Shakira Says Barbie Movie Felt “Emasculating” And That “Men And Women Complement Each Other”
Colombian pop sensation Shakira shared her thoughts on Barbie in a recent interview with Allure magazine. "My sons absolutely hated it. They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent." Her comments were met with mixed reviews.
In a recent interview, Shakira (47) opened up about growing up in Colombia, her devastating split from soccer star, Gerard Piqué, the father of her two children, and her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry). The 3-time Grammy winner is best known for her hit song, "Hips Don't Lie," for which she wrote the lyrics, composed the music, choreographed the dance, and coproduced the music video.
Shakira also shared her unfiltered thoughts on Greta Gerwig's Barbie.
“My sons absolutely hated it. They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent. I'm raising two boys," Shakira shared. "I want 'em to feel powerful too [while] respecting women. I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to also protect and provide. I believe in giving women all the tools and the trust that we can do it all without losing our essence, without losing our femininity. I think that men have a purpose in society and women have another purpose as well. We complement each other, and that complement should not be lost.”
“Just because a woman can do it all doesn’t mean she should?” probed the surprised interviewer, to which Shakira responded, "Why not share the load with people who deserve to carry it, who have a duty to carry it as well?”
Reactions to Shakira's comments were mixed on X, with some applauding her take.
Others claimed that she's just "brainwashed "or a "pick me."
The interviewer, Patricia Tortolani, was clearly surprised by Shakira's opinion of the "Girl Power" movie, especially since many of Shakira's other answers are more in line with typical, tired feminist talking points, such as her claim that Eve from the Genesis story "was created by misogynists to put women in the little box where we have to remain silent, not speak our minds, and not be a catalyst for change."
Hopefully, Shakira's recognition of the complementary nature of the two sexes will inspire even more critical thought about the origin and purpose of masculinity and femininity. That will be necessary to accomplish her musical mission "to build bridges, to empower people, to help women discover their own strengths.”
Shakira also shared a few of her beauty secrets but kept one locked away:
“I hydrate [my skin] with marula oil and hyaluronic acid. And when I have an appearance, I do the craziest thing. I massage my face and neck very vigorously because I believe that circulation, the irrigation of blood to the skin and muscles, can rejuvenate, so I look more plumped.”
“And your hair?” Tortolani asked, hoping to finally discover the secret to Shakira's infamous curls.
“I've tried every single hair product on the market," Shakira stated. "There are not many out there that can deal with damage, moisture, frizziness, shine, and all of that so...I went to a lab and developed my own products for myself, my own line. Maybe one day I'll share my secret.“
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