The "Barbie" film premiere marks the culmination of a nearly 15-year journey that began when Universal Pictures acquired the character's rights. While this timeframe is typical for Hollywood, the debut of Barbie's movie raises a more profound question about her ongoing relevance and significance.
Ever since Barbara Millicent Roberts, aka Barbie, burst onto the scene in 1959, she has been a subject of controversy. Male toy executives initially struggled to grasp the concept of a fully grown woman doll, but young girls immediately embraced her. Over the past 64 years, Barbie has been at the center of numerous debates concerning women's identity, appearance, and desires.
Barbie represents both an unrealistically proportioned airhead and a relatable Everywoman. Despite her silence, she is believed to symbolize the thoughts and aspirations of many. The existence of the "Barbie" movie itself underscores the fact that she has become a universal figure, eliciting strong feelings both for and against her. Personally, as a child, I faced a choice between the Bionic Woman and Barbie dolls, ultimately selecting Barbie despite not seeing myself reflected in her appearance.
Barbie's journey has been marked by periods of feminist concern and scrutiny. From her unattainable proportions to her predominant whiteness, she has often been criticized for perpetuating Western beauty ideals. As each wave of feminism unfolded, Barbie was increasingly regarded as problematic, and her manufacturers faced challenges in keeping up with the times. However, throughout her existence, Barbie has never been a child's toy but rather an emblem, a target, and a mirror reflecting societal attitudes and values.
The new "Barbie" movie seeks to explore the idea of self-empowerment and a hero's journey, as Barbie ventures into a world that either fears or dismisses her. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film attempts to encompass the extensive discourse surrounding Barbie that has evolved over six decades. Another documentary, "Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie," provides context for this discourse, revealing Mattel's attempts to adapt to changing times by introducing diverse dolls in terms of skin tones and body types.
Despite Barbie's evolution, our expectations of her have also evolved. As a symbol, she remains complex and enigmatic, as she carries the weight of generations of beauty standards and feminist analysis. We continually add new expectations for Barbie to meet, making her a challenging figure to grasp. However, as a vessel for our collective thoughts and emotions, Barbie has proven to be enduring and resilient.
I now recognize that my initial feminist rejection of Barbie was too simplistic, as she doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing figure. Many of us saw her in black-and-white terms, but this only reflects the ongoing struggle to break free from stereotypes and expectations, allowing women to exist without judgment or restriction. In conclusion, Barbie has never been an unequivocal symbol, but rather a complex and multifaceted reflection of our own society and its values.