ma'am for a dollar, name a woman
Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
If you subscribed to Floor Time within the last few weeks, you probably think I have a Barbie addiction and that I hate men. One of those things is true!! I promise this will be my last in-depth dive into the Barbie movie (at least on this platform) and then I will be an upstanding member of society and live my life. But let’s go out with a bang, shall we?
Here’s my thing: If you hated the Barbie movie and the hype around it, I very much want to know why—and I feel like you should ask yourself the same thing. I’m not saying we all have to love the same movie (tangentially related: in a 2017 interview with Seth Meyers, Queen Greta shared that she asked, “What’s a movie you should love but secretly hate?” to her cast and crew on set. She herself responded “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” because she finds it “creepy,” to which I actually wholeheartedly agree due to the deeply racist portrayal of an Asian neighbor played by Mickey Rooney, among other reasons1). In fact, I crave when people disagree with my creative likes. I get to engage in productive discourse (read: I get to deliver my Gettysburg on why you’re WRONG and lack TASTE). I jest.
Thoughts of the Barbie movie have been swirling in my head for the past two weeks. I did see it again with a straight man which made my head swirl even more. So, I have ample thoughts to barf out right now. And if this is where you tap out of this week’s newsletter, respect, but just grab the long and short of it before you go (please note that from here on out this will contain spoilers, so if you don’t want that, go watch the film first, bruv!!):
Barbie is a movie we collectively haven’t seen before
No I’m serious. You think you’ve seen it, you think that you’ve heard America Ferrera’s now-famed speech a million times (and you have, and that’s the problem—more on that later) but you haven’t in this context
It is the highest-grossing film ever made by a female director and why is that
It ironically has sparked the same amount of passionate discourse as “I don’t like ‘The Godfather’”2
It’s a film that at face value is whimsical and simple—but its subtleties demonstrate the genius that is Greta Gerwig and the attention to detail that is Margot Robbie
[White] men have most things. They have had it forever and ever and will probably continue to for a very long time. That’s not an opinion, it’s how the world works—I’m not delivering that bitterly, just frankly. This film threatens to take an iota of that having-everything away and people are up in arms. The math not mathin’???
For all who stayed, I want to get into two key points from the film. Merely scratching the surface here as this film is literally a goldmine for someone with a Media Studies degree like me 🤓 We live in a patriarchy. If you don’t believe this statement is true, please whisk me away from this hellscape into your delulu world I BEG YOU IT SOUNDS FUN. Barbieland is a world where the concept of patriarchy does not exist. Matriarchy reigns supreme and because of that, in the film’s universe, there is no limitation to what women can do. But then, Stereotypical Barbie goes to the Real World where her immediate reaction is discomfort, fear, and self-consciousness (sound familiar, @every woman who ever womaned?). Meanwhile, Ken’s immediate reaction is power and unbridled confidence. Again, Barbie has never experienced patriarchy before and her first instinct is fear. The dichotomy of that representation alongside arguably the loudest costumes of the entire film (the iconic 80s rollerbladin’ fit) is clever yet so deeply unsettling it makes me squirm.
The second matter I’d like to discuss is the America Ferrara soliloquy. I’ve been seeing on TikTok that a lot of women went with friends (of all genders) who commented on this speech as the one point in the movie that the pro-feminist, anti-patriarchical messaging got too cringe and cliché. I have to say the first time I saw it I felt similarly—I agreed that every contradiction she lists is true and relatable, but it felt so contrived. And ✨ therein lies the problem ✨. We have heard this speech a million times. Ok, and? Has it changed the way we women feel about ourselves or move about the world? Has it changed the way men are able to not just listen to, but actually internalize the sentiments we convey to them on a daily basis? Has it led to systemic change from the ground up to make our society more equitable? I don’t mean to sound accusatory to any party, I’m merely stating a fact. The speech is something we’ve heard time and time again, and yet none of us have really listened. Or at least listened enough to yield something actionable. That just makes us all passive. To be active would mean fighting our hardwiring to question why our world functions the way it does. And if we don’t, everything that is bad will just…stay bad.
One more thing on this before I move on, I’m sharing my favorite take from this woman on TikTok. The tl;dr is that she says even though the collective “we” may have heard the America speech a million times, in the film Stereotypical Barbie is learning what the patriarchy is for the first time ever, so all the things that we have heard, she’s never heard before. That’s a smart way to justify the need for the scene.
I know you just heard an earfull, and it might’ve been unwelcome. I appreciate you staying with me for my thoughts as I know this is a more soapbox-y letter than usual (and next week I promise to write about something hella unhinged as a counter). All this to say: We exist in a society together. And as such, we have a responsibility to each other to learn about each other’s experiences, lives, and POVs. Otherwise, what were we made for?
Something Extra
As I mentioned last week, I’ve been in a huge girl power mood lately (what gave it away—talking ad nauseum about Barbie, the presence of so much more pink in my life, or how many Eras tour references I’ve been making?). I feel the internalized misogyny melting away with every Eras tour friendship bracelet (lawl), successful “ENERGY” mute, girl’s night, coordinated dinner outfit, and great book written by a woman I’ve read this summer.
On that note, here’s a list of girl power books to add to your August reading list:
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton.
Like any viral TikTok book, I was skeptical about this one. That said, this woman got up to more debauchery in her 20s than I contain in the tip of my pinkie and it was such a fun ride from start to finish. The best part of it is that she preaches love as a larger concept (not just romantic love) and the bond she and her best friend have is stunning.
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
It may be controversial but I think that this is my favorite TJR. I respect that The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the best story and best written, but I just love Carrie and relate so much to her competitive spirit—it reminds me of my days as a training athlete, and reading from her POV is so satisfying.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Read it before the TV adaptation with Brie Larson comes out! This book contains #womeninSTEM and one of the best literary dogs I’ve ever encountered.
Assembly by Natasha Brown
I mentioned it last week but this was a superb debut. It addressed countless intersectional issues in a mere 100 pages.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Women are resilient and miraculous and this multi-generational epic proves that over and over again.
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
The writing style took some getting used to but the writing is sharp, witty, and cutting. Never read anything like this and I still can’t really tell you what it’s about other than the Internet.
Educated by Tara Westover
She is a vivid storyteller of her own memoir, and the amount of resilience and survival instinct this women has is remarkable.
All About Love by bell hooks
In the same vein as Dolly Alderton’s memoir, I just love a book about love that doesn’t focus on romantic love.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
There’s nothing more girl power than reclaiming your time—and using it for drugs, alcohol, and endless sleep if that’s your choice.
Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalis
It’s “The Shape of Water” with added commentary on gender politics, lol. Read it if you’re into that sorta thing (i.e. sex with a sea creature).
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Again, feel like I’ve raved about this book a ton in Floor Times past—but it so far is my favorite of the year. If you like a satisfying time loop a la Christopher Nolan, this is for you.
Writers & Lovers by Lily King
One day I will stop shoving this book down your throat, Dear Reader, but today is not that day. Still rooting for the fictional protagonist to this day.
There are so many more but I hope this gets you off to a good start!
Something Pretty
This entrance to Mabu Cafe, that recently opened in Chinatown and is just a portal back to Hong Kong 🇭🇰♥️
Something To Laugh About
^Art cred to Katie Benn who clearly gets Floor Time
Not to be all quirky *insert hair ear tuck here* but I read a lot this week and actually didn’t have too many gems to share—so here’s just a tight three:
This extremely topical and exhibit-A-type content re: the Barbie discourse.
I know that people literally pay me to graphically design for them, but I do not have the prowess to do this and I’m jealous.
Not really a laugh out loud funny video but this is a PSA.
Thanks for coming along with me on my Barbie analysis journey. If I was still in school I’d write the shit out of this paper—danah boyd would be sourced in MLA format. It would be a work of art you mark my words!! Anyway. The discussion door is open so hmu with your thoughts on Barbie, womanhood, or literally anything else you’re thinking. Bring on all the feelings.
Til’ next time, girlies. Your friend,
Clarice
By the way…I’m reading this.
Ah! I read so much this week I’m finally starting to feel like I may actually get back on track for my 2023 reading goal (70). I just started Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, which I’ve actually heard is bad, but it’s an easy beach read for my weekend pool day. Also got Fourth Wing queued up on the Kindle so I can’t wait to reenter my fantasy phase!!
It’s George Peppard. Something about him. I understand he’s supposed to be the heartthrob but all I see are his crazy eyes.
But pronounce it the Issa Rae Way™.