Shakira wasn’t feeling the feminist vibes of last summer’s biggest blockbuster, Barbie, claiming her sons felt it was “emasculating.”
Of course, the film was a pop culture phenomenon. The Greta Gerwig-directed blockbuster dominated the 2023 box office, grossing $1.4 billion globally and securing eight Oscar nominations, including best picture.
However, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer felt the need to push back against the film. “My sons absolutely hated it,” Shakira recently told Allure. “They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent.”
“I’m raising two boys. I want ’em to feel powerful too [while] respecting women. I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to also protect and provide.”
“[We should be] giving women all the tools and the trust that we can do it all without losing our essence, without losing our femininity.”
“I think that men have a purpose in society and women have another purpose as well,” Shakira continued about Barbie. “We complement each other, and that complement should not be lost.” The interviewer pushed back, asking “Just because a woman can do it all doesn’t mean she should?”
“Why not share the load with people who deserve to carry it, who have a duty to carry it as well?” Shakira replied.
Shakira Wasn’t Alone in Feeling ‘Barbie’ Emasculated Men
Although Shakira was not a fan of Barbie, the movie achieved significant success. It made cinematic history by becoming the first film directed exclusively by a woman to surpass $1 billion in revenue.
Additionally, the movie garnered eight Oscar nominations and secured the win for Best Original Song.
However, some public figures, such as comedian Bill Maher, pushed back on the success of Barbie, claiming the film had a man-hating agenda.
Gerwig, who co-wrote the script for Barbie with her husband Noah Baumbach, shared her thoughts on the criticism in an interview with The New York Times. She expressed surprise at the unexpected reaction to the film.
“Certainly, there’s a lot of passion,” Gerwig noted. “My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.”
“I hope that in all of that passion, if they see it or engage with it, it can give them some of the relief that it gave other people.”