The Barbie Movie

Conversations for a Brave New World is produced by the Gender Network (feminist, gender and queer research and practice) at CSU. We bring global, national and local issues about gender to the Central West. Each month, we share knowledge, scholarship and research about gender from the diverse perspectives of experts and scholars.

The “Barbie” movie has been toted as a feminist film. This month’s guests, Dr Suzie Gibson from Charles Sturt University and Dr Lauren Gurrieri from RMIT University don’t agree. They talk this month about Barbie – the doll and the movie – and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles and beauty standards. Despite attempts to modernize the image of Barbie, it seems that the doll and its promoters still centre on a character historically associated with consumerism and unrealistic body images, which can undermine feminist principles of equality and diversity.