Barbie & The Dark Side of Gratitude

Navigating the bright pink gaslight of toxic positivity

I was watching Barbie with my sister on her birthday. We were almost to the end, the scene where Gloria (America Ferrara) gives her powerful monologue about the frustratingly contradictory expectations placed on women in the modern world.

“Like, we have to always be extraordinary. But somehow, we’re always doing it wrong.

You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin, you have to say you wanna be healthy. But also you have to be thin.”

As she spoke, I felt a bright pink bubble of joy begin to well up in my chest…

“You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money, because that’s crass.

You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean.

You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas.”

My pink heart soared higher with each new proclamation…I felt seen, understood, validated…

“You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your…