The Power of Barbie

Barbie is the number one movie in America again this week, and Barbiemania shows no signs of stopping.?

I, for one, am totally OK with that.?

Barbie is more than a pink fantasy, it offers up an experience of modern womanhood. Women get to see themselves portrayed onscreen in a very real, honest way that reflects the complications and contradictions of our experience. For the men who are willing to open their hearts and minds to this movie, there is an opportunity to experience some of the trappings of life as a woman in The Real World.?

There is something for everyone to learn in this movie. Here are a few lessons I walked away with. (Minor spoilers below!)?

1) Your opportunities are limitless

Barbie’s creator, Ruth Handler, wrote in her 1994 memoir: “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”

As a girl, my sisters and I spent Saturdays hauling wood alongside my dad for the wood stove in our basement that helped to heat our house, then we helped my mother set the table for dinner that same night. Adding to this “girls can and should do anything” upbringing, I had the opportunity to attend an all-girls middle and high school in Newton, MA, which allowed me to gain confidence and focus on leading and excelling in sports and academics (thank you, Newton Country Day School of The Sacred Heart). This sense of “girls can do anything” mentality followed me to college.? On my first day of school at Bowdoin College , I sat in the front row.? Although it was strange to hear deep, male voices answering questions behind me, I wasn’t phased. An all-girls education had taught me to speak up regardless of who was in the room. If I knew the answer or had something to say, I said it. Shying away from speaking because I wanted to impress a guy (or anyone else) was never part of my playbook.?

My big ah-ha moment came upon leaving academia and diving head first into the business world. Many women (and men) experience a completely new, learned workplace culture where there are different rules. While my upbringing certainly wasn’t perfect, I was fortunate enough to get the message that women had the power to stand up for themselves. But as I went out into the world, I realized that not everyone was raised or educated the way I was. I met many women who shied away from speaking up, while many men scoffed at my confidence. Was this conditioning, upbringing or both? It was eye-opening, and looking back, a cultural influence that dimmed (or maybe even squashed) that spark of confidence in me that had been with me since high school.?

Because many little girls didn’t and don’t have the same exposure and experience that I had at an early age and may not have the innate strength or support system to stand in their power, movies like the Barbie movie (and others) help little girls see that they can be and do anything. It is important for little girls to see themselves represented across a spectrum of industries, careers, and lifestyles. In Barbie, we saw a dream of an all-female Supreme Court and President Barbie. We saw Barbies working in sanitation, as lawyers, as doctors and as volleyball players. It reflects what women know in their hearts to be true: we are capable of anything.?

2) Men have a role to play

While the unenlightened Kens focus on a patriarchal takeover of Barbieland, not all the men have bought into their new philosophy. Enter: Allan.?

Most of us don’t remember Allan (I certainly didn’t). There’s just one of him in Barbieland, but he has a very important part to play. In many ways, Allan is the representative of non-toxic masculinity and healthy male allyship. When the Kens learn how to be sexist, Allan — immediately uncomfortable around performative masculinity — decides to team up with the Barbies to put a stop to it. Allan is a lover, not a fighter, but that doesn’t make him weak. He single-handedly takes on (and beats the tar out of) a group of Kens when an emergency situation calls for it. Allan listens to the Barbies and helps without making it about him. He’s independently minded. Above all, Allan is an ally.

It works like this in the real world, too. Men that see women as an ally and equal partners, recognizing our unique leadership talents and perspective, are essential to creating a better world of work. The Allans understand that men and women win together, not separately. The Allans of VC are the LPs who align with our mission, investors who see women as a competitive advantage, and who augment their skill sets.?

In a world of Kens, be an Allan.?

3) Kendom hurts everyone, and we can only defeat it TOGETHER

For every rave review, there is one criticizing Barbie for being “anti-man.”? I’m not sure what movie they saw, but pushing that particular narrative is to miss the point of the movie. The Kens suffer from being initially overlooked in Barbieland, seen as an accessory instead of a real person. Sound familiar? When the Kens dissolve into patriarchy, things get worse for the Barbies, but they also get worse for the Kens. Kendom-style patriarchy harms men by keeping them isolated from one another and from themselves, and upholding a rigid definition of what men are allowed and expected to limit the depths they’re able to reach. It makes a partnership between Barbies and Kens impossible.?

Partnerships (business or personal) require equal give-and-take, mutual respect, and open communication. Ken wanted to feel respect from Barbie, to be seen fully as an individual, and for her to acknowledge his commitment to her. That could only happen when the structures holding together both Barbieland and Kendom were dismantled. Only then could both Ken and Barbie become individuals, two people who are able to communicate and show each other respect. Men and women are stronger when we acknowledge each other’s strengths and work together to make big things happen. The pie is always bigger for each of us individually and together, congruently when we work together.

4) Don’t ignore the financial power of women

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’re not investing in women, you’re leaving money on the table.

2023 has only highlighted how much power women have in our economy.? Look at the revenue for Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Barbie has grossed over $1 billion (and counting). But if you look at where VC money is flowing, you won’t see many taking advantage of this important and powerful market.92% of Venture Capitalists with check-writing authority are men, and men have traditionally invested in what they care about and know about. When it comes to female-founded and especially female-centric startups, men don’t relate and don’t often make the effort to do so. It’s a costly missed opportunity.

Barbie underlines the power of community and makes a strong case for women-supporting-women. No one Barbie can save Barbieland; everyone needs to come together to create change. It works like this in real life, too. We know that when women lead VC firms, startups, corporations, and businesses, they outperform. When women come together and pave new paths for one another to lead and excel, prosperity flourishes and so does the economy.? When men support women as leaders, when they partner together and work together, the financial pie grows, and all benefit; just like in Barbieland. Give women leadership opportunities, EQUAL check-writing authority, and funding to expand and scale their startups, and they will outperform. If we want to make money and grow the economy, we need to clear away the “cultural divide” we find ourselves in. Women are benevolent leaders, offering insight, intuition, collaborative strategies, financial acumen, and strategic thinking.? On top of those traits, we make up the majority of consumers! Without us and our involvement in leading in business, our economy will not flourish.?

Barbie is chock-full of wisdom and thought-provoking commentary, and I hope everyone - men and women alike - choose to see it and reflect on it. Have you seen it? What did you learn??

Let me know in the comments!?

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