A Unanimous Decision

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say, ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?” Jim Rohn

Congratulations to Neve Kirby-Collins who on Friday 22nd March won the prestigious Catenian Public Speaking contest in Liverpool. Neve will now progress to the Grand final later in the Year.

Chair of the Adjudicators, James Power said in his remarks, “it was a unanimous decision”.

Neve spoke on the topic of “The impact of Barbie” she certainly had the audience responding with a resounding “Me too”.

The impact of Barbie!

The Movie ‘Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with enhanced features.’ This was a re-phrased quote from golden globes host Jo Koy, who when receiving backlash from audiences immediately jumped on the defence claiming he was not the one who wrote the jokes and saw no real issue with the previous comment.

 

But was there any real reason to hold this comment against him? Truthfully, Barbie in her doll form is a paragon of perfection with her unattainable beauty standards is the mosaic of insecurity with her slim waist and adorning long legs it was easy for people to criticise the Barbie movie with no real understanding of the plot when it first hit screens in July 2023.

 

Nonetheless, the power of Barbie was swiftly established within its first 48-hours in cinemas where it accumulated a stifling $1 billion making Barbie the highest-grossing film in 2023 and the 14th highest grossing film in the history of cinema. Creating a reality that thinks beyond the PINK.

 

Audiences were astonished to learn that Barbie was no longer a plastic doll whose very existence caused copious amounts of controversy but a sonnet for women everywhere, with America Feirra’s heartfelt, emotionally charged monologue of the ‘the impossibilities of being a woman’ including the constant battle, belittlement and frankly abhorrent exacting standards upheld and maintained by a society who fears the change and expansion of female power.

 

Ruth Handler originally created the Barbie doll for daughter to prove her potential in life was limitless so therefore they should strive to be the upmost version of herself but over the course of time Barbie was no longer a beacon for opportunity but an idea of what a woman should look like with her career aspirations all but forgotten.

 

This what makes the Barbie movie so impactful not just for women but for everyone, it is re-claiming a dark history of sexualising and objectification of women and transforming it into something so magical and special allowing little girls to remain little girls with endless dreams just a little while longer. Barbie illustrates just how important it is for people to support each other, with an incredibly diverse cast displaying all walks of life across the screens, this is not just a ‘woke feminist’ movie but a love story of the importance of uplifting the voices that get too often lost in our society such as women’s struggles for basic respect.

 

It is inconceivable, we have created a world where little girls are more concerned how big they appear than creating memories to last a lifetime.

 

Patriarchal views in our society are still rampant but with role models (such as the Barbie movie) we can strive towards a better world for all those little girls who deserve the right to play with Barbies that represent them and let their dreams reach for the stars and not have to apologise for it!

 

To conclude, Barbie has once again proved that women can and will overpower the forces that constantly threaten to diminish their power. So, this is my message to you, do not ever let someone tell you that you are too emotional, too much or not enough, and if Barbie can do it. What’s STOPPING you!

 

Thank you