Cinema Therapy — Charlyne Gelt, Ph.D.

Barbie

If you were raised in the 60s, or even if you were a parent raising a child in the 60s, you just had to know that Barbie was the ideal model to which girls of that time (as well as some of their mommies) aspired. This model, unfortunately, hammered emotional inadequacy into young girls who tried but never reached this goal: tall, long legs, blue eyes, long blond hair, and a perfect body.

If you were raised in the 60s, or even if you were a parent raising a child in the 60s, you just had to know that Barbie was the ideal model to which girls of that time (as well as some of their mommies) aspired. This model, unfortunately, hammered emotional inadequacy into young girls who tried but never reached this goal: tall, long legs, blue eyes, long blond hair, and a perfect body.

Now the hit movie Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig (Ladybird), and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, is sure to bring it all back to you. This is a delightful tour de force that takes a deep dive into the realms of fantasy and reality, and a self-aware dig at popular culture through the feminist lens of the iconic doll, Barbie, one that’s been the focus of make-believe for generations. Gerwig jabs at the patriarchy while conveying an underlying message: the strength of the feminine. She states, “We need to let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.”

Love in Barbieland
Barbie and Ken live in a fantasy and seemingly perfect world of Barbieland. However, in the opening scene, we see little girls smashing their baby dolls, a metaphorical rejection of defining oneself in the traditional role of wife and mother. The fire of feminine rebellion is on the horizon. Barbie appears to stoke that rebellion. Here, women run all the institutions, the men are jocks who do nothing but hit the gym or the beach. Barbie exposes us to historic and current models of fashion, beauty, and culture to which generations of girls aspired. For women, it comes down to having the perfect face and figure, and for men, it’s about self-importance, being admired, and infantilizing women. Plastic.

Cellulite Crisis
Barbie’s sunny outlook, expressed by a dazzling smile, covers the subversive idea that beauty can fade. This is the looming crisis: Cellulite. When it happens, ever youthful Barbie realizes that she is mortal, with cellulite and flat feet signaling imperfections that will lead to the loss of her superpower, followed by aging, and death. To find a solution, Barbie needs to visit the real world outside of Barbieland, where she risks learning the joys and perils of self-discovery. Ken, in a surprising move, tags along as a stowaway, and gets a taste of the world of “real men.” Together, Barbie and Ken leap into the real world of capitalism and existential crises. Barbie starts to actually feel things. 

Ken’s Existential Crisis
Up until now, Ken’s sole purpose in life seems to have been getting Barbie to pay attention to him. He has become a nonentity who thinks he can amount to something only if Barbie loves him. This combination of his lack of a sense of self and her narcissistic self-absorption doesn’t allow for loving or relationship. Here lies another of the film’s message: Ken revolts by identifying with the negative aspects of the masculine. However, using her feminine wiles, Barbie plays up the competitive side of manliness, undoing the cooperating side. In the end, Barbie liberates Ken so he can find himself; the women give men equality!

What are the Barbie’s Underlying Messages in This Timely Film?
How many of us, like Barbie, are caught between the façade of an idyllic plastic life, and the ever-changing, complicated real world? Early in the film, we see red flags of feminist rebellion against traditional norms when the young girls are playing with, smashing, then lighting their baby dolls on fire. Why? This is a metaphor that change is happening! Women are not damsels in distress as viewed by prior generations, groomed to uphold the patriarchy at the cost of the self.

Does Barbie suggest women’s underlying hatred of men? Not at all! Ken's journey mirrors many men's experiences, caught in a crisis of self-worth and identity, often basing their value on the attention or validation from a woman (a role reversal dig).The film does not vilify men; rather, it shines a light on the pitfalls of societal constructs, encouraging both genders to break free.

Barbie uses humor to expose gender inequality and aggressive and domineering masculinity, as defined by those who run corporations and objectify women, along with the “blond fragility” of superfluous, nonentity Kens who preen and strut on the beach, trying to get noticed by all the Barbies. In the film’s song “I’m Just Ken,” the character bemoans his “blond fragility” which has portrayed Ken as having the depth of a puddle. Barbie sends women a clear signal to confront those Kens who are less intelligent, or are dependent on a Barbie for their validation.

From a psychotherapeutic viewpoint, the film beautifully delineates the intricate process of individuation and personal growth. It highlights the internal and external pressures people face when conforming to societal expectations and the emotional and psychological challenges of breaking free from such. Ken's portrayal underscores the often overlooked societal pressures men face, particularly regarding emotional vulnerability and self-worth. As therapists, we often encounter individuals grappling with self-identity, societal expectations, and relational dynamics. Barbie serves as a mirror, reflecting the complexity of human experience.

The film culminates in a profound message: it's not about superiority, but equality. It isn't about discarding old norms entirely, but re-evaluating and reshaping them to foster a society where every individual can thrive, irrespective of gender. Today’s Barbies have refused to be put back into a box, and have thrown off the shackles of mindless submission, meaning traditional roles dominated by the patriarchy that has often taken advantage of them, or has used their creativity and cognitive strengths for their own gains. Barbie finds herself sandwiched between these two aspects of the masculine until she recognizes her own strength and begins to define inner and outer aspects of herself. Ken’s emancipation from Barbie brings him newfound knowledge of the patriarchy, which he brings back to Barbieland, finding meaning in his own life outside of the “other,” Barbie. No more merger!

At the end of the film, we see Barbie going to a gynecologist. This can be understood as a metaphor, not for a real baby, but the desire to give birth to her own identity and her own creative potential, birthing her newly-formed sense of self and potential. Barbie is “On the line” with a wake-up call: to men, to women, to society. A thinly disguised version of a lovely but loveless anti-erotic utopia in which we live. Barbie evolves past the façade of a plastic life. Once in the real world, she develops an inner life. And while initially, Ken doesn’t achieve this, Barbie cleverly encourages men to look in the mirror, to get an inner life, to find himself outside of a woman, to earn women’s respect, including self-respect.

Barbie demonstrates that it is not necessary to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The ideal Barbie gets reevaluated, acknowledges the feminist debate, and the contradictions in women’s lives. Women don’t want to be more powerful than men. Women want to be “seen” and viewed as equal.

Charlyne Gelt, Ph.D. (PSY22909) is a clinical psychologist who practices in Encino. She leads Women's Empowerment Groups that help women learn the tools to move beyond self-destructive relationship patterns. She may be reached at 818.501.4123 or cgelt@earthlink.net. Her office address is 16055 Ventura Blvd. #1129 Encino, CA 91436.