The problem of Ken and Barbie

The problem of Ken and Barbie March 23, 2017

Image via Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/42219708@N02/3902343984

Flipping through Netflix recently, my kids and I wound up watching a handful of episodes of the slightly satirical show, “Barbie: Life in the Dream House.” One episode poked fun at how Barbie has had hundreds of careers over her history, but Ken’s primary role is as her boyfriend. She is both breadwinner and sexual ideal; Ken serves a purely ancillary role based on how helpful he is to her. The relationship is clearly unbalanced, and the show has some fun with that.

Funny or not, it does satirize this experience of modern relationships as being out of balance…

Read the rest at The Personalist Project

 

Image via Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/42219708@N02/3902343984


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