The theater was buzzing with excitement, filled with moviegoers dressed in pink, cutting across gender barriers. Power suits were worn by women in the shade. 

However, I was also drawn to men wearing rosy polos and shirts that channeled their ‘Kenergy’. It was evident that the movie had universal appeal based on what I witnessed.

There was an electrifying energy in the air as the lights dimmed. There was a shared enthusiasm for discovering Barbie’s latest adventure through the eyes of filmmaker Greta Gerwig, an American actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter. 

We were about to be transported beyond our wildest imaginations, little did I know.

After leaving behind the estrogen-filled paradise she had left behind, Barbie’s quest for a cure led her to an awe-inspiring reality. 

As she stepped into the real world, her heart sank at the sight of a society that failed to live up to her lofty ideals. It was the end of the dream of a female president, a female Nobel laureate, and a world where gender equality was the norm. Aspirations and limitations were woven into a complex tapestry of progress and setbacks.

It took some time for the devastating truth to sink in. There wasn’t the omnipotent role model she imagined herself to be. Women here faced immense challenges that were deeply entrenched and difficult to overcome. When Barbie realized that change was a gradual process that required unwavering determination and collective effort, her journey took an unexpected turn.

Yet Ken, perhaps surprisingly, found himself energized by the dynamics of the real world where he discovered a power structure that favored his gender. As he approached this new paradigm, he was drawn to its allure. Embracing the privilege he found, Ken inadvertently carried these newfound ideals back to Barbie Land after Barbie’s fantasies were disillusioned.