The Barbie Bomb (July-August)
...that blew up conservatives; the end of virtue; your mother's body; (toxic) masculinities; urban flowers; end(less) summer
Barbie: the movie that divided conservatives. I’m not sure it’s what any of us saw coming, and yet here it is. I must say, of all the controversial topics that I’ve written about, the Barbie movie has been my most controversial yet (and I write about sex, politics, and religion!).
I know it’s rather late to be doing more of the so-called Barbie discourse, but the past three months have been my busiest of the year, so consider this a cold take (I think the world would be better off with more cold takes, anyway). As a starting point for my cold take, though, it’d be worth reading my hot take on Barbie, written just a few days after it debuted. Spoiler: I really disliked the movie and my review was likewise negative. In sum, I argue that the film’s mistreatment of Midge, the pregnant Barbie, is emblematic of the feminist tendency to malign pregnancy and motherhood in favor of a woman’s choice to “be whatever she wants to be.” I argue that being a mother is different from other “careers” in that it is inherent to what it means to be a woman; motherhood is not simply one option in a long list of other career options to be chosen. Motherhood is not a career but a natural outworking of our bodies (if we choose to be sexually active, and barring infirmities).
But where I took offense, others had appreciation. The most common response to my article was, “but what about the strong mother-daughter relational theme in the movie, culminating in Gloria’s monologue, in which she says it’s okay if women just want to be a mom?!” Some pointed out that all of Greta Gerwig’s movies thus far have been about female, usually maternal or sisterly, relationships (see: Frances Ha, Lady Bird, Little Women; I actually loved them all). I have also since learned that Gerwig herself grew up in a Catholic school and, according to some interviews, is conversant with biblical themes and narrative. She is also a decorated feminist according to the New York Times and other left-leaning outlets. And Gerwig herself has said of the movie that she was “doing the thing and subverting the thing.” But is “the thing” feminism? Is it “traditional Christian values”? Is it something else?
The movie seems to be a sort of Rorschach Test, with people seeing what they want to see in the movie based upon where they’re coming from. Liberal feminist who wants to see choice exalted? It’s in there. Conservative Christian who wants to see the givenness and boundedness of bodily reality affirmed? Also in there. This is a testament to Gerwig’s talent as an artist. The movie is layered, with multiple potential interpretations — even contradictory interpretations! — possible at the same time. I appreciate it and all the Very Strong Opinions™️ that have been elicited by it. And I did also appreciate all of the pink. And the soundtrack, oh my word.
Ultimately, my review of Barbie hinged upon my gut-level interpretation of the movie, which is not universally agreed-upon. I still think there’s a strong case to be made that pregnancy is disconnected from motherhood (feminism sees no reason these two should be connected, when modern technology allows us to choose whether we get pregnant or become mothers — or not. Again: choice is the important thing here, not biology. This is why liberals also loved the movie!). For starters, none of the Barbies apologize to nor reconcile with pregnant-Barbie Midge, where they do with Ken and “weird Barbie.” We’re left thinking “pregnant Barbie” is gross, and their maltreatment of her warranted. Additionally, Gloria presents motherhood alongside a long list of other “careers,” ultimately concluding that women can choose to be “whatever they want to be.” Motherhood is not a career, though, in the same way that, say, being a girlboss CEO is a career. Motherhood is inherently tied to our bodies, which feminism seeks to transcend when it isn’t convenient.
And while I absolutely loved the final scene, in which we think Barbie is about to go in for a job interview but actually it’s an appointment with her gynecologist, I think it’s naive to imagine that Gerwig (the feminist) sees any necessary connection between having female reproductive anatomy and motherhood — especially not when many gynecologists perform abortions and sterilizations as well as deliveries and fertility treatments. It’s not clear from the movie that Barbie visiting the gynecologist is connected in any way to her reproductive function, aside from, perhaps, her now having female reproductive organs. There’s a disconnect in the film (and in society/feminist/secular thought) between pregnancy and motherhood—they’re merely incidental to each other. What Barbie has now is a choice, the most sacred of feminist ideals. As Leah Libresco Sargeant said in her Barbie review for The Dispatch, “It’s a jarring and cheap way to end the movie. Now that Barbie is real in this way, has she come to the doctor to restore the sterility she possessed as a doll? The rallying cries of a post-Roe world suggest that a woman’s freedom depends on access to an off-switch for her fertility. If Barbie is hoping for the children her embodiment could offer her, a man is more necessary than a GYN.”
Conservatives assume that Barbie wants kids, that that’s why she chooses to be part of the real world. I just don’t think there’s sufficient evidence from the movie that that is her desire. But, then again, my own child was crying during the consequential scene in which Barbie talks with her maker, Ruth Handler, so perhaps upon rewatching I might think differently. My view has softened and evolved a bit after listening to others’ takes on the movie (here are two that I found most compelling: Emma Waters on Problematic Women, and Michael Knowles on Twitter/X).
Ultimately, while I do think there is a kind of celebration/endorsement of motherhood (which is great, and more than I expected!), I ultimately find it insufficient. And while you may disagree with me on the interpretation of the Barbie movie, my critique of feminism stands no matter what your interpretation. Whether the movie is feminist or not (I think there’s a strong case that it is, not least of which because Gerwig herself says it is), the progressive feminist/transgender philosophy that I contradict exists in and pervades American social thought. And it is functionally Gnostic. Perhaps I’ll write more on that in the future.
But first, and in keeping with the theme: please enjoy a (non-exhaustive) Barbie review roundup from some of the coolest Barbies I know (seriously, these women are incredible), if indeed you are still interested in the #BarbieDiscourse.
Reading
The Barbies
Theological Barbie — Barbie’s sparkling pink Gnosticism: “Any feminism that denies our bodies is just Gnosticism painted pink,” (oh hey, that’s me!).
Sad Barbie — The sad, shallow world of Barbie: “Barbie echoes a shallow view of womanhood often perpetuated by transgender ideologues, who fetishize the trials of femaleness while imagining the beauty of womanhood as no more than a doll’s costume to put on or off,” writes Madeline Fry Schultz.
Dystopian Barbie — Barbie’s Dystopia: “The promise of a successful career, it seems, was not enough to overrule many women’s desire to raise children.
Unfortunately for those women who have followed the Barbie model, many now find themselves childless and unsatisfied,” writes Carmel Richardson.
Overly Optimistic Barbie — “Barbie” Is A Pinkified Social Satire That Pokes Fun At Feminists And Misogynists Alike: “By exposing the shallowness of modern conversations about feminism and patriarchy, Barbie asks viewers to think more deeply about life – and have a fantastic time doing it,” writes Jillian Schroeder.
Glad Barbie — Barbie: A Millennial Mom Movie: “Barbie is a movie about how being a woman is difficult, just like Lady Bird is about how being a mom is difficult. In both cases, the difficulty is worth it because it connects a person to the deepest kinds of love known to womankind, sisterhood and motherhood,” writes Helen Andrews.
Existential Barbie — Myopic ‘Barbie’: “I’m left awaiting Mattel’s next tie-in product: Sisyphus Barbie, complete with a hot-pink rock representing the weight of internalized misogyny. She’s ever struggling, always happy,” writes Leah Libresco Sargeant.
Surprised Barbie — "Barbie" Movie Is Surprisingly Pro-Motherhood & More Hot Takes on the Summer Blockbuster: a podcast by the ladies at Problematic Women.
Christ-haunted Barbie: The Barbie Movie: “Through Barbie, Gerwig wants to offer us a blessing: the knowledge that we are of infinite worth, not because of our beauty or market value, but because we have received our personhood and design as a gift,” writes Robin Harris.
Got another Barbie to recommend? Drop her in the comments below. [Only Barbies who have actually seen the movie, please, for the love.]
Books
After Virtue, Alasdair MacIntyre — This is perhaps the most poignant diagnosis of our socio-political moment, and it was first written over 35 years ago. MacIntyre offers no prescription. But at least we can now identify the disease: moral disrepair.
“I inherit from the past of my family, my city, my tribe, my nation a variety of debts, inheritances, rightful expectations and obligations. These constitute the given of my life, my moral starting point. This is in part what gives my life its own moral particularity… This thought is likely to appear alien and even surprising from the standpoint of modern individualism. From the standpoint of modern individualism, I am what I myself choose to be… The story of my life is always embedded in the story of those communities from which I derive my identity. I am born with a past, and to try to cut myself off from that past, in the individualist mode, is to deform my present relationships… What I am, therefore, is in key part what I inherit, a specific past that is present to some degree in my present."
Though he is not specifically talking about the body here, this idea does include our inherited bodies. We are not individuals disconnected from all else. We are persons in community with other persons, and we are bounded by those communities and by our bodies. I include bits of this quote in my review of Barbie.
Our Bodies Tell God’s Story, Christopher West — “When we fail to appreciate the profound unity of body and soul, we no longer see the human body in light of our creation in the image and likeness of God. Rather, we reduce it to a thing to be used, exploited, manipulated, and even discarded at will, forgetting that that body is not just a body but some-body.”
Bible
Malachi, Psalms, Proverbs
“Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the misfits. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!” Proverbs 31:8-9
“Don’t be afraid to correct your young ones; a spanking won’t kill them. A good spanking, in fact, might save them from something worse than death.” Proverbs 23:13-14
“Don’t they know anything, all these predators? Don’t they know they can’t get away with this— Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they’re too busy to pray?” Psalms 14:14
“I hate divorce,” says the God of Israel. God -of-the-Angel-Armies says, “I hate the violent dismembering of the ‘one flesh’ of marriage.” So watch yourselves. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t cheat.” Malachi 2:16
“You make God tired with all your talk. “How do we tire him out?” you ask. By saying, “ God loves sinners and sin alike. God loves all.” And also by saying, “Judgment? God ’s too nice to judge.” Malachi 2:17
Articles / Essays
Jesus and John Winthrop: Alternatives to Toxic Masculinity, John Shelton (I know that guy!), The Gospel Coalition — “One significant issue with Du Mez’s narrative is that it starts a century or more too late, kicking off the story after the defining action has already taken place… Nancy Pearcey details a broader history of masculinity that Du Mez leaves unexplored… the good news is that, more often than not, Christian men will rise above the rest of society in loving their wives and their children. The even better news is that Christ is making all things new and will one day wipe away the tears of everyone hurt by men who failed to live up to their heavenly calling.”
“Sex, Marriage, and Divorce,” chapter in Protestant Social Teaching, Onsi Kamel & Alastair Roberts — “Scripture affirmed the original goodness of sex, marriage, and family, their subsequent enslavement to corruption, and their ultimate redemption and re-consecration for divine service… Marriage and family life fall under the curse of the flesh, but are simultaneously redeemed for service to God.”
The Church in a Time of Gender War: Why marriage can do what ideology cannot, Samuel James, Digital Liturgies (Substack) — “This issue is crucial now because many church members are having to navigate the epistemological bottleneck of a gender war. Which do you believe: that men need to be empowered and encouraged to be manly, or that men need to be rebuked and challenged to not be abusive? That women should be taught to desire a godly husband they can love and submit to, or that they should be reminded that they don’t need to accept mistreatment from anyone, much less a man? All four sentiments here are logically compatible. But they are often not experientially compatible.”
Urban Farmer Grows Flowers in Neighbors’ Yards, Lisa Boone, LA Times — “Walking through the neighborhood, the flowers are a touchstone that connects her to neighbors and elevates her mood. “I often experience euphoria working with beautiful flowers all day,” Nafis said. “I also appreciate that flowers are appropriate to mark every occasion, from grief and loss to heart-bursting celebration, to long difficult days that drag on forever.””
Men Carry the Weight (of this conversation), Leah Libresco Sargeant, Other Feminisms — In which she asks the question, “Where have you had your best opportunities to use your strength for others? Where did you want to be relied on but feel out of place?” The men respond.
Poetry
Beach Body by Kate Baer Mountain body. I don't want your [cropped body]. Give me all the hot body. Soft body. Curve and dimple big body. Love to see a strong body, loose body, other kind of built body. Want to hear your loud body. Lover- in-the-night body. This is not your mother's body. And even if it was— look at how she moves.
Writing
Barbie’s sparkling pink Gnosticism, by yours truly, WORLD Opinions — “Sitting in the dark theater, I saw myself in Midge, the pregnant Barbie, and didn’t find the movie to be empowering (even while I did enjoy all of the sparkles and pink). I did, however, feel a sense of awe and womanly glory to be able to give my body as a gift to my baby girl, just as I have ever since she came into being. It’s normal. It’s incredible. And there’s nothing at all weird about it, despite what Greta Gerwig might have to say.”
An indefensible Department of Defense, by me, WORLD Opinions — “Kirby’s assertion that lack of abortion access undermines the military readiness of an all-volunteer force is not only blatantly wrong, it’s also embarrassing evidence that our military strategists are short-sighted in their defense strategies for our national security.”
The pill and the Christian conscience, also by me, WORLD Opinions — “What was once considered a serious moral issue with which all Christians had to contend is largely taken for granted, forgotten, simply not thought about at all. But as advanced hormonal contraceptives continue to evolve and proliferate, and especially as new drugs are coming to market for over-the-counter use for all ages, including minors, it’s time for Christians to recognize contraception for what it is.”
Author’s page, WORLD Magazine
Loving
This incredible recipe from Half Baked Harvest. I add chicken (before the shallots and garlic, getting the one pot needed for this recipe nice and schmaltzy) and sub chicken broth for water at the end. It doesn’t miss. Perfect for these cool, drizzly days!
Remembering
The Past Few Months
Traveling with Twins and a baby is no joke. I flew solo with all three of them from Nashville to DC!
Happy Fourth of July :)
Long live summer!
#Barbenheimer
We love OCNJ <3
Visiting Dada’s alma mater!
Happy 3rd birthday to our miracle boys!
The great grands!
We all scream for (Jeni’s) ice cream!
My rec soccer team that made it to the championship! We are the (Para)cletes ;)
In our superhero era and I’m so here for it
Haven't watched barbie yet but I do appreciate reading about it so I can make that judgement one day! I have to say though - I LOVE that LA Times article about the flower farm across neighbour yards... I think it's one of the best things I've ever read! 🥲
Such a great round-up! Was your DC talk recorded at all?
I personally haven't even seen Barbie and for some reason just feel like.... not. Ha! With all the discourse, I would just feel things too strongly while watching it.
Jakob has that Protestant Social Teaching book on his nightstand just waiting for us to read it. lol
And also, some amazing photos!! Toddler boys somehow just KNOW how to superhero and it's amazing. Also, I am legit saving that pasta recipe.