Barbie Feminism

Heidi Montag.

Dr. Wexler mentioned her for like, a second, as a possible topic change, during last week's class. She was promptly dismissed from the conversation, though I wish she hadn't been. I am very interested in discussing her from a true feminist perspective, so, since in the spirit of writing about whatever for the week, I choose her.

Is feminism not, at its most fundamental level, a movement concerned with not only equality for women, but moreover, a woman's right to be whatever she want to be--to free her, as it were, from roles dictated by the hegemony and patriarchy (which are, of course, usually one in the same)? Indeed, no feminist would argue with this; in the feminist's theoretical framework, the woman is the oppressed and she needs to be freed from this oppression; feminism, in large part, hopes to give women voices of their own and allow them liberty to pursue their own dreams.

Why, then, would a feminist balk at the sight of Montag? Yes, Montag has had more than her share of cosmetic surgery, and, in truth, largely resembles a Barbie doll, but what gives anyone the right to criticize her choices? Even if she is molding herself to what the arguably male and popular standard of beauty, it's still her choice to do so. Sure, feminists can rail against this standard, but not Montag herself. That is wrong, and that is the antithesis of true feminism.



Recently, the cosmetic company MAC came out with an ad campaign promoted by, who else, Barbie. Personally, these ads had appealed to me when I saw them at Macy's; they asked, simply, Want to look like Barbie? And to a degree, I did. And do. Imagine my surprise, however, when leaving dance class one day, I saw the same ad plastered on a bulletin board; it seems that a local "feminism club" had violated copyright and taken the image for themselves. At the bottom of the ad, in addition to the question "Want to look like Barbie?" was "If you don't, meet us at [time and place]."

I, dare I say it, hated this poster and everything it represented. That poster effectually othered any woman who would seek to look like Barbie. If that poster was to be believed, I, who do desire to look like Barbie, do not belong in the feminism club. That poster was, when it came down to it, prescribing a role for me (the role of not desiring to look like Barbie) which is obviously in violation of feminism itself.

In any event, Montag, and the storm of media criticism that has surrounded her, is a topic very much worth discussing theoretically. I, for one, think she is beautiful; she was beautiful before her surgeries, and is still beautiful now. I am very much against the way the media has attacked her for her struggle to find herself and find beauty--neither of which are simple tasks.