By: Jemma Fishman | VP of Research
Barbie has been a box-office hit since its release in late July, captivating audiences, both young and old, with its dazzling display of female empowerment and of course, the colour pink. The greatest impact that Barbie had on me, however, was its message about women and their role in society. In a powerful monologue, Gloria (America Ferrera), rages about how it is “impossible to be a woman” due to the double standards placed on women saying, “You have to be thin, but not too thin” and “You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean” (Gerwig, 2023). Sitting in the theatre, my mind immediately jumped to the legal profession.
Women have made incredible advances in the legal profession in Canada. Women represented 69.4% of the education, law and social, community and government services in Canada in 2022 (Statistics Canada, 2023) and made up around half of the licensed lawyers in Ontario, according to a 2020 report (Guirguis, 2022). Nevertheless, they still face many barriers within the legal field.
One significant challenge that Barbie hints at is gender roles. Unlike men, women are expected to be the caretakers of the home while putting in as much work as their male counterparts. This has significant consequences for the number of women in the legal profession. For example, a Reuters survey reported that 90% of female lawyers who quit their jobs did so because of a toxic workplace culture that made it impossible for them to balance their work and home life (Greene, 2022). Similarly, because women’s professions in law have typically been subordinate to men, female lawyers' salaries are much lower. Salaries drop even more for female lawyers of colour and with disabilities who represent less in higher, more powerful positions (Guirguis, 2022). Another challenge that women face is gender bias. As Barbie displays, those who wish to be part of a competitive workforce, like law, must be leaders, assertive and outspoken. Women, on the other hand, are asked to be the exact opposite, creating quite the paradox. In trying to balance all of these contradicting personalities, it can be difficult for women in the legal field to advocate for themselves, especially in gaining new positions and responsibilities.
So how do we solve all these issues? Barbie has definitely become an icon for women, suggesting that no woman can live up to the expectations of being perfect in the workplace and as a flawless ideal of femininity, even for Barbie herself. Despite these clear messages, the solutions for women in law are much more complex. It is clear that there needs to be deep structural changes within competitive workplaces. Workplaces need to start providing more transparency on salaries and hiring processes to best address any gender biases. They also need to become more flexible to accommodate women who take on responsibilities at home.
Generally, Barbie is an inspirational film. Its ability to address stereotypical gender roles and gender bias in a light, pastel, and frankly funny way was nothing short of spectacular. However, viewers also need to understand that the issues represented in the film are only the tip of a large, patriarchal iceberg that affects all women within the legal profession.
References
Gerwig, G. (2023, July 9). Barbie. Warner Bros. Picture.
Greene, J. (2022, July 21). Don’t blame baby: Survey finds most women quit big firms over culture, not family. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/dont-blame-baby-survey-finds-most-women-quit-big-firms-over-culture-not-family-2022-07-21/
Guirguis, S. (2022, September 7). Women in Law: How the legal sector still fails female lawyers and why true equality remains elusive. https://www.lexpert.ca/legal-insights/women-in-law-how-the-legal-sector-still-fails-female-lawyers-and-why-true-equality-remains-elusive/368855
Law Society of Ontario. (2020). Law Society of Ontario 2020 Annual Report Licensing statistics. Law Society of Ontario.
Statistics Canada. (2023). Proportion of women and men employed in occupations, annual, inactive (Table 14-10-0335-02). Statistics Canada.
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