Interlude: Barbie Stuff
A pinkstatic amuse-bouche while you wait for the next real Discontent Alien newsletter
Did you see Barbie??
I liked it so much, I saw it twice!
Through clever writing, perfect pacing, strong acting and the right balance between humour and emotion, it delivers an entry-level message about feminism that remains powerful enough to leave the audience with a cheerful sense of empowerment AND piss off insecure men and conservatives. I call that a win!
But let’s not forget that Barbie doubles as a two-hour long commercial with a $150 million budget. My main beef with it is that its marketing and Hollywood-perfect packaging contradict its message. And I wonder, does that make it a travesty, kinda?
The movie says that you can be anything you want (president, astronaut, ordinary woman with existential dread—just like Barbie the doll!), but only as long as you are conventionally pretty. Yes, the cast is diverse, but in a very box-ticking way. There’s a black Barbie and a fat Barbie and a Barbie in a wheelchair, but they exist within strict adherence to Western beauty standards: smooth hair, plump lips, hourglass figure, small nose, big eyes.
It’s important to accept yourself for who you are—you, a beautiful person with a beautiful house full of beautiful clothes. But if you’re not satisfied with your appearance, your apartment or your wardrobe, lucky you! There’s a Barbie collab screaming your name out there, luring you with promises of pink plastic perfection. From hair straighteners to carry-on rollers, jumbo false lashes, anti-cellulite body butter, whitening toothpaste, rugs, candles, pool floats, stilettos, bacon cheeseburgers, froyo, calorie free lemonade and more, Mattel has struck so many partnerships that Mother Capitalism’s MeUndies are drenched.
But I digress and I’m sorry. I don’t want to poop on the movie of the summer. Like I said, I LOVED it. I’ve been listening to I’m just Ken non stop for weeks and I’m DEFINITELY buying the soundtrack on vinyl!
ANYWAY! Here’s a fun list of interesting Barbie related stuff to check out!