Come on Barbie let’s go beyond the politics of feminist inclusion...

Over the past few years, movies and TV shows addressing gender, racial, and LGBTQ+ issues for children and young adults have faced significant backlash and criticism from conservatives. This criticism primarily targets the increased LGBTQ+ representation but extends to gender and racial themes.

Conservative groups, like One Million Moms and Moms for Liberty, have been vocal in their opposition to progressive themes in media. One Million Moms condemned ABC’s fantasy TV series Once Upon a Time for featuring a same-sex couple and kiss between Ruby from “Little Red Riding Hood” and Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” in the episode “Ruby Slippers,” which aired on ABC on April 17, 2016. When ABC eventually cancelled the show, One Million Moms credited the decision to their “advocacy” to allegedly protect children and families from what they described as “distorted and twisted the storylines in these fables”.

Meanwhile, Moms for Liberty, founded in early 2021 by conservative women in Florida, has quickly expanded its presence across the United States. It also landed national media attention for its efforts — sometimes successful — to fight Covid-19 safety measures in schools, ban books, limit discussion about race and LGBTQ identities, and populate local school boards with conservatives. In just two-and-a-half years, Moms for Liberty has grown to 285 chapters and well over 1,00,000 members in 45 states across the United States.

In her book, Mothers of Conservatism: Women and the Postwar Right, historian Michelle M Nickerson delves into the history of the American female conservative movement. She highlights that since the early 1960s, American conservatism underwent a transformation, becoming a recognisable and self-conscious  “movement”. Right-wing women drew inspiration from emerging intellectuals and engaged with their literature found in publications like Human Events, The Freeman, and the National Review. These women immersed themselves intensely in personal and group studies, actively collecting clippings, reprinting articles, and sharing literature with neighbours or through the US Postal Service. This dedicated effort allowed them to develop a broader political perspective based on their everyday experiences. Empowered by this process, they emerged locally as a potent political force before eventually coalescing within the broader conservative movement.

Conservative activism

In the current landscape of conservative activism, right-wing groups, led by both men and women, criticise liberal values while promoting conservative ideals. This activism has been influenced by the groundwork laid by early conservative women over the past decades.

Last year, Disney’s film Lightyear faced controversy for featuring a same-sex kiss between the characters Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) and her lover, leading to the movie’s ban in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries. This year, The Little Mermaid received criticism from American conservatives and Chinese media due to the casting of Halle Bailey, who is Black, as Princess Ariel. The controversy arose as some believed the actress did not resemble the light-skinned character of the 1989 animated film or the 1837 fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. The Global Times, an English-language Chinese tabloid known for its nationalistic coverage, accused Disney of turning classic tales like The Little Mermaid and Snow White into ‘sacrificial lambs’ for political correctness” by casting non-white actors in classic tales. This criticism, they argue, is not about racism, but a “lazy and irresponsible storytelling strategy”.

The 2023 Warner Bros Pictures’ Barbie movie has also generated controversy this year, despite its outstanding performance at the box office. It is set in “Barbie Land”, a fantasy world where women can achieve anything, from being lawyers and doctors to astronauts and even presidents and Supreme Court Justices. The movie portrays “Barbie Land” as a utopia where feminism has seemingly solved all issues of equality and empowerment in the real world, with Barbie exclaiming, “We fixed everything so all women in the real world are happy and powerful!”

However, the plot turns unexpectedly when “Stereotypical Barbie” (played by Margot Robbie) starts contemplating death. In a quirky twist, “Weird Barbie” (played by Kate McKinnon) encourages her to explore the “real world” and find her owner to resolve her problems. As Barbie and Ken embark on their adventures, they encounter and experience patriarchy, leading to a deeper understanding of the complexities of the “real world”.

The challenges are real

The movie’s exploration of feminism, gender dynamics, and the challenges of the real world has sparked both praise and criticism. The narrative delves into issues like patriarchy, prompting viewers to reflect on its consequences and how to create a more inclusive and just society. The controversy surrounding the film highlights the ongoing cultural dialogue on feminism and representation. In the context of these discussions, sociologist Judith Stacey reminds us that critiques surrounding gender roles and norms emerged from within feminism itself. She acknowledges that modern feminism is facing not only a crisis of confidence but also one of identity. Representing diverse perspectives, including those raised by conservative feminists, poses a challenge for modern feminists, leading to ongoing debates on issues such as sex/gender difference and the inclusion of transgender women in cis-woman spaces. Stacey identifies “The New Right” as an organised antifeminist social movement with devoted female activists. This movement brought criticism from feminists who couldn’t speak for all the women they sought to represent. The shift in the social and political climate towards the Right, fuelled by attacks on feminist ideology from both neoconservatives and prominent leftists, led to the rise of a “postfeminist” era celebrated in the media. This era featured accomplished young women who rejected both the feminist ideology and the label itself. As a result, a backlash has emerged, oftentimes initiated by self-identified feminists who critique the core beliefs and politics of the women’s liberation movement. This backlash reflects the impact of the “New Right” and a critique of liberal politics and modern liberalism.

These dynamics can be seen in the controversy surrounding the Barbie movie, which faced criticism from conservatives who deemed it “woke” and “left-wing propaganda”. However, the film’s portrayal of “Barbie Land” as a supposed utopian matriarchy has been misconstrued by critics. Its primary aim is to highlight gender dynamics and promote inclusivity rather than advocate for a specific form of governance.

Furthermore, the matriarchal depiction of “Barbie Land” as a diametric opposition to the patriarchal “real world” serves as a tool to help viewers “see” patriarchy and consider alternatives. It offers a frame of reference for a society that has the possibility of moving away from traditional patriarchal norms, norms that can adversely affect both men and women.

In essence, these discussions around the Barbie movie mirror the broader debates within modern feminism, where diverse perspectives and challenges from both conservative and progressive feminists contribute to the evolving landscape of feminist thought and activism.

Backlash & bans

Despite only referencing themes of inclusion, diversity, gender, and women’s empowerment, without directly touching on LGBTQ+ themes, the movie’s release was postponed in the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain.

Interestingly, even though the dolls in the movie don’t have sexual orientations, the mere presence of openly queer actors has caused a backlash in these countries. Indeed, media representation of LGBTQ+ characters, minorities, and powerful women’s stories continues to face threats of boycotts, censorship, and erasure. A feminist response to this backlash is to question whether it arises from real issues that feminism has yet to address, or if it stems from pure malice. As Stacey eloquently points out in her 1983 essay, “The New Conservative Feminism,” conservative critiques of feminism present an opportunity to explore the ancestry of radical feminism and examine whether the backlash is a response, however poorly articulated, to genuine social problems and issues in feminist theory.

Movies like Barbie are powerful, especially for children, due to their subtle messaging and humour. It is unfortunate that a once-beloved toy has become embroiled in a politicised culture war. Despite its success at the box office, impending bans in certain regions highlight the long journey ahead in achieving not only gender equality but also widespread recognition and acceptance of it.

(The author is a Communications Manager at Nyaaya, the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and can be reached at [e-mail])