Barbie

I haven’t ugly cried like this in months. With what I’m about to say… I’m just completely lost for words. I understood every little thing about this film, but I don’t even know how to write out my feelings into words at this moment. There’s so much to say, SO much to say. This film is SO important to me. It’s quite literally me. Anyone I know who sees this film will immediately think of me. This film is literally ME. I wish I could quote almost everything that was said in this film. Every word carried so much weight, so much meaning. Understanding the context of this film is so much more than you see. Greta Gerwig, I love you. You’ve changed the world and the perspectives of all the little girls and boys and people of this world. You spoke out for all of us literally through imagery, emotion, and truth. You illustrated what so many of us have felt but never had the words to say. *“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong. You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can’t say you want to be thin, you have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money, because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman, but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women, because you’re supposed to be part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that, but also always be grateful. You have to never get old. Never be rude. Never show off. Never be selfish. Never fall down. Never fail. Never show fear. Never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory, and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault. I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.”*