Just published. Good to see Tom Golden and Janice Fiamengo working together again.
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Hi Mike. My laptop must be playing games with me. Actually, I did find the correct link, from Tom Golden’s latest email update. Quite long (one hour, from memory) but an excellent review.
Rob, just checked, the link seemed OK:
https://menaregood.substack.com/p/the-barbie-movie-misandry-in-pink?
Very interesting analysis. I haven’t seen it. It seems to be a rehabilitation of “Barbie” in that here in the UK (possibly not in the USA) for many years Barbie was on the feminists’ hit list because she supposedly reinforced all the body shaming, impossibly attractive appearance obsessed neuroses supposedly imposed on girls by “the patriarchy”. Somehow she’s become a feminist “icon” .. blond, tall, thin and shaped perfectly to fit fashion. I clearly missed something in the last decade??? As the result would appear to be more money for Mattel and the fashion and beauty industry. I can understand those who regard it as satire. For of course there is something very adolescent about the idea that you can have all manner of jobs so long as you wear the right outfit. The absence of anyone with the real jobs that would be required to exist to build, maintain and improve Barbie land, which is really true of feminists who seem oblivious of how and who creates the material world they live in. A world of “magic” without stairs or lifts or walls or heating . Without any actual hard work or study and you can somehow be President by wearing a nice dress and a sash.
When they visit the the “patriarchy” they visit a real world and of course the one that creates and maintains Barbieland as well as everything else. Then its back to a fantasy. The other thing I’ve noticed is that the “star” , i.e. the one most talked about and touted for awards is “Ken” Ryan Gosling, apparently because his character goes through a dramatic arc unlike any of the Barbies.
Reminds me so much of Melanie Philips, observation that so much of feminism is simply about adolescent girls , no matter their chronological age.
Link takes us to a different video: Mike Buchanan debates with Natalie Collins, “Gormless Feminist of the Month” (ie in response to Jilly Cooper’s silly remarks about men.) I did a search but couldn’t find the Tom Golden + Janice Fiamengo video.