Women in China Are Using ‘Barbie’ as a Boyfriend Litmus Test

We’ve heard both good and bad takes about Greta Gerwig’s hit Barbie movie, and in either case, its impact on audiences—and the box office—cannot be overstated. Most intriguingly, Chinese women are turning this film into a litmus test for bad boyfriends.

Author Kyla Zhao made a TikTok explaining how some Chinese women are using the movie to test whether their boyfriends are good boyfriends. Essentially, they use the film to gauge their boyfriends’ reactions to themes of feminism and female empowerment. If their boyfriends walk out during the movie, which many Chinese theaters are reporting, then the women have their answer. They’ve even come up with a rating system for boyfriends’ reactions, with the most hateful reactions being seen as indicative of misogyny and toxicity.

While some people argue about the ethics of “tests” in relationships, I personally see this as less of a test and more of a way to reveal a person’s character. If a man cannot sit through a single movie he does not enjoy for the sake of his girlfriend, then he is likely unwilling to compromise for her happiness. If he thinks that the movie is pointless or tries to talk over his girlfriend, he may be unwilling to listen to opinions other than his own.

Similar to when people focus on a single detail that supposedly led to a fight or breakup, it’s not about the actual detail but about the behavior surrounding it. Chinese women aren’t breaking up with boyfriends over the Barbie movie, but because the movie is revealing their partners’ flaws or outright dangerous mindsets.

I especially like how the trend frames the “correct” response (i.e. understanding and engaging with the film and its ideas) as the “normal response.” Many cultures across the world normalize men being bad partners, with women having to cater to them and their needs/desires. But this trend seeks to shift that perspective, emphasizing that men hating women is not, and should not, be the norm.

The Barbie film has reminded women that they deserve better, both in representation in film and in their relationships, and the fact that so many men hate it just makes it all the more enjoyable for the women who love it.

(featured image: Warner Bros. Pictures)