This movie is not woke at all.

People like Ben Shapiro claim Barbie is "woke," that it pushes feminsim and suggests women are better than men. But when I hear these critiques, I have to ask--did they actually watch the movie all the way through?

Let's be crystal clear: Barbie is not woke. Not even close.

Take the opening scene, where little girls smash their baby dolls. Some critics twist this into a pro-abortion or anti-motherhood message. That is completely incorrect. What the scene is actually showing is that girls can choose how to live. Historically, girls were expected to grow up, have children, and stay at home. Barbie's arrival represents a new option: girls can now do what they want. It is not saying motherhood is bad--it is saying women should have the freedom to choose their life, whether that is raising a family, pursuing career, or both.

Then there's the claim that the movie promotes women ruling over men, and that Ken is protrayed as a dumb side character or even the villian. Again, that is completely incorrect. The film critiques both extremes--matriarchy and patriarchy--and ultimatley says that neither gender should rule by themselves. In the end, it says that the Barbies and the Kens should rule together, rather than alone.

Ken's character arc is actually one of the most thought out parts of the movie. He literally starts off thinking his worth depends on Barbie's attention. When that fails, he turns to power and control. But even that leaves him still feeling empty. At the end, Barbie told him, "You are Kenough." She literally tells him that his value and identity does not come from romantic validation or power. It is sending a message to men that they do not need validation from women, but they are enough and valuable on their own. In addition to this, it sends a message to women that they are valuable on their own aswell.

When people label this movie as "woke," I cannot help but think they walked in with a preconcieved idea. Barbie is not woke. Watch the move in full and be open to what it is actually saying.