As the feminist movie of the summer, Barbie has broken box office records.
But it’s also broken hearts on social media with dozens of women saying to their partners, “Don’t you get the Barbie movie?” Then you’re dumped.’
The American family film about a doll that comes to life – brimming with jokes and glitzy dance numbers – has become a benchmark for TikTok users to judge their partner’s suitability.
Women are urged to dump men who don’t understand the film’s messages about feminism and patriarchy.
The craze has been fueled by TikTok users insisting that agreeing with the feminist themes in the Barbie movie “should be standard in a relationship.”
The blockbuster has broken box office records, but according to TikTok users, it’s also broken relationships
One of them wrote, “Take your boyfriends to the Barbie movie and if they hate it, dump them.” Another said in a video that was liked 800,000 times, “I think taking your boyfriend to Barbie should be your relationship test to decide if he’s a good long-term partner.”
Another said, “I think it’s perfectly reasonable for women to break up with their boyfriends because of their (negative) reaction to the Barbie movie.”
One woman even canceled her first date after the man refused to wear pink to see the movie.
She told TikTok that they should make the cinema trip an event by wearing pink outfits and posing for pictures together.
He refused to cooperate and she called off the date.
Her social media admission was met with admiration from other women who said, “If his manhood is so fragile that he can’t wear pink if it’s important to you for a single night, you need a new man because that’s a boy.’
Others admit that the movie has shaped how they see their partners.
One woman said on TikTok, “I feel like I’m the asshole for letting the Barbie movie affect my relationship and the way I see my boyfriend. Friends have told me not to let it change the way I look at my boyfriend because our relationship is very healthy.’
A woman reportedly canceled her first date after a man refused to wear pink to see the hit film
The film, directed and written by Greta Gerwig, was released last month and grossed £612 million worldwide. It colored the world pink with a fashion trend called Barbiecore, with blonde hair dye sales rising 47 percent.
The message of the film is that women can be whatever they want without conforming to patriarchy.
The film is set in Barbieland, a colorful and female-centric utopia where Barbies hold positions of power, such as president – and the men exist to serve them.
This is in stark contrast to the “real world” that Margot Robbie enters as Barbie and discovers the tangled web of patriarchy and feminism.
Greta Gerwig’s revamped Barbie makes young girls believe in the real world that they can achieve what they want on their own terms.
The hit movie shares the message that women can be whatever they want without conforming to patriarchy
What to tell your wife/partner/girlfriend when they ask you what you think of Barbie
By Daisy Buchanan, author of The Sisterhood
Men, a word of warning: If your partner talked you into submitting to the pink and watching Barbie, she’ll probably turn to you during the credits and ask, “So…what were you thinking?”
This is not an innocent question. The future of your relationship is at stake. My advice is to stick to the script below:
“What did I think of the Barbie movie?”
“I’m so glad you asked. It opened my eyes. I had no idea how much women suffer while men benefit from the structural and endemic imbalances of power. This movie got me thinking about freedom – the freedom that would come when everyone enjoyed true equality, not just the freedom to skate in a fluorescent unitard.
It’s time for men to step aside, step back to really support women and give you the space to pursue your most ambitious goals. We only get there when guys like me roll up our sleeves and empty the dishwasher.
“But enough about that – after all, what does it matter what I think? I’ve had a lifetime of people asking me for my opinion. Clearly the only valid question now is, what do you think?’