Loved this. My husband and I have talked about this in terms of church - how going to a more progressive church just feels like there’s a different set of beliefs we have to accept to...be accepted, I guess.
"I don’t want to trade in my old rigid beliefs for new rigid beliefs" Yes! This. It's an all to real temptation isn't it. Thank you for this thoughtful essay.
I love this. I am glad to find people who are further along than me, to shine a light that highlights the way forward and the potential dangers. I am frankly revelling in my anger right now which was absent for far too long. Its naming things that are wrong and giving me an energy I need to move but I don't want to stay here indefinitely so thanks for pointing out another way. I don't think I can be reminded of that too much.
Thanks for commenting, Jen! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry. I'm so angry. I'm really convinced there's a lot of healing in naming and feeling our anger - particularly when we've been in spaces where we were told otherwise. A lot of times, when I'm writing these things, I'm writing to myself just as much as anyone else.
My husband and I actually thought the Barbie movie effectively made the point you made here. We really saw that it was holding up a mirror to patriarchy and our stereotypical feminist response to show they're equal in their opposition... And is that what we really want? And for continuity's sake, perhaps, the plot couldn't include a perfect answer but what would be real in that universe where Barbie ruled and Ken only existed for her. But anyway, I love to see you process through it and I really, really agree.
Thank you for this thoughtful reply. I've been thinking more about it since I read it yesterday. I might need to watch again and see if anything new comes up.
This definitely stood out to me more on the second viewing! There's something weirdly unsatisfying about Barbieland's status quo in the end, and I wonder if that factors into the way she chooses to reimagine her story. (I've also seen some angry progressive types criticize the scene where she comforts Ken, but I thought it was really beautiful and important.)
Anywayyyyyyy I just wandered here from notes! 👋🏼 And yes to this whole piece. After a fresh sort of deconstruction experience a few years ago, my husband and I have had many conversations about resisting the temptation to become fundamentalist in the other direction.
I'm tempted to apologize for leaving this reply, but I wanted to offer my long-form thoughts on this movie since I wrote my own newsletter about it after I saw it. You're totally welcome to not! That's your call 😊
Well said, friend. I thought the Barbie movie was pretty nuanced in the end, actually, but not without some unpacking. There are definitely some cringe anti-men moments.
I'd love to hear more about what you've unpacked! This was based on one watch - all by myself. I'm wondering if anything new would come up if I watched again...
I love it all 😄 especially “can we pause, take a breath, and not become adversaries?” I’ve been stuck on that point for years (I wrote a book about it!) but I’m still learning how to lean into nuance and curiosity. Extremism doesn’t serve us well.
Love this soooo much. The lack of nuance in our culture is something I think about all the time. And that joke is FIRE.
I also had mixed feelings on the Barbie movie...it was a lot to take in lol. I wrote about AF's speech a bit and also said I'd need to rewatch it to figure out anything more to say.
P.S. Found you via a link from The Catholic Feminist. Happy to connect! Jane (Woods) and I have chatted quite a bit - I see you know/follow her too.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Amber! Cannot tell you how happy you have made my little post-evangelical heart by telling me you found me from something called "The Catholic Feminist."
Love this! As a “lady pastor” it’s been appalling to me how many people say doofy things about that. Talk about swing the opposite way. Also great fiction: The Year of the Rabid Dragon! So good!
Beautifully written post, but I recommend everyone avoiding Rohr as he doesn't believe in the Bible "The Jewish Scriptures, which are full of anecdotes of destiny, failure, sin and grace, offer almost no self-evident philosophical or theological conclusions that are always true. . . . We even have four, often conflicting versions of the life of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There is no one clear theology of God, Jesus, or history presented, despite our attempt to pretend there is." - The Divine Dance
Make Nuance Great Again! Would buy that t-shirt
SAME!
That joke is beautiful. Copyright it now. Tell it everywhere.
Loved this. My husband and I have talked about this in terms of church - how going to a more progressive church just feels like there’s a different set of beliefs we have to accept to...be accepted, I guess.
Thanks for sharing. I can definitely see that!
"I don’t want to trade in my old rigid beliefs for new rigid beliefs" Yes! This. It's an all to real temptation isn't it. Thank you for this thoughtful essay.
It's so tempting. And you're so welcome. Thanks for reading!
I love this. I am glad to find people who are further along than me, to shine a light that highlights the way forward and the potential dangers. I am frankly revelling in my anger right now which was absent for far too long. Its naming things that are wrong and giving me an energy I need to move but I don't want to stay here indefinitely so thanks for pointing out another way. I don't think I can be reminded of that too much.
Thanks for commenting, Jen! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry. I'm so angry. I'm really convinced there's a lot of healing in naming and feeling our anger - particularly when we've been in spaces where we were told otherwise. A lot of times, when I'm writing these things, I'm writing to myself just as much as anyone else.
Hmm your much more articulate than me when angry!
My husband and I actually thought the Barbie movie effectively made the point you made here. We really saw that it was holding up a mirror to patriarchy and our stereotypical feminist response to show they're equal in their opposition... And is that what we really want? And for continuity's sake, perhaps, the plot couldn't include a perfect answer but what would be real in that universe where Barbie ruled and Ken only existed for her. But anyway, I love to see you process through it and I really, really agree.
Thank you for this thoughtful reply. I've been thinking more about it since I read it yesterday. I might need to watch again and see if anything new comes up.
This definitely stood out to me more on the second viewing! There's something weirdly unsatisfying about Barbieland's status quo in the end, and I wonder if that factors into the way she chooses to reimagine her story. (I've also seen some angry progressive types criticize the scene where she comforts Ken, but I thought it was really beautiful and important.)
Anywayyyyyyy I just wandered here from notes! 👋🏼 And yes to this whole piece. After a fresh sort of deconstruction experience a few years ago, my husband and I have had many conversations about resisting the temptation to become fundamentalist in the other direction.
I'm tempted to apologize for leaving this reply, but I wanted to offer my long-form thoughts on this movie since I wrote my own newsletter about it after I saw it. You're totally welcome to not! That's your call 😊
https://open.substack.com/pub/brestrobel/p/on-sabbaticals-the-barbie-movie-and?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=11vaph
I co-sign this.
Thanks Sarah!
Love this. Also, Noah Kahan is great (especially when he sings with Kacey Musgraves) :)
She calls me baaaaaack. ;)
Haha yes! Another sad band I'm obsessed with lately is Beta Radio
BRB just checking spotify
Well said, friend. I thought the Barbie movie was pretty nuanced in the end, actually, but not without some unpacking. There are definitely some cringe anti-men moments.
I'd love to hear more about what you've unpacked! This was based on one watch - all by myself. I'm wondering if anything new would come up if I watched again...
I love it all 😄 especially “can we pause, take a breath, and not become adversaries?” I’ve been stuck on that point for years (I wrote a book about it!) but I’m still learning how to lean into nuance and curiosity. Extremism doesn’t serve us well.
Love this soooo much. The lack of nuance in our culture is something I think about all the time. And that joke is FIRE.
I also had mixed feelings on the Barbie movie...it was a lot to take in lol. I wrote about AF's speech a bit and also said I'd need to rewatch it to figure out anything more to say.
P.S. Found you via a link from The Catholic Feminist. Happy to connect! Jane (Woods) and I have chatted quite a bit - I see you know/follow her too.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Amber! Cannot tell you how happy you have made my little post-evangelical heart by telling me you found me from something called "The Catholic Feminist."
Love this! As a “lady pastor” it’s been appalling to me how many people say doofy things about that. Talk about swing the opposite way. Also great fiction: The Year of the Rabid Dragon! So good!
Beautifully written post, but I recommend everyone avoiding Rohr as he doesn't believe in the Bible "The Jewish Scriptures, which are full of anecdotes of destiny, failure, sin and grace, offer almost no self-evident philosophical or theological conclusions that are always true. . . . We even have four, often conflicting versions of the life of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There is no one clear theology of God, Jesus, or history presented, despite our attempt to pretend there is." - The Divine Dance