'Barbie' movie creators open up about film's feminist message and fans are loving it
The new 'Barbie' movie really has it all.
Margot Robbie discusses the feminism behind 'Barbie.'
While conversations about Barbie might generally revolve around unrealistic beauty standards and misogynist ideals, the factual legacy of the iconic toy is far more nuanced and surprisingly feminist. After all, Barbie propelled young girls around the world out of simply honing their maternal skills with baby dolls and helped them imagine themselves in roles beyond motherhood.
This is part of why the highly anticipated “Barbie” movie is causing such excitement. It not only promises a fun ride full of dance numbers, crazy outfits and pink galore, but also a story that reflects the true promise of feminism: an equilateral, inclusive world where femininity is equally celebrated. Basically, the best of Barbie, if you ask me.
In fact, the film’s feminist layers were the main topic for a recent ABC News In-depth interview with Greta Gerwig, the film’s director, and Margot Robbie, who plays the titular character, and it’s giving fans a whole new level of appreciation for the upcoming comedy.“It most certainly is a feminist film,” said Gerwig. ”But it’s feminist in a way that includes everyone; it’s a ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ version of it.”
“I think some people hear the word ‘feminist’ and think that means it doesn't mean men…And I’m like, anyone who believes that men and women should be equal is feminist,” Robbie seconded, noting that the power between the Barbies and the Kens is certainly not equal at the beginning of the film.
“If you look at ‘Barbie Land’ from the beginning…the Barbies are on top and the Kens are kinda disregarded…that’s not equal. So, whatever the opposite of misogynist is actually what Barbie is. Toward the end when they balance things out..then it might be feminist,” she joked.
Then Gerwig painted a picture she saw time and time again with her friends' daughters:
“Little girls playing dress-up where they put on everything—the tutu and the tiara and the boa, and the gloves, and the bag and the cowboy boots and they have sparkles…so many ideas—and then there’s this moment when they just…start wanting to disappear.”
This is certainly a feeling many women can relate to, and it’s a feeling that only gets exacerbated in a society where women are often pitted against one another. Gerwig wanted “Barbie” to challenge this notion in the movie by showing “that ability for a woman to look at another woman and say ‘you’re good enough.’”
It doesn’t hurt that Gerwig and Robbie live this example in the interview by delighting in lifting each other up. Gerwig applauds Robbie for her take-charge attitude, and Robbie commends Gerwig for having an infectious enthusiasm and intelligence that doesn’t make others feel alienated. All in all, it’s just so inspiring to watch a couple of female Hollywood powerhouses hold each other in such high regard, all while talking about a movie that does the same thing.
After seeing this discussion, folks were even more excited about the thought Gerwig and Robbie have put into the film. You can feel the love in the comments below:
“The more I hear about the script entices me to actually see the movie.”
“I cannot wait to see this and already want them to direct/ produce another project together again. They flow off of each other so well. I love this!!”
“I wish they conducted interviews with world leaders and politicians in this manner.”
“This movie will tell girls they can do anything.”
“I have not (obviously) seen this yet and just from this interview I need another Margot/ Greta film. They seem superb together.”
“The absolute number one reason why I am most excited to see this movie is because of these two women. They are each so impressively talented and mindblowingly intelligent and passionate about their craft that there's no way it will be anything less than spectacular. “
Thankfully, fans only have to wait a little longer before seeing what the creators have come up with. "Barbie" premieres July 21.
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An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
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Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."