A Pink Weekend: It's a Barbie Thing!
Barbra Millicent Roberts, You Did it Again.
This weekend Mattel Films made its grand entrance to theaters by releasing its first film, Barbie. A worldwide name that has touched the hearts of millions.
Let’s get started by saying: Barbie is the original “IT” girl. Barbie can do it all, having obtained more than one hundred fifty careers; from a News Anchor to a chef, Firefighter to a pet doctor, Ballerina to a police officer, she can simply do whatever she puts her mind to! Barbie continues to take on aspirational and culturally relevant roles while also serving as a role model and a mogul of change for everyone.
Barbieland was beautifully illustrated with every Barbie having their own home and personalized life; a pink utopia for all the special girlies to be their best selves with all their best friends. Now, because Barbie is specially curated, she lives a life that is very favorable to herself and doesn’t have “real-world problems,” as that’s a perk of being a Barbie.
Confused, waking up in an existential crisis one day; Barbie couldn’t grasp where these life-altering problems came from. From her shower water not working to her feet flattening: Barbie was going through it and simply not used to bad luck. In a strange turn of events, Barbie absorbed the energy of a woman in the real world—an energy that was completely opposite to everything she represented.
Barbie traveled the human world to understand herself and her purpose more. During her excursion to the human world, she felt objectified and disliked by people she felt she was an idol to… Young women; that broke her heart.
During this exploration, Ken was her unofficial boyfriend and is part of Barbieland. However, he only feels seen when Barbie is with him. Hence the reason he felt he needed to hide in Barbie’s car to even be on the adventure in the first place.
Barbie felt like he would slow her down! Ken went to the library and learned about patriarchy and once he gassed himself up, he went back to Barbieland with all his newfound knowledge. Navigating without Barbie, Ken returned and created Kendom. Kendom was male-dominated land, and the Kens took over the Barbie’s houses and remodeled Barbieland to fit their cowboy aesthetic. Adrenaline ran high to redecorate and initiate a new society, but ultimately, upon Barbies return, the Barbies outsmarted the Kens and gained control of Barbieland again.
Barbieland’s restoration wasn’t just about reclaiming power; it was a reminder that leadership isn’t about dominance—it’s about balance, respect, and vision. I loved seeing girl power being represented on the big screen in all shades of pink with everyone shining in their own way.
While Ken tried to gain independence and dominate Barbie, Barbie is her own entity. Barbie has always been more than just a doll—she’s a symbol of possibility, proving that women can lead, evolve, and define their own futures, with or without a Ken in sight.
After Barbie's excursion, she had an opportunity to go back to being “Stereotypical Barbie,” her comfort zone, and what was easiest for her or choose to honor her experiences. Of course, she honored her truth, however, she knew it was going to be a process moving forward with that in mind.
This movie was important for young me, as Barbie was my girl. My parents are a big reason for my relationship with Barbies; I have always had some form of Barbie as long as I can remember. I loved Barbie because everything was pink, and she had all the accessories that a girl could want. From my Barbie Dreamhouse to my Barbie Nutcracker collection, to my Barbie head so I could practice braiding. I loved Barbie.
I thank my parents for introducing me to a world where a woman could be anything—brilliant, ambitious, stylish, and unstoppable. Barbie wasn’t just a doll to me; she was a reflection of all the possibilities waiting for me in the world.. I participated with the rest of the world for the Barbie Movie by dressing up for the movie, channeling my “After 5 Barbie".”
I was even lucky enough to be accompanied by Crystal Ball Ken! Thank you for my Barbie flowers as they were perfect for the evening with the perfect Ken. My movie night for Barbie was as perfect as I imagined it was going to be, and I love that for me!
Congratulations, Barbie on another Milestone! We are all rooting for you!!
So, I ask: If you were Barbie, would you choose to honor what you learned in your experience or would you rather go back to a perfectly plastic life? Why?
