Down with the patriarchy!

I hadn’t been interested in going to Barbie till I found it had a feminist message. #1 and 2 daughters had no interest in dolls (#2 had a Sindy but cut its hair off and pulled its legs off) but #3, pictured by Nathaniel with me and Ella, loved her Barbies. (It did her no harm, as she’s a Sociology teacher and feminist). The children wondered why daughter and I were laughing so much as they didn’t get all the humour we got from the songs and other references. “What’s a gynaecologist and why was she going to one?” that. Hopefully the over-laboured messages about patriarchy and consumerism might have reached them though. Paradoxically I bet it will take in lots of profit for Mattel. Some of it was too cheesy for me, but nevertheless I enjoyed if hugely and all enjoyed the hammed-up acting, the sets and the dance routines.