Barbie and girl power!

Recently, I've watched Barbie with my girl in the cinema. Halfway through the movie, a few guys left the cinema, leaving their loved ones to continue watching. It sure does show how bored they were of the movie, especially since it's about women empowerment, wokeness, girl power, etc. Moreover, the movie started off with Ken being aloof, living by Barbie's rules. I guess it sure hurts their manly ego. I've also come across comments about similar type of movies, their shallow mentality was a definite red flag with regards to such topic. 

So, it got me thinking, how come women don't leave the cinema when the opposite type of movies was shown? Also, women don't comment negatively of such scenarios where men reigned the world. Even when men owned some ''man cave'' with all their dolls which supposedly cost a lot of money. The same for women but when we own a few Barbies, we are deemed to be childish, and these dolls are a waste of money. I cannot understand such double standards.

After years of hardship and mistreatment, is it wrong for women to seek such recognition and justification? Must women always play the damsel in distress card? Must women always wear revealing clothes so that these men can ogle for free? Must women always have to stroke these men's ego? Don't these men have mothers or sisters at home? How do these men treat women? Equally or secondary? Nuff said... such topic / scenarios can go on and on...

This leads me to the character, Gloria, played by America Ferrera in Barbie. Her monologue sure hits the chord for me, totally spot on. Sharing them here for future me and also for all to view:

Here is Gloria’s monologue in its entirety:

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 never 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 a 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.

The above monologue taken from the article here:

Read full America Ferrera monologue from 'Barbie' movie - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)