As the feminist movie of the summer, Barbie has broken box office records.
But the film has also broken hearts on social media with scores of women apparently telling their partners: “You don’t understand the Barbie movie? Then you’re dumped”.
The family-friendly film about a doll that comes to life – bursting with jokes and glitzy dance numbers – has become a benchmark for TikTok users to judge the suitability of their partner.
Women are being urged to ditch men who do not understand the film’s messages on feminism and patriarchy.
The craze has been driven by TikTok users who insist that agreeing with the feminist themes in the Barbie film “should be standard in a relationship”.
One wrote: “Take your boyfriends to the Barbie movie and if they hate it, dump them”.
Another said in a video liked 800,000 times: “I think taking your boyfriend to Barbie should be your relationship test to decide if he’s a good long-term partner”.
Another user added: “I think it’s perfectly reasonable for women to break up with their boyfriends for their (negative) reaction to the Barbie movie”.
One woman even cancelled her first date after the man refused to wear pink to see the film.
She told TikTok they had to make an event out of the cinema trip by wearing pink outfits and posing for photos together.
He refused to co-operate and she called off the date.
Her confession on social media was met with adoration from other women who said: “If his masculinity is so fragile he can’t wear pink when it’s important to you, you need a new man because that’s a boy”.
Others admit the film has determined how they see their partners.
One woman said on TikTok: “I feel like I’m the a******* for letting the Barbie movie affect my relationship and how I see my boyfriend. Friends have been telling me I shouldn’t let it alter the way I view my boyfriend because our relationship is really good and healthy.”
Directed and written by Greta Gerwig, the film was released last month and has made AUD$1.1 billion globally.
It turned the world pink with a fashion trend coined Barbiecore with blonde hair dye sales rising by 47 per cent.
The film’s message is that women can be whatever they want in life without conforming to patriarchy.
It is set in Barbieland, a colourful and women-centred utopia where Barbies hold the positions of power such as president – and the men exist to serve them.
This paints a stark contrast to the “real world” which Margot Robbie, who plays the Mattel doll, enters and discovers the tangled web of patriarchy and feminism.
Ms Gerwig’s reimagined Barbie allows young girls in the real world to believe they can achieve whatever they want on their own terms.
There is some controversy over Barbie’s boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
Viewers have disagreed with the message that in order for her to shine, he must stay in her shadow. Ken’s outfits have also been described as having gender-neutral elements.
He is seen wearing a sleeveless denim jacket and a colourful hoodie with the slogan on the front that reads: ‘I am Kenough.’ The top went viral and has sold out online