#queer take on barbie

[imaginarylungfish]

ok making an actual post about the barbie movie:

so i saw the barbie movie last night. and idk it was like ok. maybe the hype made me have really high expectations. but like i felt kinda alienated and kinda got some gender dysphoria ngl.

part of me related to growing up playing with barbies and growing up seeing misogyny play out on small and large scales. but like the whole movie was so girl-focused. like i get it. it's barbie. but barbie isn't just for girls. and also i'm not a girl (so ok maybe i'm not the target audience). but i'm afab and grew up as a "girl," so i know i am also the target audience?

so part of me felt like an outsider watching cisheteronormativity play out while i was thinking to myself, "thank god i don't have to deal with this" (cause like i don't get it sometimes). but like i still do have to deal with it. i still am seen as a girl/women by people. i am still negatively impacted by the patriarchy.

but also i'm not in some ways cis women still are. like i am also visibly non-binary sometimes which grants me some sort of privilege to not conform. but that privilege comes with a bunch of other downsides too. it's not privilege in the way men (whether cis or trans) get.

i wanted to really love the movie. other people seemed to! and i'm glad. but i just don't think it was made for me (a genderqueer afab person). it seems to be made for cis people.

so yeah, i felt alienated. and i guess that was the point? but i feel like that's kinda a crappy point to make. genderqueer/queer people in general already feel alienated, so i don't think having another movie with that takeaway was super necessary.

like i get weird barbie is neurodivergent- and queer-coded and that's the character we get to identify with (what a crumb). but like it's coded, not explicit (and again, maybe that was the point, but really? that's annoying). and allan i think is non-binary-coded. but like again, coded. i saw myself in those characters. but like the rest of it felt kinda unrelatable.

so idk i guess i'm trying to say, i thought the barbie movie was going to be more queer and relatable to afab genderqueer people like me, but it wasn't. i'm not surprised as this is normal in our cisheteronormative society, but it still sucks and is disappointing.

but also idk if i'm not too autistic to see that the movie actually wasn't for me and i need to move aside. like plz lmk if i should stop critiquing this.

[theprincessandthepie]

LOOK AT HERRRRRRR <3333333

[rolaplayor101]

Buy as a hoodie or cap, etc!! Oooo you wanna Commission me so badd oooo! Pls don’t ignore my DNI! Reblogs are So so so appreciated! I missed my boy

[killrisma]

I’m actually shocked that incels and terfs exist on this website, like what the fuck? Bitch this is the gay supernatural website, go back to reddit

[mrrrpmeow]

.

[tea-withnofixinsplease]

I personally feel real bad for this new generation of fandom dwellers bc they're simultaneously the most thin-skinned and bloodthirsty persistence hunters I've ever seen.

Y'know u can always just block or mute the things in fandom you dislike? I do it all the time, Incest included, No need to break out the witch hunt torch Prudence,

"x ship is normalizing incest-"

Buddy

If game of thrones hasn't normalized incest by now (pulling over 10 million views in the 7th season alone) then a small fandom ship most certainly won't

[tillysslife]

ACTORS ON ACTORS–D. Starkey

pairings: drew starkey x actress!reader

warnings: actress!reader taking place of margot robbie in the barbie movie

word count: 1.9k

Your heart fluttered with nerves as you smoothed down your dress in the back seat of your Uber. It was a pink silky dress that clung to your curves, accentuating your skin tone beautifully.

You had recently been invited to the Variety set for a segment called Actors on Actors, and it felt like your career was skyrocketing over the past year. Last year, you won your first Oscars, for Best Actress in a Leading Role for your portrayal of Stereotypical Barbie in the Barbie movie. And now, here you were, doing an interview with the great Drew Starkey, someone who seemed so far removed from your own humble beginnings.

“We’re here, Miss Y/L/N,” your driver pointed out politely. You had been so wrapped up in your thoughts that you hadn’t realized he’d been waiting for you to exit the car for the last two minutes.

“Right,” you chuckled, offering him an apologetic smile before taking the final steps to prepare yourself for the anxiety-inducing environment—another quick adjustment of your dress, lip gloss smeared onto your lips, and a toss of your hair.

When you forced a smile this time, you dialed it up to perfection—the smile that could only be produced from fear of constant scrutiny. “Thank you.” You beamed, accepting his help as he guided you out of the car.

You watched as he drove away, almost wishing you were him—escaping from your fears, the terror of being put on a screen that would magnify all your imperfections.

You were ushered into the warm studio before you could fully process the motions of your body. The exterior was dull, a stark contrast to the bright, welcoming interior. “You’ll be needed on set in about 15 minutes! Drew’s already here… oh, he’s so handsome, isn’t he?”

You zoned out the wide-eyed assistant. Normally, you would’ve made an effort to at least pretend you were interested in what someone was saying, offering the occasional noncommittal hum or nod. But under pressure, you were never great at multitasking, which felt ironic given your profession of pretending to have it all together.

Soon enough, you were whisked onto the set of the interview. The first thing you noticed was a broad-shouldered man, his presence larger than his already tall frame. You took in the room—two velvet armchairs sitting atop a grey carpeted floor, a decorated black table nestled between them. The set was simple, designed to ensure that viewers’ attention would be on the two actors, not distracted by anything flashy in the background.

But your eyes wandered upon seeing those sharp blue eyes meet yours across the room. His lips tugged into a small smirk as he registered your presence.

Your heels clicked against the floor, sinking into the plush carpet beneath your shoes as you made your way toward him. You summoned up all the charm and confidence you had, giving Drew a saccharine smile and extending your manicured hand.

“Hey, Y/N, I’m Drew,” he greeted, his large, rough hand meeting yours in a soft shake. You only had a moment to admire the sheer size and power of his hand before he withdrew it to his side.

A small blush crept up your cheeks, hopefully hidden behind the foundation meticulously applied earlier in the day. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve been looking forward to this,” you admitted, your eyes flitting up to meet his. The dark lashes framing your gaze locked with his, an unspoken energy buzzing in the air between you.

Drew’s smirk softened, his blue eyes flickering with curiosity. “Likewise. You were incredible in Barbie,” he said, his tone warm but with an underlying admiration.

Your lips curved into a modest smile. “Thank you, that role meant a lot to me,” you replied, your voice quiet, reflective. “But I have to say, I’ve been hearing so much about your new project, Queer—I’m really excited to see it.”

Drew chuckled softly, a light blush creeping up his neck. “It’s definitely been a wild ride,” he admitted. He was about to expand on his opinion before the film crew instructed the duo to take their seats. 

Drew gestured for you to take a seat first, nodding towards the area. You sank into the red armchair, crossing your legs, inadvertently making the hem of your dress rise. You watched as Drew settled into the chair across from you, giving you the chance to fully inspect him.

He was dressed in a matching navy pinstripe suit with a cream undershirt. His legs stretched long in front of him, posture relaxed, but his eyes were intensely fixed on you as if studying your every movement.

He rested his chin against the palm of his hand, his blue eyes never moving from your figure. “So, finally face to face with the exceptional Y/N Y/L/N.” He began, readjusting his position in the chair. 

You breathily laughed “Wow what an introduction.” You smiled softly, your eyes flickering from his eyes, darting down to his lips and then back up again. “It’s hard to believe honestly. I’ve admired you and your work for so long. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment longer than I realised.”

“I just call it like I see it.” Drew’s smile grew warmer, his eyes flickering with an unknown spark. “But you know I was just thinking the same thing. It feels like we’ve both been running in separate circles, but somehow, here we are.”

You cocked your head to the side, the smile never leaving your face. You crossed your legs over the other and leaned slightly forward “Well if we’re giving out title, I guess I should return the favour. The incredibly talented Drew Starkey.”

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head lightly. “Hard to compete with Barbie herself.”

“Well you could pass as Ken.” You retorted, your eyes lighting up. He had this way of making you feel at ease, even though there was a whole camera crew filming you, watching you every move all you could think about was this beautiful man in front of you who made you laugh at every turn.

Drew laughed, the sound deep and genuine “I’m not sure I’ve got the abs for it.” He joked. 

Your teeth sank into your bottom lip as you fought back a grin “I think you’d be just fine.” The words escaped before you had permitted them, bringing the second and certainly not the last blush of the day.

His eyes light up with amusement. The ait between you two holding quiet electricity–the kind that settled in stolen glances and unspoken thoughts.

“So,” you continued, shifting the topic before the heat in your cheeks betrayed you again. “Tell me about Queer, I haven’t managed to watch it yet but I’ve heard it’s one of your most challenging roles yet.”

Drew nodded, his expression turning thoughtful “Yeah, it’s… different from anything I’ve done before, a period piece. The story is raw, really personal and significant. It follows this guy, Lee,in the ‘50s as he struggles with identity, his relationships. It’s messy and heartbreaking, but also really beautiful.” 

You listened intentionally, caught up in the way his voice softened as he spoke and the passion in his eyes. “That sounds incredible. I think films that really shed light on hard topics are lovely. It’s what the key to acting is, it's truly storytelling. Especially for those who weren’t able to tell their own story.”

Drew nodded and the shine in his eyes confirmed that he admired your words. “I couldn’t have said it better.”

A few moments of prolonged eye contact lingered between the two of you, only broken by being signalled to speak. 

“So, Miss Barbie. Tell me how that was like.”

You interlaced your fingers on your lap, gathering your thoughts to translate your thoughts in the best way. “Every role that I have the privilege to bring to life is an honour. But Barbie really spoke to me. As many other girls, I played with barbies growing up.” You laughed elatedly, recalling your memories. “ Barbie just seemed so… perfect, she was something that I looked up to. Even if I didn’t look like her it was so encouraging to see all of her careers and journeys. There are countless things that I loved while making this movie but it was truly inspiring to have so many strong and individual women in one space. The movie explores topics of patriarchy and male superiorism, something I'm sure every woman has unfortunately experienced before in their life. But then it shows how women come together, it isn’t a hateful jealous relationship, like how it is constantly portrayed in the media but it was true sisterhood. And god don’t even get me started on America’s speech or ‘What was I made for’, I’ll just start bawling.”

“Right,” Drew started, “I remember when I watched Barbie with my sisters the look of… feeling so totally understood was astounding from them, it hurt that this was something they could relate to. But it’s so powerful and impressive how you represented women all around the world, validating feelings they may have been harbouring.”

You met his gaze, your fingers absently tracing shapes in your dress. “Yeah,” you murmured, holding the weight of his words for a moment longer before letting out a light-hearted sigh. “Wow, that got deep fast.”

Drew tilted his head, scratching the back of his head with a smile “I guess you bring it out of me.”

You shook your head lightly at his antics “So, tell me something shallow about you. Balance things out.”

He chuckled, leaning back “Alright, um… I have an embarrassingly extensive collection of sneakers. I don’t even wear most of them, but I keep buying more.”

You gasped dramatically “Drew Starkey, a sneakerhead? Who would have guessed.”

He held up his hands “I contain multitudes.” 

“Alright, my turn. I have an unhealthy addiction to lipgloss. If I leave my apartment without at least three in my bag, I go crazy fighting out what I’m missing.”

You felt Drew’s gaze flick to your lips, his smirk lazy but unreadable. “I noticed. Looks good on you.”

Your breath hitched slightly before you played it off with an eye roll “Very smooth, Starkey.”

He grinned, “I try.”

The crew began moving around the set, adjusting the cameras, but you barely noticed. The energy between you two was magnetic—effortless. It wasn’t just scripted conversation or polite industry chatter. It was real. And if you weren’t careful, it could become something even more dangerous.

But right now, you weren’t sure you minded.

[hawkinsbnbg]

born to ride

prompt: ride | word count: 453 | rated: M | tags: pop star Steve Harrington, rockstar Eddie Munson, coming out, established Steddie | @steddiemicrofic | ao3

Steddie Bingo Prompts: car sex, service top, quickie | @steddiebingo

Stephen Joseph Harrington was America's heartthrob and golden boy. He’d debuted young as a child actor and later a singer when he reached twenty.

Ever since his third album peaked on Billboard Hot 100, his career had risen to the top, made him an A-list, and turned his net worth into millions of dollars.

Gradually, he wasn't just Henry in Wasteland anymore. He was Steve Harrington now. A singer, a songwriter, and a pop icon.

Cylinder was his sixth studio album and it'd quickly become an international sensation.

Although he didn't confirm anything about his sexuality, rumors had it the title song was his come-out statement.

Born To Ride

The race is almost over, but I’m in no haste

‘Cause love is my lasso, and I’m a professional

You gotta know

Darlin’, you gotta know

I take care of my boys when they ask nicely

Tonight, tonight, tonight

You’re mine

(oh, you're mine)

I'm gonna ride you, boy

I'm gonna ride you, boy

All night, all night, all night

‘Til dawn breaks the sky.

— Steve Harrington

Everyone loved it—especially the stage.

Not only did Steve look hot in his Barbie cowboy outfit, but he also straddled Eddie Munson’s thighs while singing about riding men.

He would’ve been in much more trouble if the rockstar hadn't been openly queer for years and known for despising queer baiting.

Their performance had made the social media explode that night.

Two days later, Eddie's Instagram posted a photo. It was a man sitting on his lap, facing him with a tanned back dotted with moles and freckles, wearing a pink cowboy hat.

The caption said: lassoed.

“Babybabybaby– Oh fuck–”

Ringed hands scrambled to grab his hips, blunt nails digging crescent moons into his tender flesh.

Steve threw his head back and swiveled his hips, thighs flexing as he sweated and bounced on his boyfriend's lap enthusiastically.

He needed to work fast. Make Eddie fill him up before the limo could reach their destination.

Beneath him, Eddie looked wrecked. Half-lidded eyes, red swollen lips, flushed cheeks, and wild hair.

Lovely. Handsome. His.

It only took a few more well-timed gyrations before warmth flooded his inside.

By the time they stepped out of the car, Steve was back in his teal suit once more. He smelled like whiskey and sex, plugged up and sated.

Wrapping an arm around his waist, Eddie waved at the cameras alongside him, looking delectable in a black suit that had been designed to complement his own.

The following day, the tabloids continued gossiping about their scandalous performance, how they’d got freaky in the limo before walking the red carpet together.

In response, Eddie only posted more photos of Steve riding a horse shirtless.

[leikeliscomet]

Actually I dgaf what tumblr has to say about hip hop and rap music actually because Black art will always be loved and supported by us matter what. Thank you Black women of hip hop and rap for giving us an outlet to be angry and voice our emotions in spite of the angry Black girl trope. Thank you Da Brat, Queen Latifah, Salt and Pepa and more for starting the lane for women in rap and giving us the Black tomboy rapper. Thank you Lil Kim and Foxy Brown for birthing the sexual hypefeminine Black Barbie and crossing hip hop with high fashion. Thank you Missy Elliot for revolutionising production and choreography in hip hop music. Thank you Nicki Minaj for keeping women's rap alive in the 2010s and showing the versatility of rap with pop music. Thank you Rico Nasty for giving us Black female rage and giving us alt Black girl rep. Thank you Doja Cat and Tierra Whack for giving us quirky Black girl rap representation. Thank you Flo Milli, Leikeli47, Megan Thee Stallion, Lola Brooke, Doechii and more for carrying the torch for the next wave. Thank you especially to Doechii again for proving darkskin women can do anything and that our art matters. Thank you RoXXXan, Lioness and Amplify Dot for starting the renaissance of women in UK rap in the 2010s. Thank you Lady Leshurr for putting UK women's rap on the map. Thank you ENNY for giving us the Black British girl anthem, Peng Black Girls. Thank you Little Simz for carrying the UK rap game on your back no matter how long they doubt you, no matter how long it takes the UK industry to recognise your excellence. Thank you Cristale for paving the way for the next generation in the UK.

Thank you Black women of hip hop for giving us representation across the board . That we can be just as masculine just like the men of rap but also as girly and as feminine as can be. That we can reclaim our sexuality either through open sexual expression without shame or none at all no matter the stereotypes thrown at us. That as queer Black women we exist and we can thrive. That no matter the misognyoir, colourism and queerphobia we exist and we will always be here.

Thank you Black women of rap and hip hop. I love you all!

[wimpywompythethird]

I recently browsed the Hazbin Hotel subreddit (seriously, don’t go there—it’s a minefield of die-hard defenders), and I stumbled upon a post responding to a critical take about Vivziepop’s apparent lack of attention to the broader LGBTQ+ community. The critical post raised some valid points, but the reaction from the posters was… interesting, to say the least. Here’s what they shared along with their response to it:

Critic: “Hey, maybe we should include more representation in the show since you claim to love diversity and call it a queer show! :D”

Hazbin hotel Reddit: “They’re forcing Vivzie to slap random labels on characters! It’s unrealistic to develop every character’s identity!”

Somehow, though, they conveniently overlook the fact that characters like Barbie Wire (who appeared in just one episode), Octavia (who had only two), Vassago, Mammon (who had a single episode at the time of this post), Beelzebub (one episode), and Chaz (who appeared in just one episode before presumably meeting their end) all had little to no development prior to their respective Pride Month reveals—and yet, they all had their sexualities confirmed out of the blue. In fact, Vassago’s sexuality was even revealed before his debut, all the way back when the trailer for Season 2 first dropped.

On a more serious note, if you believe that representation only “counts” when characters explicitly state their queer, trans, or otherwise marginalized identities, here’s something to consider: a character’s sexuality or gender identity doesn’t always need to be the focus of the story nor does it need to be justified. By that logic, why is Blitzo pansexual? Why is Angel gay? Why are Loona and Charlie bisexual? Why is Mammon asexual? Why is Vaggie a lesbian? These identities are just part of who they are and they don’t need to define their entire narrative. In most cases they might only be mentioned in passing or through jokes. Visibility doesn’t always require a spotlight or a deep narrative explanation, sometimes, it’s enough for it to simply exist.

[onefleshonepod]

On Barbie

I'd like to share my thoughts on John’s choice to house Alecto in a body that looks like Hollywood Hair Barbie.

To the best of my recollection over the past year, I've seen several people claim that Barbie being a famously unattainable beauty standard for women and arguably a sex symbol was irrelevant to John's decision to make Alecto a Barbie lookalike, and that rather the main impetus for this decision of John’s was his trauma, gender non-conformity, internalized homophobia, and desire to return to the comfort of childhood. This argument posits that John's decision had little or nothing to do with patriarchy, misogyny, objectification of women, or impossible beauty standards placed on women by men.

I empathize with the above position to a certain extent — it's absolutely crucial to remember and consider in our analyses that John is a queer working-class Indigenous man.

But………....................

John is not a real person. He is a character written to advance plot, themes, and political commentary within a carefully crafted story.

If I'm Tamsyn Muir writing John 1:20 in Nona the Ninth, and the point I want to make about my character is specifically and only that he is struggling with self-doubt, trauma, gender non-conformity, internalized homophobia, and yearning for the comfort of home and childhood — and I want to say nothing about patriarchy and misogyny?

I'm not having him make the soul of the earth into a Barbie!

I'd be having him model Alecto after a completely different popular 1990s toy for girls, like a Polly Pocket, or Betty Spaghetti, or a Raggedy Ann doll, or another doll that doesn't carry the same connotations as Barbie. Or, hell, I’d be having John make Alecto look exactly like his mum, or his nan, or female Māori mythological figures from stories he must have heard from his nan in childhood, like Papatūānuku, or the first woman, Hineahuone, who was made from earth.

I'm not smarter or more creative than Tamsyn, and the above ideas are just the alternatives I thought of in five minutes that would have specifically symbolized John's personal trauma and nothing else.

But Tamsyn didn't do that. Tamsyn picked Barbie specifically. I think that's worth taking into consideration.

Let’s examine exactly what John says in John 1:20.

Hollywood Hair Barbie's physical appearance comes first in the list of reasons why she was his favourite, and her other characteristics come last. He lists two physical traits and one non-physical trait of hers. “My favourite was her old Hollywood Hair Barbie,” he murmured. “I loved her little gold outfit and her long yellow hair. She was the best. She got to have all the adventures.”

He discards as an option a model of a woman who doesn't conform to patriarchal, Eurocentric beauty standards specifically because of her appearance: “There was also a Bride’s Dream Midge, but Mum had cut Midge’s hair into this weird mullet.”

He chooses a blonde Barbie body that he can mould into and mentally map onto glamourized versions of women created by men through the ages. “I made you look like a Christmas-tree fairy … I made you look like a Renaissance angel … I made you Adam and Eve … Galatea. Barbie. Frankenstein’s monster with long yellow hair.”

Our famous cultural images of Renaissance angels are all idealized depictions of women made by men — Raphael, Titian, Albrecht Dürer, etc. Frankenstein's monster, a man loathed and discarded by his creator, is a more nuanced comparison... but the only thing John notes is that his version has long yellow hair.

I'm not even getting into the whiteness (or the plastic-ness) of it all, but three of John's comparisons here are specifically coded as white women considered beautiful by Eurocentric standards in the Western cultural imagination (Christmas tree toppers, Renaissance angels, and Barbie), and the others are often depicted as white.

Galatea specifically is such a telling comparison. This myth is the story of a man caging and controlling his idealized, beautiful female creation, which exactly parallels John’s goals with Alecto: “From my blood and bone and vomit I conjured up a beautiful labyrinth to house you in. I was terrified you’d find some way to escape before I was done.”

Given all of this, I genuinely think that John's choice of Barbie as a model for Alecto was intended to position John as a symbol of patriarchy, misogyny, and objectification of women, through both a political and religious lens. Tamsyn is way, way too smart to have not made a careful, considered, intentional choice here.

John didn’t make Alecto into a Māori goddess from his nan’s stories. He didn't make her into a cheerful Raggedy Ann. He made her into a beautiful, blonde Hollywood hair Barbie.

[medusas-daughter]

My favorite part about Weird Barbie and Allan and all the other discontinued discarded Barbies and Kens is that they weren't affected by the brainwash, because of course they weren't. They didn't hold that much power in Barbieland, why would the Kens care about them in the Kendom. They're the queers and neurodivergents and disableds of society, those who don't quite belong or feel like part of the sisterhood, but are still absolutely victimized by the patriarchy. Those who stay loyal to feminism and human rights, even those that don't concern them, because they know first hand what it's like to be on the sideline. The compassion and empathy that Weird Barbie (or lesbian Barbie as I like to call her, we all know why she's always in the splits ✂️✂️) shows all the Barbies even though they call her Weird Barbie behind her back and to her face. The fact that, even though they don't like her, the Barbies know that if they ever need help they can go to her and she will always help them, and they trust her judgment. The symbolism behind the fact that when President Barbie offered her a job, she asked to clean Barbieland. She's essential to maintaining this society that rejects her. Sugar Daddy Ken and Magic Earring Ken and Allan are the epitome of queer men and trans mascs and non binary people. They're not nor will they ever be women. But they'll always reject and be rejected by the patriarchy. The discontinued Barbies are the disabled Barbies, they're angry about their design flaws, and they're right there in the trenches trying to get the leading Barbies to wake up and take back Barbieland. Oh I could talk about this part of the movie and the characters for hours. I love them so much.

[lackablazeical]

Blitz rework

I can't take 'progressive' shows seriously when the only progressive thing they have is queerness. Blitz was a perfect opportunity to have a disabled and explicitly mentally ill main character, with uncommon and under-represented problems, and he just Isn't

It's not really THAT progressive. Especially since it's an indie project, they had absolutely every chance to take to do more than just gays. Loona, Octavia, Blitz, Fizz, Stolas, Barbie, Verosika, Stella, and Striker ALL have opportunities to represent mental illness and struggle/self destruction but 😐 but where is it 😐 they call Stolas's meds happy pills bffr I hate when ppl/media do that

So Blitz now is an amputee and has a permanent limp, he can't really use a cane bc he can't use his arm to hold it on that side (he'd also have chronic pain fs and is partially deaf and blind), he can't afford aids or anything for himself

For colors, his red is more pink and his black is more blue like succubi/lust. He also has more prominent eyelashes bc his Greed side (so no dirt in eyes), and big hands from his Greed side. Changed his outfit to seem more like a leather jacket/suit combo with suede pants.

He has Borderline with antisocial traits as a result from his untreated ptsd/trauma, which makes him SH and also makes him a shopping/sex addict. He struggles to save money or make good business decisions and is hypersexual and struggles to form relationships that don't involve sex. He splits very easily bc of how unstable his relationships tend to be (me too bud). He doesn't experience any form of empathy, which isn't uncommon in Hell, but he is capable of showing sympathy occasionally.

I'm a Blitz kin 100% so I really wish his struggles were more explored. Cluster B disorders are already really demonized and Blitz could've been such a good way to represent BPD/addiction in a humanized and realistic way. Sigh

[shaylogic]

Queer Experience Watching Barbie - AFAB Masculinity

I started to go into this in tags on another post but I wanted to type this up separately and try to develop my thoughts a little more. . .

Ryan!Ken’s arc in Barbie (2023) has been buzzing in my head for days.

I got fixated on it for a couple of major reasons:

1) We rarely have seen a feminist movie take time to address men with compassion in how patriarchy harms them too.

2) As a trans masc person, I think it hits a specific part of my identity that I don’t consciously let myself think about for too long. Something about being raised in a female world with sisterhood and community. Then being isolated in adult manhood without the tools to prepare you for that. Conscientious of respecting women and being unbothered by feminimity around you, but not knowing your place in the world.

How do I put it?

I know it’s not the direct intention of the film itself, but I’ve seen other trans folks (especially transmasc), reacting similarly to the feeling we get from it.

Ken’s arc feels pretty reminicent of the struggle afab lgbt folks go through when considering masculinity in their identity (butch lesbians, afab nbs, trans men, etc.)

How to make peace with masculine aspects of yourself without losing the women in your life? (One can argue Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie has aspects of this as well.)

Of course, then Ken goes off on the adopting patriarchy ride, which IS the point of the movie, and may skew a bit from the transmasc read on it--though I have known a trans guy here and there who avoids being misgendered so hard that they can become somewhat sexist. To which I say: “You don’t need to have a dick to be a man, and you don’t need to BE a dick to be a man.” But I digress.

Something about Ken being comfortable in a woman’s world but not understanding why he’s being shut out from socially bonding with them (in any sense! Romantic, Familial, Platonic Friendship. . .)

The overall theme of the movie for both Barbie and Ken--in an allegory of heavy gender roles harming all--leading them each to have to figure out who they are in themselves, regardless of others. . . 

Trans masc folx can relate to both Barbie and Ken’s arcs.

I don’t want to detract from Barbie’s arc being the main point of the movie.

I think the reason why we get hung up on Ryan!Ken’s character is because. . . we’ve related to the Barbie plot in other movies and shows before, thinking back to our “girlhoods” as children.

I have never seen the arc Ken has in this in any other story!!!!

There are some Man Movies that have attempted to discuss the struggle of Being a Man--but they often come off as too dismissive of feminine experiences, and are therefore as offputting to transmasc people as women.

Because of the nature of the two worlds exhibited in this movie, and Ken’s backround in his setting, personality, and purpose in relation to the Barbies, he’s a Man living with Female Socialization, in a Woman’s World; he’s a male character that inherently admires and respects women in his nature (until the real world influence distorts it).

This isn’t a perfect example of a transmasc experience either, but it’s a lot closer than most of us generally get to see! That’s why so many of us are getting caught up in this.

Please, other trans folx (transfems, too!), I really need us to have a discussion about this. What were your experiences and thoughts around this movie?

P.S. Yeah, we kinda get that nonbinary allegory from Allan (not a Ken, not a Barbie, siding with Feminism in the Gender War), but he wasn’t in significant focus of the plot the way Ryan!Ken was. If I try to read into Allan, I don’t have much to work with.

[gowns]

if you liked the barbie movie but felt there was something... missing, i can recommend these movies

the brady bunch movie (1995) (what happens when characters from an artificial world end up in the modern day "real world"?)

the muppets (2011) (same question! and a playful advertisement for a media institution which re-invigorated interest in the brand. "am i a man, or am i a muppet? or a muppet of a man?")

the wiz (1978) (what does it mean to be "real"? what are you willing to risk to be real? also: real sets, real props, real song & dance numbers!)

gold diggers of 1933 (1933) (busby berkeley musical; you haven't seen true mind-blowing opulence in sets, costumes, and hundreds of people dancing at the same time til you see this)

but i'm a cheerleader! (1999) camp queer classic, lots & lots of pink & natasha lyonne)

watermelon woman (1996) (what does it take to succeed as a creative woman in a world that denies your humanity? what archetypes define you in film history? and can you acknowledge that and subvert that at the same time?)

desert hearts (1985) (a woman breaks out of the status quo and falls into a lesbian love affair in the desert <3)

gas food lodging (1992) (mother-daughter relationship stuff!! girls becoming teens and feeling disconnected from who they were as children -- but who are they now? and how can they find new common ground with their mom?)

enchanted (2007) (honestly super similar beats to the barbie movie except with more clear stakes!)

the tales of hoffmann (1951) (weird musical w/ a few stories, including man who falls in love with a human-sized doll! and great gowns, beautiful gowns)

pee wee's big adventure (1985) (you ever just want to have some fun and ride around on a cute little bike in a cute little outfit but everyone is against you for some reason?)

[jaqobis]

no i'm saying this again bc i'm right lmao. i did expect barbie to be a two hour long commercial of pink froth, in fact that is what i signed up for, but sick and tired of cishet privileged white women presenting a very specific model of womanhood as the Only Experience and getting uncritical accolades left and right for it

ok but when will we as a society acknowledge that greta gerwig's feminism is extremely white cishet and bereft of intersectionality