The world's most popular doll is getting a movie makeover. In July, a star-studded film hits our screens, with Margot Robbie in the title role. The director Greta GerwigAn American director and actor, nominated for Academy Awards. promises a feminist take on the classic doll, sending Barbie on a journey of self-discovery far from her plastic utopiaThe word was coined by Thomas More (1478 - 1535) in his 1516 work of that name. In Greek, utopia means no place..

Gerwig has brought Barbie Land to life in all its garish glory. She wanted it to be "almost too much". So much so that the movie has exhausted supplies of florescent pink paint.

Barbie's road to Hollywood began in 1959. The first doll was designed by Ruth Handler and named after her daughter Barbara. The toy company Mattel has now sold over one billion worldwide.

It has not always been perfect. In 2016, sales fell as Barbie struggled to reinvent itself. But recently, social media has embraced Barbiecore, the bright pink, ultra-feminine look with a modern twist. Now, the latest movie is set to ignite global Barbie mania.

But all this excitement re-opens an old debate: does this doll empower or degrade women? Can Barbie be a feminist?

She always has been, argue her most ardent supporters. Before Barbie, dolls were designed for children to play at being mothers. Or they were the Disney princess, with her fixed story. In contrast, Barbie is a blank canvas for a child to explore their dreams.

As the film's tagline reads: "Barbie is everything and he's just Ken." Barbie's love interest is an afterthought and this story is about her. "Ken was invented after Barbie," says Gerwig in a reversal of the GenesisOrigin or beginning. The book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and opens with one of the most famous first sentences of any literary work: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." story. If we live in a man's world, Barbie Land is ruled by women.

Despite this, critics argue Barbie promotes unrealistic beauty standards and perpetuates gender stereotypes. Research found that a real-life Barbie would be clinically underweight and unable to walk¹. Studies link these dolls with negative body image and eating disorders².

Mattel has responded by releasing Barbies with different body types pursuing STEMScience, technology, engineering and maths. STEM is a term used to group these academic disciplines.  careers. But designer Eleanor Smith writes that the doll is still "an insult to feminism" - it will always value external appearance over internal qualities. Teacher Kristina Murkett says future scientists need a "bug-collecting kit, not a Barbie".

Her signature colour was not always considered feminine. A 1918 magazine recommends "delicate and dainty" blue for girls and a "stronger" pink for boys. In 1953, US First Lady Mamie Eisenhower wore a bejewelled pink ball gown. The White House became a "Pink Palace" and Mamie started a craze for the colour.

In the movie, Barbie lives in her pink Dream House. But fans say she is much more than a fashion icon. The other Barbies are lawyers, doctors and diplomats. Mattel has brought out "Role Model" dolls, including artist Frida Kahlo, aviator Amelia Earhart, and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.

And Ken is still "just Ken".

In the real world, we are at least 132 years away from achieving full gender equality³. So can Barbie's pink convertible get us there any faster?

Yes: Absolutely! The new movie boasts a diverse cast of Barbie characters thriving in traditionally male-dominated fields. Barbie represents the power of imagination and the freedom to follow your dreams.

No: This is a cynical marketing ploy to sell more plastic toys. Barbie dolls are about beauty, not equality or diversity. A really radical feminist Barbie movie would tell us to buy gender-neutral toys.

Or... It all depends on the audience. People can play with a toy in diverse ways and interpret a film differently. So while Barbie is sexist to some, she may empower others.