My Thoughts on Barbie
And Other Content From This Week
As a student at a women’s college (Meredith College) in the late 2000s, I participated in many classroom debates about whether she was good or bad for women. What would Barbie—directed by Greta Gerwig, who’d made such an interesting adaptation of “Little Women” (my favorite childhood book)—have to add to the discussion?
At the very least, getting dressed in pink and going to the theater (I went to Alamo Drafthouse and got their special Barbie pink mocktail, which was delicious) with your girlfriends will give you a fun night out. The movie is hilarious and full of what felt like inside jokes for women who grew up with Barbie, perhaps especially in the '80s and '90s.
It also explores some interesting questions and makes some powerful statements.
Barbie is empowered to be who she was created to be (though the ghost of Ruth Handler, played wonderfully by Rhea Perlman) points out that just because she has a creator doesn’t mean she doesn’t have free will). So is Gloria—and so are each of us.
Are the male caricatures over the top? Yes. But, ultimately, the message “Barbie” sends is a simple one and, I believe, a Christian one: You, as a woman, are made good. Embrace your gifts, however ordinary they might seem. Honor the women who came before you. And, celebrate your femininity and your motherhood (literal and/or spiritual).
It’s a message that is desperately needed, and one I welcome and enjoyed.
(Stay tuned for a full review for Catholic Women in Business!)
Also in the last week, I published my latest article for Natural Womanhood, which was on a topic that hits very close to home for me: endometriosis in teenagers.
Content I Liked This Week:
My friend
made her Plough debut this week with an excellent piece on “therapy speak” and relationships. So, so good.FemCatholic (a website for which I used to be assistant editor and for which I sometimes write) did a major investigation into parental leave in Catholic dioceses across the country last year. In part as a direct result of this excellent journalism, Catholic media company Ascension Press announced a new paid parental leave program. Brava to both organizations!
I appreciated this editorial by
for The New York Times on the so-called “weak language” women frequently used. In particular, his point that the solution isn’t to urge “weak” men and women to become more aggressive. Rather, it’s to “normalize ‘weak language’ as a strong way to express concern and humility. Check it out here (gift link).I’ve been going back to all of the interesting-looking Barbie reviews that I held off on until after seeing the movie. Some good ones were in The Atlantic (by Megan Garber), the American Conservative (by Helen Andrews), and (my favorite so far) Fairer Disuptations (by Mary Rose Somarriba).
Books I’m Enjoying:
I finished The End of the Affair, by Graham Greene, and recommend it for anyone who liked Brideshead Revisited (and if you haven’t read either, I recommend them both!). I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, but it’s very thought-provoking. Let me know if you’ve read it and what you thought!