There is no shortage of emotional moments in Barbie. But the one that continues to break me is when Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” comes in. When Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman) is showing Barbie (Margot Robbie) the beauty of being alive and being a woman, Eilish’s ballad reminds us all that we’re not made for anyone but ourselves. Even Barbie has her moments and her pain, along with her joy in the perpetually sunny Barbieland. It is a beautiful moment both for Barbie and her creator, and it holds resonance for Barbie fans as well.
The song has been something that continues to make me emotional whenever I hear it. It features a gorgeous melody, and the lyrics highlight the joy of being a woman while tapping into the essential themes of the film. This moment really highlights that however complicated her history is, Barbie belongs to so many of us, and getting to see Barbie learn about the beauty of being human just really hits me emotionally.
It has also ushered in a beautiful new trend on social media. Eilish herself posted it, with the audio including a line from Handler/Pearlman, showing what girlhood means to the person posting.
It also is mixed with another meme using the same audio that says “Who bought a ticket to Barbie“, and then shows pictures of people when they are younger and says “Who saw Barbie.”
The joy of these memes is simply celebrating the women we are while acknowledging the girlhood that formed us. It’s a lovely way to use nostalgia for our childhood to show our enduring love of Barbie.
What was I made for?
The beauty of memes like this comes from the happiness being shared. Seeing young kids joyfully playing with their Barbies reminds us what makes the film so special. There is a deep recognition of our inner child which simply makes us very emotional. Pop culture doesn’t often celebrate girlhood in such a bold way. Most of the time, women in particular are forced to grow up and leave their childish joy behind.
Films like Barbie open the door for us to revisit that childhood passion and hope, to recall our youngest selves, our friendships, and our dreams. And celebrating that with Barbie has been a joy.
For so many of us, this movie has been a long time coming. We’ve wanted to see Barbie celebrated in this way, and the pink summer Barbie wave has us all deep in our feelings. We’ve waited so long for this kind of acknowledgment, this reverence for our youth. It’s a celebration of girlhood that is beautiful to see.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
