Shakira Says 'Barbie' Was 'Emasculating' to Sons, Sends Wrong Message About Feminism
Nearly a year after its release, some people still have very strong opinions about Barbie. Pop singer Shakira got frank with Allure in a new cover story, telling interviewer Patricia Alfonso Tortolani that her sons found Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster to be “emasculating,” something Shakira agrees with.
The conversation turned to movies after Shakira told the outlet, “I heard that by 2030, 60 percent of the world's wealth will be managed by women.” It’s a statistic she hopes to see come to fruition, leading the interviewer to ask if she’d seen Barbie.
“I watched it, yeah,” Shakira replied curtly, followed by what Allure characterized as a “long pause.” After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, the Hips Don’t Lie singer came back with a surprising take.
“My sons absolutely hated it. They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent,” Shakira said. “I'm raising two boys. I want 'em to feel powerful, too, [while] respecting women.”
She continued: “I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to also protect and provide.
"I believe in giving women all the tools and the trust that we can do it all without losing our essence, without losing our femininity,” the singer explained.
“I think that men have a purpose in society and women have another purpose, as well,” Shakira concluded. “We complement each other, and that complement should not be lost.”
For clarification, Tortolani asked, “Just because a woman can do it all doesn’t mean she should?”
Shakira replied: “Why not share the load with people who deserve to carry it, who have a duty to carry it as well?”
Shakira’s comments are somewhat surprising since she’s spent most of her career as a vocal feminist. There’s even a Wikipedia page, titled “Shakira as a feminist icon,” which innumerates her contributions to the cause.
Shakira is one of many celebrities who took issue with the depiction of men in Barbie, including veteran director John Carpenter and comedian Bill Maher. The latter found the movie to be "man-hating." However, Shakira's remarks are a bit more nuanced than other arguments against the comedy.
Shakira’s latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, is currently available to download. You can head over to Allure to read the complete interview.