Barbie: When You Think of Sparkle, You Think of Female Agency.

We are back from a long, semi-unplanned hiatus, but don't worry, there's still plenty more Barbie to talk about! This week we look at how both Barbie Land and Stereotypical Barbie's perspective in the film explore gender and femininity.

How does Barbie Land fit into the context of women-dominated societies in other fictional works?

How does Barbie as a film both defy and uphold patriarchal beauty standards?

And how does Barbie as a character help us as women and feminine people explore how we can define femininity and identity for ourselves?

Further Reading:

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Power by Naomi Alderman

Ritual of Proof by Dara Joy

Sci-Fi Movies About All-Female Planets Have a Hidden Agenda -- video essay from Slate

Barbietopia and Feminist Futures: Next Steps on the Heroine’s Journey -- essay by Ivana Milojević

What ‘Barbie’ teaches us about the beauty of growing old -- article by Steve Lopez

Justice for Weird Barbie -- article by Natalie Michie

Books to Read After Watching Barbie -- post by Rhonda

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