For some women in China, “Barbie” is more than just a movie — it’s also a litmus test for their partner’s views on feminism and patriarchy.

The movie has prompted intense social media discussion online, media outlets Sixth Tone and the China Project reported this week, prompting women to discuss their own dating experiences.

One user on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu — a photo-sharing site similar to Instagram that’s mostly used by Gen Z women — even shared a guide on Monday for how women can test their boyfriends based on their reaction to the film.

According to the guide, if a man shows hatred for “Barbie” and slams female directors after they leave the theatre, then this man is “stingy” and a “toxic chauvinist,” according to Insider’s translation of the post. Conversely, if a man understands even half of the movie’s themes, “then he is likely a normal guy with normal values and stable emotions,” the user wrote.

  • spiderjuzce@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 year ago

    I think if anyone gets mad at a Barbie movie or some random article on the internet that has nothing to do with them, that’s a good sign they’re emotionally unstable

    • oatscoop@midwest.social
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      1 year ago

      I’d call it emotionally immature.

      A surprising number of the people I grew up or work with act like they’re still in high school when it comes to social/interpersonal skills – these people are all well over 30 years old.

    • zeroxxx@lemmy.my.id
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      1 year ago

      People are free to be mad at anything as they please as long as they dont harm to other people.

      Or maybe people should not be mad at news article of Russia invading Ukraine for no reason?

    • MrApples@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Well they included the nine-dash line in the movies silly map (I believe Vietnam banned the movie because of this) and there’s no zombies or Winnie the Pooh references so all good as far as the CCP goes.

  • Phoebe@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    My boyfriend and i can’t wait to watch this movie 😊 💕 (but cinema got expensiv dudeee 🥲)

  • •••@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    That’s interesting. I read that the film was about radical feminism, but gender switched with Ken as the feminist to overthrow the Barbie-dominating system. Really look forward to seeing the movie.

  • Arotrios@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I have to admit, Barbie becoming a Chinese feminist icon was not on my 2023 bingo card. Anyone taking bets on when we’re gonna get a kpop version of this classic?

  • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    If you base your relationship on a fucken Hollywood movie then that should be a litmus test in and of itself.

    Also, guys, if your girlfriend constantly feels the need to “test” your relationship, then she’s not the right one. Thats a massive red flag.

    • Dark_Blade@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Same, I just can’t bring myself to care about a movie that’s about toys I have zero nostalgia for.

  • doggle@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Women in the US are doing that too.

    I guess it works, to a point. If your man throws a Shapiro-esque fit over this movie he probably isn’t great to be around the rest of the time.

    • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Alternatively, if your SO doesn’t think you can be together because you don’t like a movie, they probably are the wrong person to be dating.

  • Psyduck_world@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I thought the movie criticizes both extreme feminism and male chauvinism, or did I watch a different Barbie movie?

    • kraftpudding@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Yeah. Barbie Was not the good guy in the Barbie movie, right? Like, even in the end they admit that they will not give the Kens true equality, just enough that they basically won’t revolt again. People here calling Barbie a feminist icon, what movie were you watching?

  • notoriousCAT74w@discuss.online
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    1 year ago

    What are those " themes " in that movie? You stupid women don’t even know what is in the movie and here you are trying to lecture us . And why this movie is suddenly a " litmus test " for partner’s views on "patriarchy "? You stupid wimps want to decide based on some random movie , if that man is a good person or not. This movie is obviously promoting some stupid woke ideas , trying to show how men are evil in some way or another.

    • Jack Riddle@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      asks question

      assumes because they don’t know the answer that women(who are obiously inferior to their massive intellect) don’t know either

      groups all women together as stupid

      completely misunderstands the message of the movie

      Good work, mate

      Edit: formatting