#but lets not pretend it wasnt a very basic very liberal film with some flaws

[colorisbyshe]

I do have an issue with the "why are y'all criticizing the barbie movie while you're silent about movies for ~boys and men" argument not just because... people aren't silent about those films, maybe you just aren't following the right people (or the people you follow are so divested from the ~films from men they just ignore them entirely, idk) but also because... are those films... claiming to be feminist?

I never got the argument of "Why do you criticize *thing made to empower women* so much more?" that pops up all the fucking time. Like, obviously I'm more critical of a thing claiming to help me because... if it doesn't actually help me (and potentially even HARMS me), that needs to be highlighted so future ventures to empower me... actually DO empower me?

The same way if I go swimming, if we're just swimming in bathing suits, I'm not inspecting the suit fabric, but if you hand me a raggedy life jacket and tell me it'll protect me from the strong currents... I'm gonna... inspect the life jacket. Because if it doesn't do the job it claims it does, I'm fucked.

Like, yes, all film should probably be held up to critical inspection on some level because with or without intent it can harm (or enact positive change!) BUT if something EXPLICITLY exists to ~fight the patriarchy man, I'm gonna ask "Hey, does this... actually fight the patriarchy?"

You can like the barbie film. You can even get warm and fuzzy feelings from it. But other people, ESPECIALLY other women, are allowed to question if a. the empowerment... actually empowers and b. if it does at a cost to the women it doesn't empower.

Criticism of a thing you like doesn't have to make you like it less (although it certainly can and SHOULD in some cases) but it will help you understand it more. That's a good thing!