Last night we saw the Barbie movie. Here is the best bit:
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.
You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people.
You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.
But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.
You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.
I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us.”
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7 Comments
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I have always thought of you and your husband as a perfect Barbi and Ken. Pink Power❤️
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No, we’ve hewn out hard equality better than that.
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Amen.
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That was the only social message in the movie. America Ferrera, shared it with her daughter in the car going to help Barbie.
I was just thinking about the movie again yesterday when I saw a meme of a guy putting Tabasco in his eyes like eye drops… he said that was how much he didn’t want to watch the movie.
I took a 91 year young friend and we both had enough before the end and left.
Your post is the best soliloquy in the movie…. However, the Ken bashing was just as hateful as women bashing… men don’t have any advocates because history shows they have been the basher… like in the Bible when women could not carry on a family name or inherit property…. It’s been a struggle.
We as children of God and heirs should be treated the same and valued for the talents we exemplify.
Let’s make a movie about respect and kindness if individuals.Thanks for the post… it gets the conversation going!
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I’m a huge advocate for equality. I understand the frustration women feel and their need to let off that steam, but also know that swinging disproportionately the other direction is not the solution either. I agree we need examples of the proper balance. They way I see it is we are finally and thankfully in a transition time, but we need to raise a whole generation based not on reaction, but on unconditional respect.
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Your reply is spot on!
MBE tells us “Right is radical.”
Together we can stand for Principle and always do the right thing. Never disparaging another and always speaking, acting, writing with kindness and respect!
Together with blogs like yours we are making a difference encouraging all to love one another.
Thank you for what you are doing to make the world a better place!
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After 60 years, I finally got around to reading The Woman’s Bible by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (and contributors) and am saddened that it had to be written in the first place – when read spiritually, and not for politics (such as it was then and now). It goes far deeper than suffrage.
Even though I’m a man, I consider myself spiritually complete. Yet the material odds of just one chromosome chance brings up a sort of “survivors guilt” if you will, and requires spiritual work and understanding to handle the history of patriarchy and seek the complete. The fact that Barbie dolls even have to be made in the first place after what – 2000 years of inequality just boggles me. I pray to see the clearer view, or as ECS might say “wiping the dew off my spectacles”.
