*Spoiler Alert

Last weekend I, along with millions of other people, excitedly bought ourselves tickets to see the much hyped Barbie film. Knowing Greta Gerwig's style, the popcorn movie was sure to have quick wit, loveable characters, and, even in an over-the-top Barbie world, a wholeheartedly down-to-Earth plot. 

Before I go on, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. As a woman that hasn't played with or thought much about Barbie since I was in kindergarten, the movie used the Barbie IP to tell a greater, more poignant story about society at large, which I appreciated. Even better, Greta's writing delivered a biting critique of the patriarchy with humor!

All of the jokes in the movie had myself and the audience laughing...except one. During the final act, when the main characters discover that Ken has brought the patriarchy to defenseless Barbie Land, Gloria (played by America Ferrera) quips "It's like the Indigenous people and smallpox, they have no immunity to it!" There was dead silence in the theater. And I, an indigenous woman, was suddenly ripped from Barbie Land and thrust back into my seat, forced to recalibrate. Wondering if I had heard that correctly. Looking around, wondering if anyone else noticed that I got tense and uncomfortable. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I and Indian Country have a sense of humor. It's what has kept us alive through centuries of genocide and imposed invisibility. (see CNN and "Something else" for an example of Native America meme-ing an intentional dig by corporate media). Now, finally we have Native writers and directors bringing that humor to the masses ala shows like "Reservation Dogs" and "Rutherford Falls." But to my knowledge, there was no Native talent in front of or behind the camera of this movie. This was not the time, place, or person to make a smallpox "joke". Not on the heels of another pandemic where Native America lost thousands. And one has to ask, is it ever ok to make a joke about genocide? To compare a fictional patriarchal takeover of Barbie Land (where no one was actually hurt) to the real life loss of millions of indigenous people?

So Greta Gerwig and Warner Brother's: pull the 10 second line from the Barbie movie. Seeing as no one in the audience laughed, I don't think anyone would miss it and if they do, we have a problem. I saw so many of my indigenous friends bring their children to this movie over the weekend. From here on out I hope that they and any other indigenous girls and boys watching this movie for years to come don't have to sit through that "joke."