Opinion

Opinion Opinion | Aug 29, 2023

[email protected]

“Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths.” — Lois Wise

I joined an eager crowd at the Eclipse Theater in Breckenridge a couple weeks ago so I wouldn’t miss out on the “Barbie” craze. I truly enjoyed this remarkably creative, thoughtful and very funny film. The movie was at times too preachy with its feminist message, and I noticed that the word “patriarchy” does not fit smoothly into comedy dialog. But the amazing popularity of the movie shows how the pro-women theme really struck a chord with the public.

Many commentators and politicians dissed this movie for being anti-male. These people either didn’t see the film or they have no sense of humor. Anyone who is half awake knows we live in a society of male privilege and men should have thick enough skins to handle a little ribbing in a movie. “Barbie” provides a refreshing contrast to the “Oppenheimer” film in which men are running the world and the women are there to admire them and keep the house neat.

I was raised in a sexist household with a breadwinner dad who was the boss and a homemaker mom. The boys played with toy trucks and my sister had dolls and an Easy-Bake Oven. My parents were surprised when my sister wanted to pursue a college degree instead of a husband. Then I raised two bright and ambitious daughters, and my sexism vanished. Shouldn’t my daughters have the choices and opportunities that men have?

In the days of Jane Austen, women were restricted to walks in the garden lest they become too exhausted. The International Olympic Committee, all male until 1981, didn’t allow a women’s marathon until 1984 due to fears about women’s delicate health. Women now outnumber men in road race participation according to Running USA. When I started high school, the only activity available for girls was being a cheerleader for the boys’ teams. Thanks to Title IX prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education, girls have been able to enjoy the benefits of sports in high school and college.

My wife and I did not want our daughters to have Barbie dolls when they were young, being concerned about the doll’s over-emphasis on an unrealistic body image and beauty. The movie and all the publicity surrounding it made me aware of Barbie being a career woman with over 200 professions from doctor to astronaut to business executive. Many girls found Barbie to be a positive role model, inspiring them to want a prestigious job and a pink Dreamhouse.

There is even a President Barbie, though in real life women have a big challenge in being hired for this job because of the “likability factor.” Male candidates can be angry jerks and we will still like and elect them, but most people’s ideal woman president must be a combination of Wonder Woman and Mother Teresa. A 2018 YouGov poll asked people whether they personally hoped there would be a woman U.S. President in their lifetime. Sixty-six percent of all respondents said yes, but among Republicans 59% said no. Come on people!

“Oppenheimer” had a perfect opportunity to not be a typical male movie, but they left out some key women scientists from the Manhattan Project including physicist Chien-Shiung Wu who was a significant team member. The sexism of that time was likely a factor when Wu was denied the 1957 Nobel Prize in physics — given to her two male colleagues despite Wu’s essential contribution to their research. Imagine the women who might have been encouraged to pursue careers in science 60 years ago had they seen Wu win the top physics award.

In the “Barbie” movie, “Barbie has a great day every day.” In her world she is not being held back by any rigid sex roles and she dreams she is capable of anything. It appears to me that in Summit County we have a good balance of men and women as managers of businesses and nonprofits and as representatives on town councils and the school board. Our community is stronger when we choose leaders and employees based on talent and character and not because of stereotypes about one’s sex. Local children, both girls and boys, notice who is valued by society. We should hope they see respect and opportunity for everyone.

Paul Olson’s column “A Friendly Conservative” publishes biweekly on Tuesdays in the Summit Daily News. Olson has lived in Breckenridge since 1995. Semiretired, he works at REI in Dillon and enjoys snowboarding, Nordic skiing and hiking. Contact him at [email protected].

Aug 29, 2023

Aug 25, 2023

Aug 24, 2023

Aug 23, 2023

Aug 23, 2023

As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.

Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.