I think it's safe to say that the summer's biggest blockbuster is the Barbie movie. Although I have not seen it (yet), I have heard A LOT about it, from reviews online, to friends writing to me about it, to numerous written opinions by both men and women on many social media platforms who can't stop arguing about its message. It is safe to say that this movie has left a mark on almost any adult who has seen it, especially Millennials. Why? Because I think people in their 30s and 40s are suffering the most in our society from loneliness. Even without having seen the film, I can identify some of the common themes emerging, the ones pertaining to today's cold war between men and women.
As a woman in my late 30s, I certainly view relationships between people (whether they are friendships or more) with a different set of lenses from my 20s and even from my early to mid-30s. I see how incredibly complicated everything is and how delicately we must tread in order to maintain this carefully achieved, fictitious harmony. I think that Millennials (such as myself and others like me) are really the sacrificed generation. We are experiencing very turbulent times when it comes to understanding how we should behave towards one another in the context of a relationship. Due to the incredibly fast changing paradigms regarding love, relationships, dating and gender roles, men feel increasingly threatened and women feel increasingly empowered yet confused at the same time. Of course, it's amazing that women are finally able to attain more equality in society but, at the same, I feel that it has come at a hefty price. Don't get me wrong, I am not against feminists but I feel that, inevitably, these changes have brought about many paradigm shifts in relationships.
By contrast, I see a bit more equality of thought and behaviour in LGBTQ+ couples than the cis-gender heterosexual counterparts. Perhaps this is why BL has grown in popularity so much in the last few years. Given that it portrays a different type of relationship, one that is based on mutual respect, consent and more reciprocity, this is something that many women are very attracted to since many feel that those aspects are somewhat lacking or unequal in a heterosexual context. I prefer BL ovThen again, I am not advocating that one is better than another. These are all part of the rapid changes we see happening in our society as of late.
The number of reels on IG relating to dating is staggering. The common themes are women wanting to have it all, yet give nothing. Men don't want to give anything but have it all and numerous combinations of said behaviours. Let's top that with the inability to purchase property, which would thereby establish some form of stability in life, and we got ourselves a cold war. It's like both sides are fighting for independence, yet they silently crave attention and co-dependence. Human relationships are what sustain us in life but it seems we have alienated ourselves from each other.
I am equally lost, sometimes, in how I should behave with those my age because I don't want to upset the balance, yet I want to maintain my dignity and integrity.