Barbie the Movie: Opportunity for Communist Discussion of Sexism
Millions worldwide have watched the Barbie movie. People like that it criticizes patriarchy and prevailing gender norms. It’s fun and colorful. Clearly it doesn’t call for communist revolution. However, could it be useful as a springboard for conversations with others about our communist ideas and the kind of society we need to build?
We first see little girls playing with baby dolls and mimicking domestic chores. Their play is disrupted by the appearance of a giant Barbie doll. They see her as a glamorous adult. They begin smashing their baby dolls and toy ironing boards.
This signified that Barbie ushered in a new world of possibilities for women beyond the limits of motherhood and domesticity. This scene could be useful in discussing how people are conditioned to fill societal roles from a young age. We can talk about whose interests these roles serve. It should lead to how communists must resolve these gender contradictions so we can build a new world where everyone is valued equally.
When introduced to Barbie’s world, we see that it is superficial. No one has real feelings or cultivates meaningful relationships. However, during a dance party, Barbie begins having troubling feelings. These are unacceptable in Barbie Land, and she travels to the Real World to fix it, with Ken in tow.
There, she meets Gloria, the Latina assistant to the CEO of Mattel (which makes Barbie). In the Real World, Barbie is immediately sexualized and harassed. Ken marvels when he discovers patriarchy. This system of beliefs, values, and relationships pervades the social, political, and economic spheres to sow gender inequality.
Gloria describes contradictory notions of proper female appearance and conduct. “It’s impossible to be a woman,” she says. She lists things women are expected to be…and not be and expected to do…or never do. “Never forget that the system is rigged,” Gloria says. “So, find a way to acknowledge that but also (we’re told) always be grateful.”
Everyone knows that the capitalist system is rigged. Red Flag reports how the masses fight against it all over the world. By speaking openly and critically about the ideas and expectations that inform gender norms, and other contradictions of capitalism, we can help the masses better understand the system we live under. More importantly, doing so will help us all understand the world we need and how to get there.
Mattel’s Barbie Promotes Consumerism
The doll may have had a positive effect on some girls’ and women’s self-concept and sense of agency. But it also promotes conspicuous consumption. “Lawyer Barbie”, “Surgeon Barbie,” and every other doll comes with countless accessories (clothing, jewelry, vehicles). Consumerism is not criticized in the film, but the filmmakers depict the corporation that makes Barbie as singularly driven by profit.
We should be critical of this liberal take. We should elevate the conversation with questions such as “Where does profit come from?” “Why do we need money?” “What would a world without it look like?”
Ken sneaks back to Barbie Land and rallies the other Kens to spread patriarchy there. The men take power and flip the gender roles, with the Barbies also internalizing the ideas. Barbie, Gloria, and Gloria’s daughter Sasha discover the change. They embark on a mission to de-program all the Barbies. They can accomplish this by distracting the Kens, using their egos to start a war among themselves.
We can talk here about the many ways the capitalist ruling class sows division between genders with sexism. We should also open this discussion to include how the bosses use racism, nationalism, homophobia, and more to divide the international working class. Do we know people who have internalized anti-working-class ideas? What role can we play in their de-programming? What has the working class accomplished while the bosses were distracted by war with their class rivals? How can we do it again?
The Barbies learn that they must share society with the men – though not equally – and that they must consider their needs and feelings. The narrator says, “…and the Kens grew to have as much power as women do in the real world”. How much power do women have in the real world? How do they challenge the power dynamic?
What kind of positive culture can we have in communism? The culture of sexism is pervasive in capitalism. We need to struggle for the message that “equal rights” is not the same as an egalitarian communist society. The working class needs meaningful work, to feel valued for their creativity. This can only be achieved in communism.
Read our pamphlet:
“Communism Will End Sexism” here
Read More on Fighting Sexism here
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