The excitement surrounding the Barbie movie’s release saw social media flooded with memes and commentary. By playing on nostalgic sentiments, encouraging online engagement and creation, and forming unique collaborations, the magenta pink icon has been mainlined into popular culture.

A fake Mattel ad claiming that Barbie was going plastic-free convinced a lot of people who saw it, despite the claims being completely false. The Barbie movie hype opened the door for environmental activists to highlight the detrimental impact the iconic doll has on the planet.

By leaning deeply into hyper-femininity and playfulness, the 2023 Barbie movie eschews traditional gender roles assigned to women. In combination with the rise of 'bimbocore' and the rejection of girlboss culture, this form of feminism elevates the female gaze in media and entertainment.

Barbiecore couldn’t be further from the doll once considered a symbol of sexism. Transparently fake, fun, and loud, this subculture is detached from the male gaze and popular among cisgender women and the LGBTQ+ community. But what’s caused it to break into the public consciousness? And why now?