy to THE icon we should all aspire to be like. Now, how exactly did this happen.
The FIRST barbie: March 9 1959
The first barbie was released in the 1950s when society was still in the process of exiting the deep throngs of laws banning women from wearing too revealing swimsuits. Ruth Handler released Barbie. Having seen all the toys for girls being catered to them becoming mothers or caregivers, she decided to create a doll that allowed all girls to imagine all the different choices they could have- that they could be anything.
While her original intention was definitely pure, Ruth did not take into account the unrealistic body standards Barbie was setting due to her physique. For Barbie has an ample bosom, tiny waist line and slim legs, standards that are impossible to achieve. Especially not by the average 9 year old that plays with the doll.
In a video done by Buzzfeed, they edited women to see what Barbie would actually look like if she was real.
Needless to say, this is pretty terrifying. (why is Barbie’s head so big??)
Barbie can also be seen as a way of enforcing patriarchal ideas, not just appearance- wise. In the Barbie book “I can be a Computer Engineer”, Barbie is seen saying she cannot even fix a simple computer virus without the help of her two male friends. This is just one example of the continuous harmful stereotypes enforced by Mattel, a company for young girls with only two female CEOs in its entire company history. It seems to be a case of not practicing what you preach.
There have been countless studies showing the negative effects of Barbie on young girls all over the world. To many, Barbie still represents society’s obsession with women appearing delicate and beautiful. While you can argue that Barbie shows that girls can be anything it does perpetuate the notion that women can be anything they want as long as they are nice to look at, otherwise they are not worthy.
However, with the rise of female empowerment through social media, Barbie has warped into a symbol of women reclaiming their sexuality. No longer, is Barbie seen as an unrealistic body standard and everything that is wrong with the world, instead her outfits and body now make her a woman empowered.
Greta Gerwig, a director known for poignant and feminist themes in her movies even took on the project and definitely helped turn Barbie into the icon that she is now. The movie, using a clever mix of satirical humour and powerful messages helped convey a story that touched on the meaning of girlhood, the feeling of inadequacy and what it is to be human. With Ruth Handler even being called the “creator” by Barbie who, almost like Pinocchio, (spoilers) seeks to turn real by the end.
With this new film, it seems that Barbie is now being repackaged as “for the girls” and an example of a strong woman.
Now, what’s the consensus on this. Is it right that Barbie, a toy having been so controversial in its history, backed by a company that isn’t really known for its ethical practices, be completely rewritten? You decide. However, I for one, am all for it.